

A Tribute to Jim Gray: Sometimes Nice Guys Do Finish First - robg
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/31/a-tribute-to-jim-gray-sometimes-nice-guys-do-finish-first/index.html?partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=all

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jmackinn
The impact that Jim Gray had on computer science is huge. I would highly
suggest reading the wired article on the extensive search that followed his
disappearance.
[http://www.wired.com/techbiz/people/magazine/15-08/ff_jimgra...](http://www.wired.com/techbiz/people/magazine/15-08/ff_jimgray?currentPage=all)

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TFrancis
After reading this:

"While working at I.B.M.’s Thomas J. Watson Jr. Research Laboratory in New
York, Mr. Gray asked his boss if he could relocate to an I.B.M. laboratory in
San Jose. When he was told that he couldn’t, he said, “All right, then, I
quit.”

He then got in his Volkswagen, drove across the country and was rehired by an
I.B.M. laboratory in California."

I'm very sorry to have never met Jim Gray. He sounds like an amazing
individual.

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mooneater
I was lucky enough to hear him speak at the University of Waterloo, before I
knew who he was. He broke down the long term trends for hardware and their
implications for databases, and demoed his virtual telescope project.
Afterwards I just remember thinking "wow that guy had amazing perspective".
Only later did I realize I had witnessed a legend!

