--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Obviously, the person who had most…" description: "\"Obviously, the person who had most influence on my career was Ken Thompson. Unix was basically his, likewise C's predecessor, likewise much of the basi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b8/dennis-ritchie-13863_bases_obviously-the-person-who-had-most-influe_506499.jpg" --- # Obviously, the person who had most influence on my career… ![“Obviously, the person who had most influence on my career was Ken Thompson. Unix was basically his, likewise C's predecessor, likewise much of the basis of Plan 9 (though Rob Pike was the real force in getting it together). And in the meantime Ken created the first computer chess master and pretty…” quote by Dennis Ritchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b8/dennis-ritchie-13863_bases_obviously-the-person-who-had-most-influe_506499.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b8/dennis-ritchie-13863_bases_obviously-the-person-who-had-most-influe_506499.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b8/dennis-ritchie-13863_bases_obviously-the-person-who-had-most-influe_506499.jpg) > “Obviously, the person who had most influence on my career was Ken Thompson. Unix was basically his, likewise C's predecessor, likewise much of the basis of Plan 9 (though Rob Pike was the real force in getting it together). And in the meantime Ken created the first computer chess master and pretty much rewrote the book on chess endgames. He is quite a phenomenon.” [Dennis Ritchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-ritchie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ken Thompson's contributions shaped modern computing, from Unix to chess AI, illustrating profound influence on technology and thought. **In simple terms:** Thompson greatly impacted computing and chess. Key Takeaway Recognize and study foundational innovators. Themes technology innovation legacy computing chess Mood respectful inspirational Type historical motivational When to use this quote - software engineering - AI research - historical study of computing - career inspiration Key Concepts operating systems programming languages artificial intelligence systems design Questions to Reflect On - How do we balance credit among team members? - What can we learn from his interdisciplinary work? A Different Perspective His influence may be overstated compared to collaborators. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Chess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chess/) [Computer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computer/) [Endgame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/endgame/) [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [Phenomenon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phenomenon/) ## Related quotes > [Much time and money has gone into computer chess programs, and so far, no one's figured out how to crack the game, which I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wells-tower/much-time-and-money-has-gone-into-computer-chess-programs-and-so-far/) [Wells Tower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wells-tower/) > [Obviously, the person who had most influence on my career was Ken Thompson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-ritchie/obviously-the-person-who-had-most-influence-on-my-career-was-ken-2/) [Dennis Ritchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-ritchie/) > [Pretty much everything on the web uses those two things: C and UNIX,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-ritchie/pretty-much-everything-on-the-web-uses-those-two-things-c-and-unix/) [Dennis Ritchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-ritchie/) > [It seems certain that much of the success of Unix follows from the readability, modifiability, and portability of its software.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-ritchie/it-seems-certain-that-much-of-the-success-of-unix-follows-from-the/) [Dennis Ritchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-ritchie/) > [UNIX is simple and coherent, but it takes a genius (or at any rate, a programmer) to understand and appreciate its simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-ritchie/unix-is-simple-and-coherent-but-it-takes-a-genius-or-at-any-rate-a/) [Dennis Ritchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-ritchie/) > [The number of UNIX installations has grown to 10, with more expected...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-ritchie/the-number-of-unix-installations-has-grown-to-10-with-more-expected/) [Dennis Ritchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-ritchie/) > [C was already implemented on several quite different machines and OSs, Unix was already being distributed on the PDP-11, but the portability of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-ritchie/c-was-already-implemented-on-several-quite-different-machines-and-oss/) [Dennis Ritchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-ritchie/) > [From an operating system research point of view, Unix is if not dead certainly old stuff, and it's clear that people should be looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-ritchie/from-an-operating-system-research-point-of-view-unix-is-if-not-dead/) [Dennis Ritchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-ritchie/) > [Some consider UNIX to be the second most important invention to come out of AT&T Bell Labs after the transistor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-ritchie/some-consider-unix-to-be-the-second-most-important-invention-to-come/) [Dennis Ritchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-ritchie/) > [It's true that compared with the scene when Unix started, today the ecological niches are fairly full, and fresh new OS ideas are harder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-ritchie/it-s-true-that-compared-with-the-scene-when-unix-started-today-the/) [Dennis Ritchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-ritchie/) > [UNIX is basically a simple operating system, but you have to be a genius to understand the simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-ritchie/unix-is-basically-a-simple-operating-system-but-you-have-to-be-a/) [Dennis Ritchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-ritchie/) > [Unix has retarded OS research by 10 years and linux has retarded it by 20.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-ritchie/unix-has-retarded-os-research-by-10-years-and-linux-has-retarded-it/) [Dennis Ritchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-ritchie/) > [The life of a chess master is much more difficult than that of an artist - much more depressing. An artist knows that someday…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/the-life-of-a-chess-master-is-much-more-difficult-than-that-of-an/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [Chess will always be the master of us all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-alekhine/chess-will-always-be-the-master-of-us-all/) [Alexander Alekhine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-alekhine/) > [The majority of people imagine a chess master as being a townsman who passes his life in an atmosphere of smoke and play in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-reti/the-majority-of-people-imagine-a-chess-master-as-being-a-townsman-who/) [Richard Reti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-reti/) ## More by Dennis Ritchie > [Any editing, software work, and mail is done in this exported Plan 9](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-ritchie/any-editing-software-work-and-mail-is-done-in-this-exported-plan-9/) [Dennis Ritchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-ritchie/) > [I can't recall any difficulty in making the C language definition completely open - any discussion on the matter tended to mention languages whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-ritchie/i-can-t-recall-any-difficulty-in-making-the-c-language-definition/) [Dennis Ritchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-ritchie/) > [I listen to mostly-classical music, but mostly by radio - I'm not an audiophile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-ritchie/i-listen-to-mostly-classical-music-but-mostly-by-radio-i-m-not-an/) [Dennis Ritchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-ritchie/) > [I'm still uncertain about the language declaration syntax.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-ritchie/i-m-still-uncertain-about-the-language-declaration-syntax/) [Dennis Ritchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-ritchie/) > [Sometimes when you fill a vacuum, it still sucks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-ritchie/sometimes-when-you-fill-a-vacuum-it-still-sucks/) [Dennis Ritchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-ritchie/) > [Steve Jobs has said that Xwindows is brain-damamged and will disappear in two years. He got it half-right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-ritchie/steve-jobs-has-said-that-xwindows-is-brain-damamged-and-will/) [Dennis Ritchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-ritchie/) > [I've done a reasonable amount of travelling, which I enjoyed, but not for too long at a time. 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It's still fairly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-ritchie/c-is-declining-somewhat-in-usage-compared-to-c-and-maybe-java-but/) [Dennis Ritchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-ritchie/) > [It's true that compared with the scene when Unix started, today the ecological niches are fairly full, and fresh new OS ideas are harder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-ritchie/it-s-true-that-compared-with-the-scene-when-unix-started-today-the/) [Dennis Ritchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-ritchie/) > [The notion of a record is an obsolete remnant of the days of the 80-column card.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-ritchie/the-notion-of-a-record-is-an-obsolete-remnant-of-the-days-of-the-80/) [Dennis Ritchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-ritchie/) > [The True-GNU philosophy is more extreme than I care for, but it certainly laid a foundation for the current scene, as well as providing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-ritchie/the-true-gnu-philosophy-is-more-extreme-than-i-care-for-but-it/) [Dennis Ritchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-ritchie/) > [When I read commentary about suggestions for where C should go, I often think back and give thanks that it wasn't developed under the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-ritchie/when-i-read-commentary-about-suggestions-for-where-c-should-go-i/) [Dennis Ritchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-ritchie/) [Explore all 49 Dennis Ritchie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-ritchie/) ## More Bases quotes > [Self-respect and a clear conscience are powerful components of integrity and are the basis for enriching your relationships with others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/self-respect-and-a-clear-conscience-are-powerful-components-of/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [I don't want to go into space because of war. 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