Codebreaker - Alan Turing

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Son_of_Perdition

Senior Member
Watched a movie last night called 'Codebreaker' it was a documentary about the father of computers, Alan Turing. It leaves one to wonder how much further advanced computers and the digital age would have been if the British government had NOT taken it upon themselves to cure him of 'Homosexuality', and chemically castrate him, eventually pushing him to suicide at 41.

If he only would have had 20-30 more years to design and improve his inventions.
 

Geez, did he agree to it, he must have? I don't think much about the "what ifs" but it must have been an interesting documentary. I watched one on Tesla awhile back and was amazed. I had never heard of him.
 
nwlady said:
Geez, did he agree to it, he must have? I don't think much about the "what ifs" but it must have been an interesting documentary. I watched one on Tesla awhile back and was amazed. I had never heard of him.
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According to the movie he was arrested after he had reported a robbery at his place and it came to light that he had a male house guest, one thing let to another and he was given the choice of prison or castration. He chose the latter since he knew he would be abused in prison because of his preferences. The chemical they gave him had many side effects one which affected his concentration and caused confusion. It was permanent and he never fully regained.
 

He was arrested? That sounds like bologna for sure:( Very confusing, but people think they are hard on gays now, I can't imagine what it was like years ago:(

Terrible and sad story is what I'm hearing:(
 
He was British - at least he didn't have any guns or knives. :rolleyes:

Laws against homosexuality were a very real thing in the 1950's in the UK - I think they were lumped under "indecency" laws.
 
Oh man, I surely didn't know that, about being illegal. If I lived back then, I would have been in jail for sure. Or beheaded!! Like that joke about the sausage??:censored:
 
Son_of_Perdition said:
Watched a movie last night called 'Codebreaker' it was a documentary about the father of computers, Alan Turing. It leaves one to wonder how much further advanced computers and the digital age would have been if the British government had NOT taken it upon themselves to cure him of 'Homosexuality', and chemically castrate him, eventually pushing him to suicide at 41.

If he only would have had 20-30 more years to design and improve his inventions.
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There's a new film about Turing due for release in November, 'The Imitation Game' which you might be interested in. Seems to have pretty good reviews. Benedict Cumberbatch takes the lead role, a good actor. in my humble opinion.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2084970/

Sorry that you just had to have another little dig about guns and knives, Phil. As it happens, if he had a gun or knife in his possession at that time, it probably wouldn't have mattered, the laws of Restriction of Offensive Weapons didn't come in until 1959. Being a homosexual was the crime, sadly.
 
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Sorry that you just had to have another little dig about guns and knives, Phil.

Yeah! well, Phil just can't help himself.:rolleyes:
 
SifuPhil said:
Sorry that you have such insecurities about your justice system that you have to reply.
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One thing I do not do is make assumptions about other people...........................I have no insecurities about our justice system at all, Why should I??? but I am sick of you having a pop at the U.K. and the justice system, which in all the time I have been on this forum, I have never ever done that about the U.S. police and justice system, I have more respect for people and their feelings.
 
Son_of_Perdition said:
Watched a movie last night called 'Codebreaker' it was a documentary about the father of computers, Alan Turing. It leaves one to wonder how much further advanced computers and the digital age would have been if the British government had NOT taken it upon themselves to cure him of 'Homosexuality', and chemically castrate him, eventually pushing him to suicide at 41.

If he only would have had 20-30 more years to design and improve his inventions.
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Just to reiterate..... there is a new film about Turing, due for release in November. It's called 'The Imitation Game'. Seems to have pretty good reviews. Benedict Cumberbatch takes the lead role, a good actor, in my humble opinion.

I don't go to the cinema nowadays so will have to wait until it's out on DVD or shown on TV.
 
Pam said:
Just to reiterate..... there is a new film about Turing, due for release in November. It's called 'The Imitation Game'. Seems to have pretty good reviews. Benedict Cumberbatch takes the lead role, a good actor, in my humble opinion.

I don't go to the cinema nowadays so will have to wait until it's out on DVD or shown on TV.
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Thanks for the information, Pam. I shouldn't have opened that can about slamming the British. None of us have room to boast about our treatment of others in our past and present. The reason I mentioned it was because I have been in the computer field since 1963 and never had heard of him. I had heard of the Enigma and the race to break the code but never connected up any names to the story. They interviewed one of founders of Apple, he gave full credit to Turing's genius and contributions.
 
Son_of_Perdition said:
Watched a movie last night called 'Codebreaker' it was a documentary about the father of computers, Alan Turing. It leaves one to wonder how much further advanced computers and the digital age would have been if the British government had NOT taken it upon themselves to cure him of 'Homosexuality', and chemically castrate him, eventually pushing him to suicide at 41.

If he only would have had 20-30 more years to design and improve his inventions.
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Haven't we come a long way??

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-30096906
 
Bee said:
One thing I do not do is make assumptions about other people...........................I have no insecurities about our justice system at all, Why should I??? but I am sick of you having a pop at the U.K. and the justice system, which in all the time I have been on this forum, I have never ever done that about the U.S. police and justice system, I have more respect for people and their feelings.
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Because you do - or do not - do a thing, does not mean I can or cannot do it.

I'm not "popping" the U.K. - I'm popping the form of legal justice that your country follows. There's a big difference.

I do the same for many U.S. policies.

It isn't about respect for people or their feelings - it's about standing up and saying the emperor is naked. NO ONE likes that, I know, but it's what I do. A good portion of the entire world deludes itself on a daily basis that what they're doing is right, and most of the time it's based on an idea that their masters have sold to them. I look at things from a common-sense viewpoint, which rarely jibes with the party line.

Hence, it upsets people.
 
SifuPhil said:
Because you do - or do not - do a thing, does not mean I can or cannot do it.

I'm not "popping" the U.K. - I'm popping the form of legal justice that your country follows. There's a big difference.

I do the same for many U.S. policies.

It isn't about respect for people or their feelings - it's about standing up and saying the emperor is naked. NO ONE likes that, I know, but it's what I do. A good portion of the entire world deludes itself on a daily basis that what they're doing is right, and most of the time it's based on an idea that their masters have sold to them. I look at things from a common-sense viewpoint, which rarely jibes with the party line.

Hence, it upsets people.
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In England when I was a child..anyone who was overtly homosexual was put in a lunatic asylum..either kept there forever..or given electric shock treatment in the hopes of ''curing'' them..
 
Son_of_Perdition said:
Thanks for the information, Pam. I shouldn't have opened that can about slamming the British. None of us have room to boast about our treatment of others in our past and present. The reason I mentioned it was because I have been in the computer field since 1963 and never had heard of him. I had heard of the Enigma and the race to break the code but never connected up any names to the story. They interviewed one of founders of Apple, he gave full credit to Turing's genius and contributions.
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Not your fault, Son of Perdition. I am in full agreement with you that the way Turing was treated was appalling and that the law in the UK at that time was wrong. I am however annoyed that a comment about present day UK gun/knife policy, which has bugger all to do with Turing, was brought into this topic.

Just realised that I said the film is due out in November... and it's November now... my mind was still back in October! lol

You might find this article about The Imitation Game and Bletchley Park Codebreakers interesting.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/...ere-the-real-Bletchley-Park-codebreakers.html
 
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Cumberbatch is top of my list of actors. I first saw him in Sherlock Holmes (newest series I believe). I literally watch for movies he's in, or will be in now;)
 
Hi Twixie,

I don't know about homosexuals, but I do know that we in the US also had those kinds of places, and treatments:( Horrific, really I think doctors experimented on the mentally ill because they were like "societies" throw-aways:( Someone may ask me for documentation on these acts, so maybe I better look around.

Some of the "good ole days" weren't so good were they:(
 
Here tis':

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/17/imitation-game-alan-turing-sexuality-biopic

Benedict-Cumberbatch-as-A-012.jpg
 

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