Obituary for Christian Haider
Thomas Brodt <[email protected]> Fri, 11 Apr 2025 14:40:30 +0000
| Newsgroups | gmane.comp.lang.smalltalk.vwnc |
|---|---|
| Message-ID | <[email protected]> |
--_000_6ec13e8a56f342439d8ac49c4a5b2c94porabocom_
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
It is with deep sadness that we bid farewell to Christian Haider - develope=
r, forward thinker and Smalltalk enthusiast- who passed away on April 7, 20=
25 at the age of 64.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.a3aan.st/esug2015/index.php/view/21=
/03*Tuesday/IMG_5387.jpg__;Kw!!DZ3fjg!7zeqi6cMpJKI4cTGyuI6MpAiXo5Iwf8f7mE4x=
w156ppCsTIbMqHuEUctjQKndadyiyPQsTb6SEQmutvgfJi2Utu8W7g4sw$=20
Christian was much more than just a programmer. For him, Smalltalk was not =
just a language - it was a tool for thinking, understanding and creating. H=
is love of object orientation was not a technical whim, but an expression o=
f his desire to find elegant and understandable solutions for complex situa=
tions.
After studying computer science at the TU Berlin, Christian got a grant fro=
m the University of Tokyo to work on programming the game GO. In Japan he m=
et his Canadian wife, Libby.
Back in Germany, he contributed to software development at Deutsche Bahn be=
fore founding Smalltalked Visuals GmbH in 2002.
His best-known project: smallCharts - an impressive example of what is poss=
ible with Smalltalk. Precise, well thought-out, sustainable - all component=
s of his style. smallCharts was a graphics tool developed by Christian whic=
h created premium financial performance charts for the financial print medi=
a.
In the last 10 years of his life in L=FCbeck, Christian became more and mor=
e interested in simplifying existing digital information for the common goo=
d through transparency, open data and comprehensive visualizations. PDFtalk=
, CoVid-19 charts and the budget data portal unsere-gelder.de, all develope=
d to explain and simplify and improve the world using Smalltalk.
Those who knew him remember his clarity, his passion and the conviction tha=
t code was only 'good' when it functioned and looked great.
Since the beginning of the coronavirus era, we had been meeting regularly i=
n a small online group. These meetings - originally born out of the situati=
on - quickly became a fixed anchor point where we exchanged technical ideas=
and personal matters. Through these conversations we really got to know Ch=
ristian: as an attentive listener, clever thinker and warm-hearted person.
It was particularly impressive that Christian also supervised and trained t=
wo apprentices during this time - with the same patience, passion and care =
that characterized him as a person and developer. His presence in our group=
enriched us - and we will miss him very much.
Christian so enjoyed being part of our community - keep sharing!
And with every object, with every clean method, we send him a silent greeti=
ng: Thank you, Christian
Marten Feldtman, Thomas Brodt, Peter Ursprung, Joachim Tuchel, Michal Balda=
, Stephan Eggermont, Sabine Manaa
--_000_6ec13e8a56f342439d8ac49c4a5b2c94porabocom_
Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
<html xmlns:v=3D"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o=3D"urn:schemas-micr=
osoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w=3D"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" =
xmlns:m=3D"http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns=3D"http:=
//www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv=3D"Content-Type" content=3D"text/html; charset=3Diso-8859-=
1">
<meta name=3D"Generator" content=3D"Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)">
<style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Aptos;
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0cm;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Aptos",serif;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#0563C1;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.E-MailFormatvorlage17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:11.0pt;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
@page WordSection1
{size:612.0pt 792.0pt;
margin:70.85pt 70.85pt 2.0cm 70.85pt;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext=3D"edit" spidmax=3D"1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext=3D"edit">
<o:idmap v:ext=3D"edit" data=3D"1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang=3D"DE-CH" link=3D"#0563C1" vlink=3D"#954F72" style=3D"word-wrap:=
break-word">
<div class=3D"WordSection1">
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:12.0p=
t"><span lang=3D"EN-US" style=3D"font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial&q=
uot;,sans-serif;color:black">It is with deep sadness that we bid farewell t=
o Christian Haider - <b>developer, forward thinker
and Smalltalk enthusiast</b>- who passed away on April 7, 2025 at the age =
of 64.<br>
<br>
</span><span lang=3D"DE" style=3D"color:#212121"><a href=3D"https://urldefe=
nse.com/v3/__https://www.a3aan.st/esug2015/index.php/view/21/03*Tuesday/IMG=
_5387.jpg__;Kw!!DZ3fjg!7zeqi6cMpJKI4cTGyuI6MpAiXo5Iwf8f7mE4xw156ppCsTIbMqHu=
EUctjQKndadyiyPQsTb6SEQmutvgfJi2Utu8W7g4sw$" title=3D"https://www.a3aan.st/=
esug2015/index.php/view/21/03+Tuesday/IMG_5387.jpg"><span style=3D"font=
-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1155CC">https://www.a3aan.st/es=
ug2015/index.php/view/21/03+Tuesday/IMG_5387.jpg</span></a><o:p></o:p><=
/span></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:12.0p=
t"><span lang=3D"EN-US" style=3D"font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial&q=
uot;,sans-serif;color:black">Christian was much more than just a programmer=
. For him, <b>Smalltalk </b>was not just a language
- it was a tool for thinking, understanding and creating. His love of obje=
ct orientation was not a technical whim, but an expression of his desire to=
find <b>elegant and understandable solutions for complex situations.<=
/b></span><span lang=3D"EN-US" style=3D"color:#212121"><o:p></o:p></span></=
p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:12.0p=
t"><span lang=3D"EN-US" style=3D"font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial&q=
uot;,sans-serif;color:black">After studying computer science at the TU Berl=
in, Christian got a grant from the University of Tokyo
to work on programming the game <b>GO.</b> In Japan he met his C=
anadian wife, Libby. </span><span lang=3D"EN-US" style=3D"=
color:#212121"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:12.0p=
t"><span lang=3D"EN-US" style=3D"font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial&q=
uot;,sans-serif;color:black">Back in Germany, he contributed to software de=
velopment at Deutsche Bahn before founding <b>Smalltalked
Visuals GmbH</b> in 2002.</span><span lang=3D"EN-US" style=3D"color:#=
212121"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:12.0p=
t"><span lang=3D"EN-US" style=3D"font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial&q=
uot;,sans-serif;color:black">His best-known project: <b>smallCharts</b=
> - an impressive example of what is possible with <b>Smalltalk</=
b>.
Precise, well thought-out, sustainable - all components of his style. =
;<b>smallCharts</b> was a graphics tool developed by Christian which c=
reated <b>premium financial performance charts</b> for the financ=
ial print media.</span><span lang=3D"EN-US" style=3D"color:#212121"><o:p></=
o:p></span></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:12.0p=
t"><span lang=3D"EN-US" style=3D"font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial&q=
uot;,sans-serif;color:black">In the last 10 years of his life in L=FCbeck, =
Christian became more and more interested in simplifying
existing digital information for the common good through transparency, ope=
n data and comprehensive visualizations. <b>PDFtalk</b>, <b>CoVid=
-19</b> charts and the budget data portal <b>unsere-gelder.de</b>=
, all developed to explain and simplify and improve
the world using <b>Smalltalk</b>.</span><span lang=3D"EN-US" style=3D=
"color:#212121"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:12.0p=
t"><span lang=3D"EN-US" style=3D"font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial&q=
uot;,sans-serif;color:black">Those who knew him remember his clarity, his p=
assion and the conviction that code was only ‘good’
when it functioned and looked great. </span><span lang=3D"EN-US=
" style=3D"color:#212121"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:12.0p=
t"><span lang=3D"EN-US" style=3D"font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial&q=
uot;,sans-serif;color:black">Since the beginning of the coronavirus era, we=
had been meeting regularly in a small online group.
These meetings - originally born out of the situation - quickly became a f=
ixed anchor point where we exchanged technical ideas and personal matters. =
Through these conversations we really got to know Christian: as an attentiv=
e listener, clever thinker and warm-hearted
person.</span><span lang=3D"EN-US" style=3D"color:#212121"><o:p></o:p></sp=
an></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:12.0p=
t"><span lang=3D"EN-US" style=3D"font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial&q=
uot;,sans-serif;color:black">It was particularly impressive that Christian =
also supervised and trained two apprentices during
this time - with the same patience, passion and care that characterized hi=
m as a person and developer. His presence in our group enriched us - and we=
will miss him very much.</span><span lang=3D"EN-US" style=3D"color:#212121=
"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:12.0p=
t"><span lang=3D"EN-US" style=3D"font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial&q=
uot;,sans-serif;color:black">Christian so enjoyed being part of our communi=
ty - keep sharing!</span><span lang=3D"EN-US" style=3D"color:#212121"><o:p>=
</o:p></span></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:12.0p=
t"><span lang=3D"EN-US" style=3D"font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial&q=
uot;,sans-serif;color:black">And with every object, with every clean method=
, we send him a silent greeting: Thank you, Christian</span><span lang=3D"E=
N-US" style=3D"color:#212121"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:12.0p=
t"><span lang=3D"DE" style=3D"font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial"=
;,sans-serif;color:black">Marten Feldtman, Thomas Brodt, Peter Ursprung, Jo=
achim Tuchel, Michal Balda, Stephan Eggermont, Sabine
Manaa</span><span lang=3D"DE" style=3D"color:#212121"><o:p></o:p></span></=
p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span lang=3D"DE" style=3D"font-size:11.0pt;mso-fare=
ast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p><span lang=3D"DE"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span lang=3D"DE" style=3D"font-size:11.0pt;font-fam=
ily:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>
--_000_6ec13e8a56f342439d8ac49c4a5b2c94porabocom_--