Tech Legends Comparisons

Comments debate and often question the validity of comparing contemporary tech leaders like Musk, Altman, and Zuckerberg to historical computing pioneers such as von Neumann, Knuth, Thompson, and others.

📉 Falling 0.4x Startups & Business
2,358
Comments
20
Years Active
5
Top Authors
#4605
Topic ID

Activity Over Time

2007
10
2008
44
2009
77
2010
86
2011
97
2012
101
2013
122
2014
85
2015
97
2016
135
2017
123
2018
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2019
98
2020
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2021
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2022
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2023
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2024
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2025
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2026
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Keywords

IMHO IMO MZ SBF KGB MUCH SpongeBob dick gruber comparison neumann altman dan brothers linus wisdom musk

Sample Comments

maxthegeek1 Jan 26, 2022 View on HN

He's up there, but von neumann still beats him out IMO.

agnosticmantis Jul 1, 2021 View on HN

Great man indeed. I just didn’t understand the comparison with Elon Musk.

wellanyway Jan 26, 2023 View on HN

You are not seriously comparing yourself to Neumann, are you?

nr2x Mar 28, 2023 View on HN

wow, these people make SBF look good in comparison.

darepublic Sep 4, 2022 View on HN

I am not entirely okay with not being as good as Alan Kay.

piiswrong Sep 13, 2021 View on HN

Epstein would be a better comparison

draw_down May 27, 2017 View on HN

Mmm, I think one of them is less of a wannabe than the other. At least so far.

justin66 Nov 8, 2022 View on HN

There might be some stylistic similarities but Matt Levine is actually good.

jgrahamc Jul 5, 2012 View on HN

Not sure that I deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as Ken Thompson.

poslathian Jun 29, 2022 View on HN

It sounds like you are saying Stallman is supposed to be the more desirable boss. Is that really what you meant? If so, then I would pick a different public figure for your example. I have first hand experience with this, and, lol.