Ask HN: Who are some programmers who entered politics?

5 pointsmatthewmueller2y ago9 comments

9 comments

I believe the former prime minister of Singapore studied Math, CS and worked as a programmer for some time, here is more discussion and some other examples: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9419035

SonOfKyuss2y ago

Will Hurd is one I can think of off the top of my head: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Hurd

catlover762y ago

I had no idea he spoke Urdu and worked undercover in Pakistan o_O

Anyways, it doesn't look like he ever worked in software, despite having majored in CS (?)

SonOfKyuss2y ago

The CIA was doing lots of recruiting of CS majors from A&M around that time to fill programmer roles so it’s certainly possible. At a minimum, I figured he qualified as a techie.

rocketpastsix2y ago

the current mayor of Nashville, TN is a software architect (took a sabbatical to run for office, was a 2 term city council member).

alberto_ol2y ago

Not exactly a programmer, but a professor of computer science. He was the mayor of the city where I lived

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furio_Honsell

superdeeda2y ago

Aaron Swartz: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Swartz

hotpotamus2y ago

Thomas Massie would be the example that comes to mind.

tshirttime2y ago

The perl6 brosephina for sure.

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9 comments

dysoco2y ago

SonOfKyuss2y ago

Will Hurd is one I can think of off the top of my head: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Hurd

catlover762y ago

I had no idea he spoke Urdu and worked undercover in Pakistan o_O

Anyways, it doesn't look like he ever worked in software, despite having majored in CS (?)

SonOfKyuss2y ago

The CIA was doing lots of recruiting of CS majors from A&M around that time to fill programmer roles so it’s certainly possible. At a minimum, I figured he qualified as a techie.

rocketpastsix2y ago

the current mayor of Nashville, TN is a software architect (took a sabbatical to run for office, was a 2 term city council member).

alberto_ol2y ago

Not exactly a programmer, but a professor of computer science. He was the mayor of the city where I lived

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furio_Honsell

superdeeda2y ago

Aaron Swartz: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Swartz

hotpotamus2y ago

Thomas Massie would be the example that comes to mind.

tshirttime2y ago

The perl6 brosephina for sure.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse