Dobiński, G. - Poland - 1870s

[Paul Caswell]

I was intrigued by this:

http://www-cs-faculty.stanford.edu/~knuth/help.html

Dobiński, G. (of Kutno, Poland; was technician on Warsaw--Bromberg Railway in the 1870s; Bromberg is now Bydgoszcz); self-published a short math text in Warsaw 1875

Professor Knuth is only seeking the full name of this fellow. It would be interesting to assist but I have absolutely no knowledge of how to search in Poland.

Paul

[Maryam]

Hi Paul

Someone seems to think they know what his name was (webpage is in Polish; if the link doesn't come up in English, then try Google translate etc.  I've copied the original and translation below):

http://www.rootschat.com/links/0bic/

"Był Donald Gabriel Dobiński, który urodził się nie w Kutnie lecz w Starej Wsi, czli 4 km od Kutna ożeniony z Karoliną Kruszyńską pv Tintz. Pracował na koleii i opracwował "Bezpieczny system dla kolei na modłę układu o zapobieganiu zderzeniom na morzu". Wszystkie swoje listy i prace podpisywał G. Dobiński. Widocznie przewidując przyjście na świat pana D. Tuska, chciał się od niego odciąć."

"It was Donald Gabriel Dobiński, who was born in Kutno, but not in the Old Village, 4 km from czli Kutna married to Caroline Kruszyńska Tintz pv. He worked on the railways and opracwował "safe system for the railroad-style layout for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea." All his letters and works signed by G. Dobiński. Apparently anticipating coming into the world of Mr. Donald Tusk, would be cut off from him."

I see Mr Knuth is giving lectures in the UK in February!  http://www-cs-faculty.stanford.edu/~knuth/news.html

KR
Maryam

[Maryam]

I've just noticed that they both have the first name Donald!!! 

I've spoken to my father, who is Polish, as it may seem unusual for a Polish man to have the first name Donald in mid-C19th Poland.  He said that many of the Polish were quite avant garde at that time; one of my great-grandmothers had the first name Scholastyka, for instance - hardly a run of the mill Catholic saint's name    (Ok, not a good example; Scholastyka's birthday celebrated on 10th Feb  ).  The seats of education in different nations were in contact with each other regardless of the politics of the time.  Many names were picked up and used, often in recognition of respected academics of the time.

KR
Maryam

[Paul Caswell]

Astounding!!!

I wonder if Professor Knuth knows this?

Errm ... the other comments seem a bit ... odd ...

Paul

[Maryam]

Oh, what, my comments?  Sorry 

[Paul Caswell]

Forgive me Maryam, I do not understand.

You link to a comment that clearly suggests "Donald Gabriel Dobiński" is his correct name. This works nicely with me but ... read some of the other comments ... is it just me or is

The fact that Donald Ervin Knuth not only sends checks for errors in the "Art of programming but also in TeX and his other works I have written in the commentary to the previous article on this person. Continuing the topic, however, Polish, it is clear that among the lucky owners of these checks are the Poles, among others one of the leading experts in TeX and METADONT-a TeX in Poland (he has even a few).

... forgive me but this seems a little odd ... I was perhaps expecting an academic reference or maybe something referring to the 1870s.

Paul

[Maryam]

Ah, I see    I knew I was wittering on a bit in my second post, and it probably would work better as conversation, but as you're referring to the comments in the link....

I'm not really sure what they're on about; according to their main page they're a "rationalist" group without ideology or other types of limitation.  What anybody's problem is with Professor Knuth, or even who Donald Tusk is, I haven't a clue 

The Web is full of intellectuals arguing about other intellectuals!

KR
Maryam

[Maryam]

The first bit at the top of the post you quoted is a link leading to Prof Knuth's Polish Wiki page; does that help?

http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Knuth

He's referring to the checks (cheques) Professor Knuth gives to those who point out errors in his works:

http://www-cs-faculty.stanford.edu/~knuth/faq.html

"Why do you pay $2.56 for every error found in your books?

256 pennies is one hexadecimal dollar. The payments go into an account at the Bank of San Serriffe. I can no longer write personal checks to the awardees, for reasons discussed here."

KR
Maryam

Added:  According to the English Language Wiki, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Knuth, Professor Knuth is known for "professional humour".  Apparently the cheques were highly prized trophies in the computer world.  He discontinued them due to bank fraud, and now issues certificates of deposit at the Bank of San Serriffe, which is fictitious!