Edsger Dijkstra

Edsger W. Dijkstra was a Dutch computer scientist who helped shape the way we write computer programs.

The many areas he contributed to include programming language design and algorithms. His most well known algorithm is Dijkstra's Algorithm, which is used in some version by most software that maps a route for travel, and is illustrated here:

The EWD archive collects many of Dijkstra's writings (called EWDs because they were usually labeled with his initials, dozens of which are still among the most quoted computer science articles. A couple examples include:

• Programming Considered as a Human Activity
• On the cruelty of really teaching computing science (Handwritten original)