to think alan turing should have been acknowledged in the opening ceremony

[daisiessunflowersandtulips]

Because it is especially relevant this year, it being his centenary.

Because of his awesome work on the computer which is so defining for the late 20th early 21st century.

Because it would have been a brilliant opportunity to raise awareness around the world of the hideous and destructive consequences of homophobia

Yes. He should have. You are absolutely right. We owe him so much. He made it possible to win WWII. Thanks to Enigma, he saved millions of lives.

He was treated in a disgusting way. It's a blight on our history.

"He made it possible to win WWII"

Russia made it possible to win WWII.

He made it possible to win WWII earlier.

very good idea OP.

That would have been a nice touch, yes.

trying to think how they could've done it.
wonder if he has any relatives - could've carried the flag.
I see there is an exhibition about his achievements at the science museum will head over there.

I went to Bletchley Park the other day - an interesting day out (although our tour guide kept making sweeping generalisations about every nationality that was even remotely involved in WWII).

Wasn't very sporty though, was he?

He was an accomplished runner

Good idea but there are hundreds if not thousands of prominent Britons who weren't mentioned - Charles Darwin/Charles Dickens/Grace Darling and that's just the first three Ds.

was he? Jolly good.

touche (accent acute on e I think)

know wot you're saying edam but it's interesting to think who could've been included if only to stimulate the brain cells :-)

But edam they had the whole set up for the internet and sir tim berners lee so they could have mentioned the man who made his work possible.

Yes- completely agree. He was treated horribly and it could have been an opportunity to honor him in this context.

Another one in complete agreement here (so no YANBU and yes, it would have been a good thing to acknowledge AT). Good point.

Thanks to Enigma, he saved millions of lives.

Engima was the German encryption-decryption machines. It was Turing's cryptanalysis and bombes that broke Engima's cyphers.

YANBU it would have been a nice touch

According to Wiki there is a bill before the House of Lords that would grant Alan Turing a statutory pardon.

He was a genius and contributed more than just his efforts during WWII; however, if that is what he is best known for, the Olympics, bringing all the countries of the world together, maybe isn't the best place to bring up the subject.

Yanbu, aside from the WW2 angle, he was massively influential in development of thinking around IT/artificial intelligence

The feature musical medley (that started with Beatles & ended with Dizzy Rascal) should have included The Spice Girls. Biggest selling pop band of all time? AIBU to think it was a rather male-biased set of iconic "British" musical choices? Did Amy Winehouse feature at all?

And urban. Living in the countryside of "This Green and Pleasant Land" it struck me how Urban Gritty the portrait of Britain was.

YANBU to think Turing would have been a great choice.