[net.religion] Patron Saint Sought

janc@uofm-cv.UUCP (01/18/84)

With deadlines approaching, and bugs creeping up on all sides, it occurs
to me that we software engineers are a breed sorely in need of divine
assistance.  And so, I ask you, who is the patron saint of computer
programmers?  Before hitting return, while my run command yet gleams
impotent on my display, whose name should I invoke in my prayers?
Upon whom shall I call for guidance when the compiler goes into an
infinite loop?  If any profession has ever been in need of a patron
saint, surely it is ours.

				Jan Wolter -- University of Michigan

thor@ihuxw.UUCP (01/19/84)

While I confess to NOT having spent hours in the library researching
this, I suggest St. Anselm. Saint Anselm was an eleventh century
bishop who was also a logician. I believe he published several works
on logic, although they were primarily related to proving the
existance of God. I realize that last part may not sit well 
with everyone. I suggest him since logic is certainly an integral
part of computer science. For most CS applications the only other 
choice is, certainly, St. Jude. Anyone have more insight on this?

			Just tossing out ideas,
			Mark Kohls
			..ihnp4!ihuxw!thor
			

rfg@hound.UUCP (R.GRANTGES) (01/20/84)

Sure and theres the patron saint of engineers, St. Patrick, who
invented the "worm drive" when he drove the snakes from Ireland.
Surely this could be viewed as the first really large scale
"debugging" operation, qualifying him for this new post as well.
Dick Grantges hound!rfg

debray@sbcs.UUCP (Saumya Debray) (01/21/84)

Who but St. Turing, lord and master of programs that won't halt?
-- 
Saumya Debray
Dept. of Computer Science
SUNY at Stony Brook

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seifert@ihuxl.UUCP (01/23/84)

How about Lucifer?  I've seen a lot of code that appeared
to be "of the devil".

	:-)
-- 
		_____
	       /_____\		from the flying doghouse of
	      /_______\			Snoopy
		|___|	
	    ____|___|_____	    ihnp4!ihuxl!seifert

chris@umcp-cs.UUCP (01/24/84)

The answer should be obvious:  St. Vidicon of Cathode, of course.
(Read the Gramarye books by Christopher Stasheff if you want to
find out about St. Vidicon.)
-- 
In-Real-Life: Chris Torek, Univ of MD Comp Sci
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CSNet:	chris@umcp-cs		ARPA:	chris.umcp-cs@CSNet-Relay

ken@ihuxq.UUCP (01/24/84)

----
I thought St. Christopher was the patron saint of lost travellers,
including program counters wandering forever in the farthest reaches of
user space.  But then, didn't he get court-martialled and convicted
in absentia by some recent pope for having been illegitimate? 
I remember several Catholic school friends referring to their medallions
at one point as "Mr. Christopher medals."
-- 
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