Turing Lectures

Maurice Wilkes. (“Computers then and now”)

Much of the early engineering development of digital computers was done in universities. A few years ago, the view was commonly expressed that universities had played their part in computer design, and that the matter could now safely be left to industry. I do not think that it is necessary that work on computer design should go on in all universities, but I am glad that some have remained active in the field. Apart from the obvious functions of universities in spreading knowledge, and keeping in the public domain material that might otherwise be hidden, universities can make a special contribution by reason of their freedom from commercial considerations, including freedom from the need to follow the fashion.

Alan Perlis. Programming languages after ALGOL. (“The Synthesis of Algorithmic Systems”)