Lebanon, NH – Thomas Eugene Kurtz, whose pioneering work in computer science made programming accessible to the masses through the development of the BASIC programming language, died on November 12, 2024, in Lebanon, New Hampshire. He was 96 years old.
Along side the venerable John Kemeney, Kurtz worked tirelessly at Dartmouth College to bring programming to the masses, even working on his own version of BASIC into his later years.
Early Life and Academic Journey
Born on February 22, 1928, in Oak Park, Illinois, Kurtz graduated from Knox College with a degree in mathematics in 1950. His pursuit of higher knowledge led him to Princeton University, where he completed his PhD in Mathematical Statistics in 1956 under the supervision of John Tukey. His thesis focused on multiple comparisons in statistics, a topic that would influence his later contributions to computing.
Revolutionizing Education with BASIC
Kurtz’s career at Dartmouth College began the same year he earned his doctorate. There, he met John G. Kemeny, and together, they embarked on a project that would change the landscape of computer education. Between 1963 and 1964, they developed the Dartmouth Time-Sharing System (DTSS), which allowed multiple users to access a computer simultaneously, a revolutionary concept at the time.
Their most notable achievement was the creation of BASIC (Beginner’s All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code). Launched in May 1964, BASIC was designed with simplicity in mind, aiming to make programming accessible to students and non-specialists alike. This language was taught at Dartmouth and soon spread to educational institutions worldwide, fostering the computer literacy of an entire generation.
Dartmouth and Beyond
Kurtz’s influence extended beyond the classroom. He served in various administrative roles at Dartmouth:
- Director of Kiewit Computation Center (1966-1975).
- Director of the Office of Academic Computing (1975-1978).
- Director of the Computer and Information Systems program (1980-1988), a program designed to produce leaders in the burgeoning field of information systems.
True BASIC and Later Contributions
Recognizing the need for an evolved version of BASIC to meet modern programming standards, Kurtz and Kemeny founded True BASIC, Inc. in 1983. True BASIC offered a refined version of the language that included structured programming features, making it suitable for both educational and professional applications. This version was versatile, running on various operating systems including DOS, macOS, Windows, Unix, and Linux.
Kurtz’s influence in computing education didn’t stop there. He was involved with:
- Council Chairman and Trustee of EDUCOM (now EDUCAUSE).
- Trustee and Chairman of NERComP (Northeast Regional Computing Program).
- Member of the Pierce Panel of the President’s Scientific Advisory Committee.
- Steering committee member for the CONDUIT project and CCUC conferences.
Awards and Recognition
His contributions were recognized with several prestigious awards:
1974 AFIPS Pioneer Award at the National Computer Conference for his work on BASIC and time-sharing.
1991 IEEE Computer Science Pioneer Award for significant contributions to the computing profession.
1994 ACM Fellow for his impact on computer science.
Legacy and Impact
Kurtz’s work with BASIC not only provided a foundational programming language but also encapsulated a philosophy of computing for everyone. His approach to computing education was revolutionary, advocating for accessibility and simplicity. Despite criticisms of BASIC’s limitations for complex programming due to its unstructured nature, its role in making programming approachable cannot be overstated.
