The (almost) lost PhD thesis of UNIX creator Dennis Ritchie

This is the fascinating story of Dennis Ritchie’s lost PhD thesis!

For anyone who is enamored with mathematics, computer science, and the intrigues of academia, it makes for fascinating reading.

Like Harvard, both of the Universities at which I did PhD’s (and Stellenbosch where I now teach) require the submission of a bound (and now also an electronic copy) of a completed PhD before they will award the degree.

So you can complete the thesis, be examined and pass, and still not get the degree if you do not submit a bound copy the Library. I had to supply signed (yes actual signed paper) letters to confirm that my copy was submitted at Radboud University. At UNISA I think they were more sensible and accepted an email.

So it seems that Dennis Ritchie, the architect of the UNIX operating system, finished his PhD at Harvard in 1968, passed it, but never bothered to submit a bound copy to the library and so it was lost for some decades!

You can read all about it here: https://computerhistory.org/.../discovering-dennis.../

#UNIX #PHD #Harvard #ComputerScience #Mathematics #ComputerHistory

Should you do a PhD? Doing meaningful doctoral research - an introduction

This is a short introductory video to a series of videos that I am recording to answer basic questions that I frequently get asked in relation to Doctoral research. In these videos we focus on considering, and succeeding, at your Doctoral research. 

 

We will look at whether one should do doctoral studies. Should you do a PhD? How does one prepare a research proposal? What are some tips for successfully completing your doctoral dissertation / thesis? How do you prepare for your defense? And, what about publishing your PhD or parts of your research?

You can find all of these videos on http://www.youtube.com/dionforster - I will post them there as they are ready. I have already recorded some and just need to edit and upload them.

Please note that these videos, and the views expressed in them, are my own and are not formally associated with the University of Stellenbosch, or the University of Gothenberg (where they were recorded).

Feel free to leave me a comment or a question at:

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/dionforster

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Twitter or instagram: http://www.twitter.com/digitaldion or @digitaldion on Instagram

Find out more about my research and publications at: https://sun.academia.edu/DionForster

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What to do if your paper / report / portfolio / presentation exceeds the maximum limit.

Being of the verbose persuasion - as you may have been able to ascertain from my constant nonsensical posts to this blog... I have found on more than one occasion that my work exceeds the maximum number of pages, or words, allowable for publication. I have a paper that is currently under review, which I KNOW is going to be returned to be edited back to the word limit (hopefully for inclusion in a journal).

My doctoral Thesis was about 160 pages longer than most, my Theology masters was about 20 pages too long - and that excludes endnotes and glossaries and the bibliography... Heck, I like to write!

However, that is a problem, when like me, you are needing to develop that all important publications list!!!

So, here's some advice from our friends at PhD (a.k.a. Piled higher and Deeper) for getting your paper or thesis into the allowable word limit:

From PHDcomics.com

Technorati tags: Publish, Journal, word limit, doctorate, PhD, fix

Two of my favourite doctorates!

On the left is my friend Wessel Bentley's Doctorate (received just a few days ago), on the right is mine (a year old now, so getting a bit stale! I need to get a new one....)

Well done Wes! I'm inspired, proud and encouraged! Have a good holiday!

Easter MIRACLES!!! This one's for you Janet!

Happy Easter everyone! I pray that it was a time of renewal and rediscovery for you.

I had the great honour of preaching an Easter Mission entitled 'The week that changed the world could change your life'. I preached the following messages from Palm Sunday to Wednesday (and I've thrown in my Easter Sunday message from Bryanston Methodist Church for good measure):

1. Sunday morning services Growing like Christ: God's unexpected tools for maturing people.
2. Sunday evening Christ the King: Is God ever satisfied?
3. Monday evening Easter's empty promises.
4. Tuesday evening Judas Christ's most honest and successful disciple! Coping with failure and living without regret.
5. Wednesday Evening Prayer under pressure: There's a lesson in the tone of Christ's voice.
6. Easter Sunday The hope of Victory: More certain than death and taxes!

We had an incredible response to the mission! It was such a joy to be with Les Green and his wonderful people. I am always overwhelmed by the generosity and grace of God's people. I was so lovingly received and richly affirmed by them.

OK, now onto our little Miracle! Janet gently reminded me just recently in a comment on this blog that I haven't given an update on little Liam in a while. Well, he is doing so well!!!!! He now weights just under 5kg's and is 5 months old. He has had 3 of his synergis injections (so one leg is worth R20 000 and the other is worth R10 000!) So, 3 more to go! He has responded well to the injections and has been infection free. Thank you so much to all those who have prayed for us, offered us support, and donated towards the cost of these life saving injections. We appreciate it all so much. You may never know how much! Hey Wes!!! What can I say? You're a gift and a miracle of God's grace to us!

Sometimes we forget just how far we have come over the last 5 months. Take a look at this photo that was taken just after his birth.

Look how little and frail he was!

The picture on the right was taken just after his birth. He was so tiny! Now, however, he looks like a REAL baby!!! He is quite heavy to hold and such a strong and robust little guy.

What is even more wonderful is that he has started to SMILE!! All parents will remember those first smiles from their kids. Liam has been a little late in getting to his smiles, but when he finally got there it was the most incredible and wonderful sight in the world! It melts my heart (and my brain! Dr Dad goes 'goo goo, gaa gaa, choo' all day long, just in the hope of getting him to smile).

How COOL is this!? Look at that smile. Isn't Liam looking great? Not only does he smile like this, he has also started to 'churtle' a bit. It sounds fantastic and it just blesses us so much to get this type of response out of him.

Megie, Courtney, and Liam spent the Easter Weekend with Megie's folks, Brian and Brenda, who have moved to Hilcrest in Kwazulu Natal (I on the other hand had a bit of work to do, but was also ill, so it was just as well that I couldn't go with them). This photo was taken at their new place (Megie went down with her mom to help her to unpack and visit with them in their new home). So, this was Liam's first trip to the coast. He LOVED the sea. Megie put his feet in the water and he couldn't get enough! A water baby!

Courtney also loved it at the sea! She is constantly nagging Megie and I to 'move back' to our home in Cape Town! Wouldn't that be great!? Here's a picture Courts sitting on the beach (she is growing up FAR too quickly!!! Just look at this pose! Even though I am a 'Gun Free' campaigner I need to start saving for a shotgun!)

I am so blessed with these wonderful people that God allows me the joy of sharing my life with. Megie is a wonder. I am more in love with her day after day! Please pray for her as she prepares to go back to work full time at the end of this month (she has been back in the office a few times a week already for the past few weeks, but I know it is going to be heart wrenching when the time comes for her to go back full time. So please do pray for her!) Courts goes back to school on Tuesday after her Easter break. So it will be morning rides on the Vespa! Yipee. Although it is starting to get a bit colder now, so we will have to wrap up to stay warm.

Some personal news from me is that I am starting my second Doctorate in the coming weeks. I have been toying with the idea for a few months now, spoken to a few friends, colleagues and advisors, and have decided to get going rather than waste anymore time thinking about it. Yup, you read correctly, I am starting a second Doctorate. I will share some of the reasons and motivation behind this as it unfolds. For now I simply need to say, I cannot cope without studying! I need to read, I need to be challenged to think beyond what is commonplace, and I need a bit of extra pressure to write! Plus I still don't sleep all that well and I need something more worthwhile and stimulating to do with late nights and early mornings! I also love reading the Bible and have been wanting to take my New Testament studies further at a more critical level. So, this one's going to be in New Testament (at this stage anyway).

Well, there you go. That's the news Forsterdom!