Does this name sound familiar?

To all of the computer-history buffs, and students out there, does this name sound familiar?

Gary Random

It's apparently not a pseudoname. The guys last name is allegedly "Random." He claims to have invented Random Access, and also helped invent the Internet. So far, all I can find about memory-accessing invenstors is Robert Dennard, who invented DRAM, building upon the word of Farber Schlig, and Agusta.

Sounds entirely plausible and not at all like a wind-up, honest guv'nor. BTW if you are interested I have several bridges for sale in London.

Random Access Memory is something so fundamental it couldn't have been "invented" or developed. The Internet wasn't "invented" either, it's a developed system built on earlier key advances in Computer Science like packet switching. For someone to have been instrumental in both the development of modern-day RAM and the Internet would mean they'd be in their late 90s by now.

Also, "Random" isn't a name (well, not in England; there are zero "Random"s in the phone book).

i.e. Someone's pulling your leg.

AndyC said:

Sounds entirely plausible and not at all like a wind-up, honest guv'nor. BTW if you are interested I have several bridges for sale in London.

W3bbo said:

Random Access Memory is something so fundamental it couldn't have been "invented" or developed. The Internet wasn't "invented" either, it's a developed system built on earlier key advances in Computer Science like packet switching. For someone to have been instrumental in both the development of modern-day RAM and the Internet would mean they'd be in their late 90s by now.

Also, "Random" isn't a name (well, not in England; there are zero "Random"s in the phone book).

i.e. Someone's pulling your leg.

AndyC said:

W3bbo said:

*snip*

It could be a name, however the fact the word dates back to the 15th Century suggests ever so slightly that it didn't arise from the name of a guy who invented computer memory....

W3bbo said:

AndyC said:

*snip*

Well, anything can be a name thanks to Deed Polls; but I don't believe "Random" has ever been adopted as a last name by any sane individual (and I actually did look it up in the phone book).

W3bbo said:

Random Access Memory is something so fundamental it couldn't have been "invented" or developed. The Internet wasn't "invented" either, it's a developed system built on earlier key advances in Computer Science like packet switching. For someone to have been instrumental in both the development of modern-day RAM and the Internet would mean they'd be in their late 90s by now.

Also, "Random" isn't a name (well, not in England; there are zero "Random"s in the phone book).

i.e. Someone's pulling your leg.

CannotResolveSymbol said:

W3bbo said:

*snip*

A quick search of an online phone book shows 84 people with the last name Random in the United States, including a Gary Random living in Florida, and a Joseph Random living just outside DC.  Not that I believe this story's true, but there are people out there with that name.

AndyC said:

W3bbo said:

*snip*

I'm tempted to change my name to Joe Random now, just to prove a point. Although that would probably still mean it hadn't ever been adopted by any sane person....

TommyCarlier said:

AndyC said:

*snip*

Gerolsteiner (German company that sells mineral water) now has a competition: the first Belgian to change his last name to Gerolsteiner for at least 5 years wins a white Porche 911.

AndyC said:

TommyCarlier said:

*snip*

If I were Belgian, I'd do that in a shot.

TommyCarlier said:

AndyC said:

*snip*

The problem is that the authorities responsible for name changing have already declared they will not allow it. If, by 2010, no-one has managed to do this, they will change the rules so the first one to change his first name to Gerolsteiner will win the Porche.

SaraJoRedux said:

TommyCarlier said:

*snip*

AndyC said:

TommyCarlier said:

*snip*

If I were Belgian, I'd do that in a shot.