4 ms·

If there were a software engineering hall of fame, I nominate Fabrice.

by booi 10mo ago

bArray 10mo ago
If there were some form of "developed contributions to computing" award, his name is definitely up there. I think there could be a need for such an award - for people who reliably have created the foundations of modern computing. Otherwise it's almost always things from an academic context, which can be a little too abstract.
lacedeconstruct 10mo ago
rare occasion where he gained a legendary status based purely on his work, I dont think I ever saw even a written interview with the guy
- throw-qqqqq 10mo ago
  He is a private man that does not like the spotlight IIUC. He refuses most requests for interviews, but they do exist. https://www.macplus.net/depeche-82364-interview-le-createur-du-bpg-discute-de-son-format https://www.macplus.net/depeche-82364-interview-le-createur-... https://www.mo4tech.com/fabrice-bellard-one-man-is-worth-a-team-of-100.html https://www.mo4tech.com/fabrice-bellard-one-man-is-worth-a-t... (few quotes, more like a profile piece) He keeps a low profile and let his work speak for itself. He really is brilliant.
  - userbinator 10mo ago
    He has probably has no time for interviews and just focuses on working on his many projects.
    - appreciatorBus 10mo ago
      I often think the world would be a better place if more people in the tech industry follow this philosophy.
- hn_throwaway_99 10mo ago
  I think this is such an important point. I know all about Bellard's main works. I actually have no idea what he looks like, I've also never seen an interview with him, and I've never read about his specific philosophies when it comes to different software engineering topics. In a world of never-ending bloviations from "influencers" and "thought leaders" it's so awesome to see a real example of true excellence.
wyldfire 10mo ago
There is! ACM grants several awards for scientists and more. One such award is the Turing Award [1], given "for contributions of lasting and major technical importance to computer science." [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turing_Award https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turing_Award
- svat 10mo ago
  Possibly more relevant is the "ACM Software System Award": https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=ACM_Software_System_Award&oldid=1311883831 https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=ACM_Software_Syst...
  - AtlasBarfed 10mo ago
    Linux and Torvalds hasn't gotten one?
- hn_throwaway_99 10mo ago
  The Turing Award is given for breakthroughs in computer science, not for "most productive programmer of all time", and it wouldn't be appropriate for Ballard.
- senbrow 10mo ago
  Fabrice is certainly very skilled in CS, but his achievements are more in software implementation IMO. AIUI the Turing award is primarily CS focused.
sxp 10mo ago
Between ffmpeg and qemu, I always think of https://xkcd.com/2347/ https://xkcd.com/2347/ when I see Fabrice's work. Especially since ffmpeg provides the backbone of almost all video streaming systems today.
- makapuf 10mo ago
  Except that ffmpeg and qemu are not maintained by Fabrice. He's one of the greatest programmers but he's not maintaining the internet.
  - treavorpasan 10mo ago
    I suppose that if he were to maintain any of these projects, we would never see the new frontiers he has been conquering.
IlikeMadison 10mo ago
Bellard it the most genius programmer to ever exist, and the least known compared to other pseudo stars.
textlapse 10mo ago
His consistency and craftsmanship is amazing. Being an engineer and coding at this stage/level is just remarkable- sadly this trade craft is missing in most (big?) companies as you get promoted away into oblivion.

If there were a software engineering hall of fame, I nominate Fabrice.

by booi 10mo ago

If there were a software engineering hall of fame, I nominate Fabrice.

bArray 10mo ago

If there were some form of "developed contributions to computing" award, his name is definitely up there. I think there could be a need for such an award - for people who reliably have created the foundations of modern computing. Otherwise it's almost always things from an academic context, which can be a little too abstract.

lacedeconstruct 10mo ago

rare occasion where he gained a legendary status based purely on his work, I dont think I ever saw even a written interview with the guy

throw-qqqqq 10mo ago
He is a private man that does not like the spotlight IIUC. He refuses most requests for interviews, but they do exist. https://www.macplus.net/depeche-82364-interview-le-createur-du-bpg-discute-de-son-format https://www.macplus.net/depeche-82364-interview-le-createur-... https://www.mo4tech.com/fabrice-bellard-one-man-is-worth-a-team-of-100.html https://www.mo4tech.com/fabrice-bellard-one-man-is-worth-a-t... (few quotes, more like a profile piece) He keeps a low profile and let his work speak for itself. He really is brilliant.
- userbinator 10mo ago
  He has probably has no time for interviews and just focuses on working on his many projects.
  - appreciatorBus 10mo ago
    I often think the world would be a better place if more people in the tech industry follow this philosophy.
hn_throwaway_99 10mo ago
I think this is such an important point. I know all about Bellard's main works. I actually have no idea what he looks like, I've also never seen an interview with him, and I've never read about his specific philosophies when it comes to different software engineering topics. In a world of never-ending bloviations from "influencers" and "thought leaders" it's so awesome to see a real example of true excellence.

wyldfire 10mo ago

There is! ACM grants several awards for scientists and more. One such award is the Turing Award [1], given "for contributions of lasting and major technical importance to computer science." [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turing_Award https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turing_Award

svat 10mo ago
Possibly more relevant is the "ACM Software System Award": https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=ACM_Software_System_Award&oldid=1311883831 https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=ACM_Software_Syst...
- AtlasBarfed 10mo ago
  Linux and Torvalds hasn't gotten one?
hn_throwaway_99 10mo ago
The Turing Award is given for breakthroughs in computer science, not for "most productive programmer of all time", and it wouldn't be appropriate for Ballard.
senbrow 10mo ago
Fabrice is certainly very skilled in CS, but his achievements are more in software implementation IMO. AIUI the Turing award is primarily CS focused.

sxp 10mo ago

Between ffmpeg and qemu, I always think of https://xkcd.com/2347/ https://xkcd.com/2347/ when I see Fabrice's work. Especially since ffmpeg provides the backbone of almost all video streaming systems today.

makapuf 10mo ago
Except that ffmpeg and qemu are not maintained by Fabrice. He's one of the greatest programmers but he's not maintaining the internet.
- treavorpasan 10mo ago
  I suppose that if he were to maintain any of these projects, we would never see the new frontiers he has been conquering.

IlikeMadison 10mo ago

Bellard it the most genius programmer to ever exist, and the least known compared to other pseudo stars.

textlapse 10mo ago

His consistency and craftsmanship is amazing. Being an engineer and coding at this stage/level is just remarkable- sadly this trade craft is missing in most (big?) companies as you get promoted away into oblivion.