# Reuben Thomas

> English baritone, writer and programmer

**Wikidata**: [Q110531306](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q110531306)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/reuben-thomas

## Summary
Reuben Thomas is an English baritone, writer, and programmer who has contributed to open-source software projects and has been involved in music education and performance. He is known for developing the Enchant spell checking library and maintaining several GNU projects.

## Biography
- Born: 1973-11-13 in Hitchin, United Kingdom
- Nationality: United Kingdom
- Education: Studied at St John's College, University of Cambridge
- Known for: Developing the Enchant spell checking library and contributing to GNU software projects
- Employer(s): Affiliated with York St John University (past), GNU Project (member)
- Field(s): Music (baritone), programming, computer science

## Contributions
Reuben Thomas has made significant contributions to open-source software development. He created Enchant, a spell checking wrapper library and command-line program. He has maintained several GNU projects including GNU Hello, GNU a2ps, and Zile. His work in programming has focused on text processing and system utilities. As a musician, he has served as chorus master at St John's College, lay clerk at Westminster Cathedral, and music teacher at the Académie Vocale de Paris.

## FAQs
### Q: What is Reuben Thomas most known for?
A: He is most known for creating the Enchant spell checking library and maintaining several GNU software projects.

### Q: What is his profession?
A: Reuben Thomas is a programmer, computer scientist, and English baritone who also works as a writer and music educator.

### Q: What university did he attend?
A: He studied at St John's College, University of Cambridge.

## Why They Matter
Reuben Thomas has had a lasting impact on both the open-source software community and the music world. His development of Enchant has provided a widely used spell checking solution for many applications. His contributions to GNU projects have helped maintain important software tools. In music, he has contributed to choral performance and education through his positions as chorus master and music teacher.

## Notable For
- Created Enchant, a spell checking wrapper library and command-line program
- Maintained multiple GNU projects including GNU Hello, GNU a2ps, and Zile
- Served as chorus master at St John's College (1987) and lay clerk at Westminster Cathedral (2001)
- Worked as a music teacher at the Académie Vocale de Paris (2005)
- Contributed to the GNU Project as a member

## Body
### Early Life and Education
Reuben Thomas was born on November 13, 1973, in Hitchin, United Kingdom. He studied at St John's College, University of Cambridge, where he began his musical career as a chorus master at the college in 1987.

### Musical Career
Thomas has had a distinguished musical career as a baritone. He served as chorus master at St John's College from 1987, and later as a lay clerk at Westminster Cathedral starting in 2001. He has also worked as a music teacher at the Académie Vocale de Paris beginning in 2005. His musical work has been recognized through his participation in various choral performances and educational roles.

### Programming and Open Source
Thomas is a prominent figure in the open-source community. He is a member of the GNU Project and has maintained several key GNU software packages. His most notable contribution is Enchant, a spell checking wrapper library and command-line program that provides a unified interface to various spell checking libraries. He has also maintained GNU Hello, GNU a2ps, and Zile, demonstrating his expertise in text processing and system utilities.

### Professional Affiliations
Thomas has been affiliated with York St John University, where he was associated with the institution. His work has spanned multiple fields including computer science, programming, and music, making him a versatile professional with contributions across different domains.

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  "nationality": {"@type": "Country", "name": "United Kingdom"},
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## References

1. [Source](https://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/Thomas-Reuben.htm)
2. [GNU's Who](https://www.gnu.org/people/people.html#r)
3. [Source](https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/a2ps.git/tree/AUTHORS)
4. [Source](https://www.lua.org/gems/front.pdf)
5. [Source](https://soif.org.uk/speakers/reuben-thomas/)
6. [Source](https://savannah.gnu.org/users/rrt)
7. [Source](https://rrt.sc3d.org/)