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Ken Olsen, co-founder of Digital Equipment Corp., died at 84

masshightech.com

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Re: Ken Olsen, co-founder of Digital Equipment Corp., died at 84

#3

Post by zitterbewegung »

hsmyers wrote: post #2

Given the age survey posted a little while ago, most HN members have no particular reason to note this. But for me, one by one the pioneers that pulled me into the world of computers are dying--- I will miss them.

Even though that Digital Equipment Corporation is before my time I have read up on the history of computers (New hackers dictionary and various other sources) and I can recognize the importance of this pioneer.

Re: Ken Olsen, co-founder of Digital Equipment Corp., died at 84

#4

Post by GeorgeTirebiter »

When I was a Junior at MIT in 1975, working in the Large Systems Group (the PDP-10) in Marlboro as a summer co-op student, I asked some of the DEC old-timers what would happen if I invited Ken Olsen over to my little summer sublet in Marlboro. They said, "ask him".

I figured they were playing a trick on a lowly co-op, but I figured, what the heck. So I invited him to stop by that coming Sunday afternoon. And he accepted!

The ever-gracious Ken Olson came to my place, and chatted with about a dozen fellow MIT DEC co-op students, and another perhaps dozen regular employees at the Marlboro facility. We were all awe-struck, but somehow we managed to ask him about whether he thought IBM were our competition (he didn't think so, because DEC and IBM served different markets), and what he thought of these little microcomputers, like the Altair 8800 that was about to be announced (he didn't think they were very useful, poor h/w and non-existent software). What about putting one of our PDP-10s on a board, like the recently-introduced LSI-11 did for the PDP-11? (Contact Gordon Bell and ask him about that.) And much more like that.

I distinctly remember he sat in a chair while we accolites sat on the floor at his feet.

At the time, the PDP-11 and especially the PDP-11/45 was quite the machine - unix had recently been ported to it with great success, and I had used it in several of my courses. I of course had one of those "comic book" PDP-11/45 manuals that had been well-thumbed. Would Ken autograph it for me? And of course the ever-gracious Ken Olson signed it just below his signature on the front page of the manual.

What a tremendously giving, gracious, friendly, smart, helpful man. His influence on this industry is deep and wide. He remains my role model. He'll be sorely missed.

Re: Ken Olsen, co-founder of Digital Equipment Corp., died at 84

#5

Post by flashgordon »

hsmyers wrote: post #2

Given the age survey posted a little while ago, most HN members have no particular reason to note this. But for me, one by one the pioneers that pulled me into the world of computers are dying--- I will miss them.

Actually its funny you mention that. I have a feeling given the relative youth of the field of CS (and CE), even those of us who are relative newbies like myself (by which I mean when and under what circumstances I got into the field) still appreciate the work of such pioneers, even though it is as a result of reading up about them rather than actually working directly with them (or their contributions). Another name that comes to mind is Kildall! Every time I read about them, a certain nostalgic sadness fills me, even though I have never used a DEC or CP/M (respectively).

Re: Ken Olsen, co-founder of Digital Equipment Corp., died at 84

#10

Post by masshightech »

A short video, produced by Gordon College, offers a short history of Ken Olsen's impact and legacy. If not for DEC, the world of computing as we know it would not exist. The video can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6We6VDtyHY More about Ken Olsen, and a quote from Bill Gates, can be found here: http://www.gordon.edu/kenolsen
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