Thank you for the article on Randy Pausch, as well as for all the other informative and inspirational articles you’ve published over the years. The morning after reading that piece, I watched Randy’s entire lecture online, then ordered two DVDs of it, one to give to the high school where I taught until retiring two years ago.

Randy’s mention of Professor of Computer Science Andries van Dam brought back memories. I never had the good fortune to take one of his courses, but in 1970 I remember Chris Braun ’70 and other students who had studied with him speaking of “Andy” with reverence and awe.

Talk about leaving a legacy! If the only student he ever influenced had been Randy Pausch, that would be enough. Professor van Dam must have had a similar effect on generations of computer science students and, through them, on their protégés. Even though he’s not a Brown graduate, perhaps you could do a piece about Professor van Dam some day.

Bruce Novak ’71 ScM

Needham, Mass.