I'm just an observer of Java, and where Microsoft wants to go with C# is too early to tell.
Unix has retarded OS research by 10 years and linux has retarded it by 20.
The only way to learn a new programming language is by writing programs in it.
Sometimes when you fill a vacuum, it still sucks.
The True-GNU philosophy is more extreme than I care for, but it certainly laid a foundation for the current scene, as well as providing real software.
Obviously, the person who had most influence on my career was Ken Thompson.