IT Legends: Technology's Most Pioneering and Innovative Heroes

Brian Kernighan and Dennis Ritchie: The Co-Creators of The C Programming Language The more than four decades of computing history have seen many great minds who have shaped and revolutionized the way computers are used today. Brian Kernighan and Dennis Ritchie are two such names that will remain imperishable in the annals of computing history. Brian Kernighan and Dennis Ritchie were the pride of the Bell Labs. Being part of the team at the Department of Computer Science at Bell Labs, the duo contributed to the development of the C Programming Language. Contributing to the research and development of Unix, the two geniuses stepped up to create a new programming language with an easier to use system for the Bell Labs. Kernighan and Ritchie’s efforts gave birth to one of the most influential computer programming languages of all time - The C Programming Language. Being first released in 1972, C still continues to be widely used for many applications from web programming to embedded syst...

Sidney Taurel: The Expert Who Brought Statistics into the Forefront of Computer Science Sidney Taurel was a famous computer scientist and statistician who made significant contributions to the development of statistical software packages. He is often recognized for his groundbreaking work in advancing the field of statistics in computer science. Taurel was the founder and president of the statistical software firm SAS Institute, and later the formation of the Statistical Analysis System (SAS). Taurel was born in London, United Kingdom in 1927. He studied mathematics at the University of Cambridge, receiving his B.A. in 1947. Following his studies, he joined the British computers company ICL, and soon earned a place in the statistical department. While working there, he developed some of the earliest and most popular statistical software packages. He went on to become the first director of the ICL Statistical Analysis Department, and in 1964 he left ICL to found his own statistical sof...

Gordon Bell: The Microsoft Architect Who Invented the Computer Workstation Who is Gordon Bell, and what were his contributions to the field of computing? This engineer and computer scientist has been called the "Father of the Personal Computer" due to his pioneering work in the development of the microcomputer. He was also an important figure in the development of the modern personal computer, and was instrumental in the invention of the computer workstation. Gordon Bell was born on April 4, 1934, in Hartford, Connecticut, and received a degree in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University in 1956. He was an early supporter of the idea of a computer, and was an advocate of the computer-aided design (CAD) field in the early 1960s. He also made important contributions to the use of computers in data processing, and was a major advocate of the open systems architecture introduced in the mid-1970s. In the late 1970s and early 80s, Bell oversaw the development of the Microso...

Douglas Stebbins: The Guru of Magnetic Computer Memory Who Put Information into Motion Do you know who created the world's first hard disk drive and changed the way machine-readable data is stored? The guru of magnetic computer memory who put information into motion is Douglas Stebbins. An alumnus of the famed Bell Laboratories, Stebbins was an electrical engineer who developed the world's first commercialized hard disk drive, paving the way for information storage and retrieval from machines. By eliminating the need for magnetic tapes and massive assembly lines, Stebbins' drive technology changed the way computer data is stored forever. Douglas Stebbins was born in Hartford, Connecticut in 1921. His education included a degree from the famous Bell Labs, where he studied the development of electronic communication technology. After graduation, Stebbins worked for a steam-turbine research lab, where he developed a steam turbine system that could be used to power a home. I...

Larry Ellison: The Software Billionaire Who Led Oracle To Greatness It often takes a certain type of individual to build an extraordinary success story in the business world. The ability to take risks and make the tough decisions to move a company in the right direction are essential. One of those rare people is Larry Ellison, the billionaire founder of software-giant Oracle, who worked his way up from humble beginnings to the lofty heights of success he enjoys today. Ellison grew up in suburban Chicago and, after failing to finish college, moved to California. It wasn't a particularly smooth ride, but Ellison's desire to succeed fuelled his ambition and he eventually joined the staff of Amdahl Corporation as a programmer. While working there, Ellison designed a database that was eventually adopted by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). This eventually led him to decide to create his own software firm and in 1977 he founded Software Development Laboratories, popularly k...