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The name "Ballmer Peak" is a Physics nerd pun. In atomic physics, "Balmer peaks" (with one L) are real physical phenomena, referring to peaks in the emission s
by yodon 3y ago
The name "Ballmer Peak" is a Physics nerd pun.
In atomic physics, "Balmer peaks" (with one L) are real physical phenomena, referring to peaks in the emission spectrum of hydrogen (named after the 19th century scientist Johann Balmer). Randall Munroe of XKCD fame was certainly familiar with this when he coined the phrase "Ballmer peak".[0]
[0]https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/323:_Ballmer_Peak#:~:text=In%20atomic%20physics%2C%20%22Balmer%20peaks,19th%20century%20scientist%20Johann%20Balmer https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/323:_Ballmer_Peak...).
- djmips 3y agoCertainly, since Ballmer was about as far from a coder as possible and I always wondered why his name was chosen. This makes sense finally.
- mablopoule 3y agoHe might not be a coder, but he was very good at math though. EDIT: forgot the word 'math'.
- ThrowawayR2 3y agoFrom his Wikipedia article "Ballmer, the first in his family to graduate from college, attended Harvard University ... He graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in applied mathematics and economics in 1977." He's certainly more accomplished even before joining Microsoft than most of the HN pundits that mock him.
- slim 3y agono drinking and commenting on the internet, steve...