pre Peťa / for Peter by KDMFI FMFI UK

Peťo znamenal pre mňa skutočne mnoho, nesmierne veľa som sa od neho naučil a strávil s ním stovky hodín vo vlakoch, lietadlách a halách, hoteloch a na konferenciách. Ale najviac u niekoho z nás za stolom, kedy sme Peťo, Andrej a ja prežívali naše najlepšie tvorivé chvíle. Pracovali sme spolu snáď od roku 1985, od prvej verzie Šaša Tomáša na PMD 80, cez Comenius Logo, Imagine Logo a ďalšie projekty. Až po bežnú každodennú pedagogickú a vedeckú prácu na katedre. Peťo bol okrem iného aj dušou a motorom slovenského a svetového hnutia iBobor. Teraz bobor smúti s nami. Keď to všetko predýcham, napíšem viac. A nikdy nezabudnem. Ivan Kalaš

2021-03-05 16:40:54 UTC

Peter really meant a lot to me, I learned so much from him and spent hundreds of hours with him in the trains, planes and airport halls, hotels and in the conferences. But mostly, at one of us at the table, when Peter, Andrej and I experienced our best creative moments. We have been working together since 1985, from the first version of Thomas the Clown for PMD 80, through Comenius Logo, Imagine Logo and other projects. Up to the routine daily pedagogical and research work at the department.Among other things, Peter was also a soul and engine of the Slovak and global Bebras movement. Now the beaver is mourning with us. Ivan Kalas

2021-03-05 17:32:19 UTC

R.I.P.

rkormanak — 2021-03-05 19:04:32 UTC

Smutná správa - v tejto chvíli stojíme všetci pri Petrovej rodine, kolegoch aj priateľoch. Nikto z nás to nečakal ...

Robo Kormaňák v mene všetkých spolužiakov odboru M-VT (1986-1991)

2021-03-05 19:49:58 UTC

Hlboko ma zasiahla táto smutná správa, Petra som poznala najskôr ako férového a systematického učiteľa systémového programovania s nemalými nárokmi a očakávaniami od nás študentov, neskôr ako neskutočne rozhľadeného kolegu s otvoreným prístupom a počúvaním nás katedrových nováčikov. Bol to človek vzácny, od ktorého sme sa stále učili... Úprimnú sústrasť Monike i deťom.
Jana Pekárová

Peťo Tomcsányi bol významný učiteľ, ktorý posúval svojich študentov ďalej, neskutočný odborník vo svojom obore a spolutvorca veľkých informatických projektov na katedre. Ako kolega som ho pre mnohé jeho pozitívne stránky obdivoval. Úprimnú sústrasť celej rodine, Monike a deťom. Zolo Gálik

2021-03-05 20:35:01 UTC

I first met Peter at EuroLogo 2007 in Bratislava. I had used a variety of Logos at the American University of Paris and at Parsons School of Design since the early 1980s. I had developed, at these two institutions, an interdisciplinary constructionist course called Visual Modelling. This course combined computational methodology with those of math, art, design and philosophy. I began to use Imagine Logo in 2000 and Peter was always willing to answer, in great detail, my email questions however ridiculous he found them. But it was not until 2014 and 2016 that I began to know the rich complexity of Peter. I had decided to translate all of my Logo texts and procedures into Python and I needed a lot of help. I found funding for a series of workshops with Peter and Andrej at Comenius. I could not have done the work I have done since without Peter's help. He spoke beautiful English so he could translate my weird thoughts to Andrej and to orchestrate the meetings. But I remember best, once we got to know each other better, Peter's warmth. I would travel to Bratislava via Vienna and then by bus. Peter picked me up at the bus station in the morning and took me to lunch in simple restaurants that he picked especially because he knew I was a vegan. Afterwards, we began to work. We had another short series of workshops, I think, in 2016. During these sessions Peter took me home and cooked me lunch. I told him that I wanted to travel around Slovakia, and he agreed to plan and organize my trip. I remember these lunches and the conversations vividly. Yes, Peter was complicated and sometimes we disagreed. But Peter was a warm colleague and I think a friend. We always worked through our differences and produced useful results together. During these pandemic times we all so badly need such human warmth and collegiality. I already miss him very much and send my love to his family. Jim Clayson

2021-03-06 10:04:50 UTC

2021-03-06 11:25:03 UTC

Milý Peter,
Nikdy nedokážeme zabudnúť.
Čokoľvek podnikneme, vždy budeš chýbať.
Keď si nás učil, nikdy by mi nebolo napadlo, že raz budeš našim tak blízkym priateľom.
Sme všetci vďační, že si ním bol a v srdci zostaneš.
Ďakujeme
Jana Hulmanová s rodinou

Bože prosím prijmi ho do svojho kráľovstva!!!

2021-03-06 13:35:41 UTC

2021-03-06 15:48:33 UTC

I first met Peter through various collaborations in relation to his outstanding work on Imagine Logo. I came to appreciate not only his intelligence but also his warm personality. Peter always had time to explain issues and was frequently very helpful to me in my own programming work. Sometimes our team included less experienced researchers and Peter was equally helpful to them. I remember fondly Peter's love of his camera. He will be greatly missed by the Logo community and by me personally.
Dave Pratt

I don’t think we met Peter more than 5 or 6 times. But even this short time was enough to realise the pivotal role he played in our projects, his dedication and intellectual honesty, and his determination to always build the best possible artefacts we were trying to construct. Neither of us are computer scientists, but we always felt that after one of his impromptu ‘seminars’ – in which he would do his best to help us understand – we came out a little wiser. Maybe he felt the same about our role in building educational artefacts – we hope so. Peter is a terrible loss to your academic community in Slovakia, and to the wider academic world. We know for sure that his ideas will live on, in the computing/education groups we shared. We send our deepest condolences and sympathy to Monica and the family. Celia Hoyles and Richard Noss London

2021-03-06 18:18:33 UTC

I met Peter many years ago when we localized Comenius Logo, around 1990. It was big pleasure to work with him. Then - Bebras. Peter took care of Bebras in 2007 and grew very successfully for years. Our community will miss Peter, a honest and warm person, very supportive and attentive friend. We know for sure that his ideas about informatics education and deep quality Bebras tasks will live on for lond time. We send our deepest condolences to Monika and children. The loss is hurtful but his love is left behind. Valentina Dagiene and Lithuanian Bebras team

dagiene — 2021-03-07 10:25:24 UTC

We were on the same work group last year in Bebras Workshop. It was an online workshop but this man was very helpful and had a lot of commitment to the work. I wish I could work together again. All my condolences to his family and his friends.

2021-03-07 10:59:25 UTC

Eslam Wageed
Egypt

2021-03-07 14:16:29 UTC

Peter was such a friendly, enthusiastic, competent and reliable person. I will miss him.
Michael Weigend, Germany

2021-03-07 14:45:10 UTC

World was a better place because of you and your work.

Matija Lokar, Slovenija

This is an extremely great loss for International Bebras community.I will always remember the hours of friendly communication at our workshops and the our joint trip from Sankt Pölten to Bratislava.My sincere condolences to Monika Tomcsányiová, his family, closest friends,all his colleagues in Slovak Bebras.Rostyslav Shpakovych and Ukrainian Bebras team

2021-03-07 15:01:59 UTC

My memories of Peter are of him clicking pictures at the Bebras workshop at Balatonkenese, Hungary. He was vocal about what he believed in and his passion for computing education and doing the right thing was clear from my very first interaction with him. My sincere condolences to his family. We will miss him. Vipul Shah, India

2021-03-07 15:24:42 UTC

turcsanyi_marta — 2021-03-07 16:08:04 UTC

Deepest condolences to his family first and foremost!
Unbelievable loss!
As for the scientific world, there will be many circles missing him!
His structured thinking has brought to life lots of valuable products we, our children and grandchildren make great use of. His critical thinking prevented lots of us from taking a wrong road and lightened possibilities we never thought of. His creative mindset brought plentiful colours to Bebras as well as the Logo world ... and many others.
Unforgetable!
Your fellow Hungarian, Marta Turcsanyi-Szabo

2021-03-07 20:50:37 UTC

Peter was an inspirational figure in the Bebras community, enriching it in many ways. The few conversations we had together are so memorable. I wish I'd had more opportunities. Condolences to his family.
Tom Naughton, Ireland

hubert12 — 2021-03-07 22:22:19 UTC

Vždycky jsem se moc těšil na zajímavosti, které jsi nám, milý Peter, říkal třeba u jídla na Bebras Workshopech. Vždy mě fascinovalo, jaká studnice znalostí (ale také nápadů) jsi. Rád jsem Tě poslouchal. Také se mi moc líbilo, že jsi říkal, co sis myslet, i když se to zdálo proti proudu. Odargumentoval sis to. A tvé fotky? Budeš nám moc chybět. Už teď nám chybíš.
A upřímnou soustrast celé jeho rodině a kolegům.
Janko

I am so sorry to hear this news and send my condolences to his family, friends and the Bebras community. Peter was a passionate advocate for computer science and gave so much of himself in order to give the best possible chance to the students he advocated for. I have fond memories of Peter quietly standing with his camera and capturing moments in time of the interactions of us all over the various Bebras workshops and recreational activities. It won’t be the same without Peter voicing his concern during late meetings. He was always an advocate for democratic decision making and gave so much to the Bebras community. I am so sorry to hear of his passing. May he Rest In Peace. Warm regards Sarah Atkins (Australia)

2021-03-07 22:51:33 UTC

Peter was a great personality, as a human, as an educator and as well as a computer scientist. There are very few people in the world who are so strong in all this dimensions as Peter has been. But exactly colleagues like him are needed to bring involved computer science as an independent subject into schools in order to support the intellectual growth of children and young people and to explore their creativity. He together with Andrej and Ivan made Slovakia to a pattern among pioneers introducing computer science to schools. One cannot list all his many activities and remarkable contributions, but in each one it will be very hard to replace him. We all will miss him very much and due his contributions to computer science education Peter will be always with us. My deepest condolence to all who loved him.

2021-03-08 08:22:51 UTC

Juraj Hromkovic, Slovakia and Switzerland

Dear Peter, why did you go so early? So many of your ideas and proposals for improving Bebras not yet implemented or discussed, so many of your and your team's wonderful Bebras tasks not written yet, … From now on, we will have to ask ourselves, what you would have said, which point of view you might have taken - always clearly detecting the potential flaws in what others were just nodding to. We will do a bad job without you, but I hope you will send some inspiration from above, occasionally. Farewell!

2021-03-08 10:59:34 UTC

Wolfgang, Germany

2021-03-08 14:02:07 UTC

Please pass on the deepest condolences to Peter's family and close friends from the Canadian Delegation.

We know he lived a passionate life and saw beauty and art in many things: his photos of those stolen moments at the workshops were always a highlight. We valued his opinions even when, and maybe especially when, we disagreed on something Bebras related. He deeply cared for the Bebras, and computer science education generally.

It does feel like a tragedy, and he will be incredibly missed.

Dear Peter's family, friends and colleagues

2021-03-08 17:22:07 UTC

We are shocked and very sad about Peter’s unexpected passing. We remember Peter as a very engaged and productive partner, colleague and real friend. He supported the informatics education community so much. We can hardly imagine the Bebras activities without him. He was so dedicated in his manifold support for the international Bebras community and the Slovakian Bobor. His voice was highly respected. He delighted us also so much with his excellent photos he took during our meetings and excursions. Our thoughts are especially with his family and close friends and colleagues.Peter, we miss you.Gerald Futschek, Austriaand the Austrian Bebras Team

2021-03-08 21:14:21 UTC

2021-03-08 22:22:18 UTC

detail, my email questions however ridiculous he found them. But it was not until 2014 and 2016 that I began to know the rich complexity of Peter. I had decided to translate all of my Logo texts an

2021-03-08 22:22:27 UTC

detail, my email questions however ridiculous he found them. But it was not until 2014 and 2016 that I began to know the rich complexity of Peter. I had decided to translate all of my Logo texts an

2021-03-09 01:02:37 UTC

Úprimnu sústrasť
Stanislav Slacka

Milý Peťo, boli sme štyri roky Tvoji spolužiaci na GJH. Všetkých nás Tvoj odchod veľmi zasiahol. Boby si zaspomínal, ako si starej pani domovníčke pomáhal s odpratávaním snehu tak intenzívne, až si z toho dostal pruh, Alica, ako si zhodnotil, že Utrpenie mladého Werthera by stačilo napísať na tri strojom písané strany a ako s Tebou Ľubor na túto tému vášnivo diskutoval,Wanda ako si šmaril zošit o lavicu, keď Ťa p Kocigová zase nezmyselne sekýrovala, Safi ako sa dalo s Tebou pokecať o všetkom možnom, ja ako rád a dobre si fotil... Každý mal svoje spomienky, ale všetci sme sa zhodli na tom, že nám budeš na našich stretávkach, medzistretávkach, predstretávkach veľmi chýbať. A ako napísala asi najvýstižnejšie Wanda:” Budem si pamätať jeho úsmev schovaný za okuliarmi, zrnitý hlas, premyslené odpovede sprevádzané skúmavým pohľadom a chuť usmiať sa vždy, keď bola príležitosť. Láskavý a tolerantný.

2021-03-09 12:11:36 UTC

Úprimnú sústrasť
Katarína Kalašová

2021-03-09 17:04:55 UTC

It is with deep regret that I learned of Peter's death. Regret that I had not known him earlier; that I had not got to know him better. Regret that I had not used the opportunities to get to know a remarkable man. Please offer my condolances to his family, his friends and his colleagues.

2021-03-10 20:10:18 UTC

Pieter; South Africa.

What a bad time, what a sad news. We will keep Peter in our fond memories. We will remember our meetings and joint work on the Polish versions of Komeniusz and Imagine. We remember a friendly man, who listens carefully and is helpful, knows what he is saying and is always substantively prepared. Goodbye Peter, your works stay with us. Witek Kranas and friends from OEIiZK, Warsaw

witekkranas — 2021-03-10 22:40:32 UTC

2021-03-11 21:31:14 UTC

Petra som prvýkrát stretla ako študentka v počítačovej učebni na matfyze. Mal tam službu za okienkom a vydával listingy. Už vtedy na mňa pôsobil dojmom veľmi múdreho staršieho spolužiaka a vzbudzoval u mňa rešpekt. Napriek tomu som cítila, že sa ho môžem čokoľvek opýtať a on mi ochotne pomôže. A taký bol aj neskôr, keď sme boli kolegovia. Obdivovala som ho po odbornej stránke a aj po tej ľudskej.
Bude mi chýbať tá jeho schopnosť mať iný pohľad na vec a upozorniť na aspekty, ktoré si človek prvoplánovo neuvedomuje. Som vďačná osudu, že som takého človeka poznala a mala možnosť s ním spolupracovať.
Ľudmila Jašková

Veľmi smutné, to vedomie, že sa s Peťom už nikdy nestretneme a neporozprávame. Za všetkých spolužiakov na Matfyze z rokov 1980 - 85. Marián Moravčík

2021-03-12 09:16:07 UTC

Peter, let me thank You for your contribution to science education. As one of the leading designers of today's best interface for school science laboratories, as one of the main creators of the software environment for science education, he has significantly contributed to the meaningful use of computers in physics and science education. The result of 30 years of your work is available in 12 languages and is used by students and teachers in many countries.Peter, dovoľ, aby som sa Ti poďakoval za Tvoj prínos do prírodovedného vzdelávania. Ako jeden z hlavných dizajnérov dnes najlepšieho interfejsu pre školské prírodovedné laboratóriá, ako jeden z hlavných tvorcov softvérového prostredia pre prírodovedné vzdelávanie si významným spôsobom prispel k zmysluplnému používaniu počítačov vo fyzikálnom a prírodovednom vzdelávaní. Výsledok Tvojej 30 ročnej práce je dnes dostupný v 12 jazykoch a používajú ho žiaci i učitelia v mnohých krajinách. Ďakujeme. Peter Demkanin

peterdemkanin — 2021-03-15 08:11:30 UTC

Dear Monika and children of Peter,

2021-03-15 09:16:16 UTC

Peter has been such a good friend, a wonderful colleague, a passionate contributor to the unique Coach environment for STEM education and so much more. I had the honor and pleasure to work intensively with Peter for over 25 years. During these years Peter also spent many days in our house, and we experienced him always as a modest and wise guest and friend. We frequently had our intensive discussions, always leading to a better solution. And always in a respectful way. Wonderful. Several colleagues from former AMSTEL Institute (University of Amsterdam) expressed their good memories of Peter, and also all the present colleagues of CMA Amsterdam. It is difficult to imagine how it will be without Peter in our team. But that is nothing compared with the loss of you Monika and your children. Peter was a proud father. My sincere condolences. Peter, I cannot describe in words what your contributions has meant. We will take care of your heritage!
Ton Ellermeijer, CMA, Amsterdam

It is very difficult to realize that Peter is not with us anymore. I was really shocked to hear that after so long fight he lost against corona. My heartfelt condolences to Monika and children. Peter was a wonderful colleague and through the years of working together he became a good friend. I worked with him for more than 25 years but last 10 were quite intensive. l already miss our telephone and zoom conversations. Peter was very kind, smart, open minded person, full of knowledge and not only about computer science. He was a very good teacher; he could explain things thoroughly and clearly. His approach was always very creative and oriented to find solutions, never afraid of any challenges. His work was his passion. We could have different opinions and discuss intensively but always finding a compromise to agree on. And he could fix near everything! Peter, thank you for your great contribution in development of Coach software. We will miss you. I light a candle for you Ewa Kedzierska, CMA, Amsterdam

2021-03-15 09:17:47 UTC

p_masouras — 2021-03-15 17:20:29 UTC

We are shocked and very sorry to hear the bad news about Peter's passing.

Peter was a passionate member of the Bebras community, his unique way of putting things forward in a democratic way and supporting his position with passion while respecting others' arguments, his ideas to move the organization forward while maintaining quality and excellence are to stay with the community for ever. His passion for computer science education and the growth of the Bebras community are to be remembered by all his Bebras peers.

On behalf of the BEBRAS CYPRUS team, we extend our sincere condolences to his family, associates in Slovak Bebras community and friends.
Rest in peace Peter.

Panicos Masouras
Thomas Ioannou
Nicos Stratis
BEBRAS CYPRUS

Dear Peter's family,

2021-03-16 08:17:05 UTC

My sincere condolences with this great loss.
For over 20 years I have worked with Peter on our software from CMA.
Over the years we have had many discussions on our work.
Peter was passionate about his work and creative and helpful in finding solutions.
It's real hard to accept he is gone.

Peter I will miss you,
Martin Beugel

2025-12-21 17:39:17 UTC

It is December 2025, and just a few hours ago I learned — by accident — that Peter is no longer with us.

The first time I met Peter was at one of the EuroLogo conferences. I remember him as calm, friendly, and always ready to help. Although his work and mine followed different paths, I always enjoyed our discussions — at conferences, and later via email — about the programming foundations of Logo.

I’ll always remember you fondly, my friend, and be grateful for the time we crossed paths and shared ideas.

— Pavel Boytchev, Bulgaria