Dr. Dennis Ritchie, Bell Labs Fellow, poses after receiving the 2011 Japan Prize at Bell Labs headquarters in Murray Hill, New Jersey, on Tuesday, May 19, 2011. Ritchie was awarded the 2011 Japan Prize for his role in co-developing the UNIX operating system in 1969. The system has significantly advanced computer software, hardware and networks over the past four decades, and facilitated the realization of the Internet. The Japan Prize Foundation aims to promote the advancement of science and technology for the peace and prosperity of mankind. (Victoria Will/AP Images for Japan Prize Foundation)