Edsger Dijkstra, who has died of cancer aged 72, was a computer programming pioneer and penetrating thinker, who would throw off such remarks as: "The question of whether computers can think is like ...

In our Retrobituaries series, we highlight interesting people who are no longer with us. Today let's explore the life of Edsger Dijkstra, who died at 72 in 2002. If you’ve used a computer or smart ...