Carel S. Scholten
Encyclopedia
Carel S. Scholten was a physicist
and a pioneer of computing
.
He studied physics
from 1945 to 1952 at the University of Amsterdam.
In 1947 he was asked by the Dutch Mathematisch Centrum (which later became the Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica) to collaborate in building an automatic calculator with his friend and fellow student Bram Loopstra. Their first system, the ARRA I
was not a success, but its successor, the ARRA II, on which Gerrit Blaauw
also collaborated was.
In 1954 work started on the ARMAC, which he built together with Loopstra and Edsger Dijkstra
, who was responsible for the software.
The ARMAC was remarkable for its use of transistor
s.
In 1958 Scholten went to work for Electrologica (later Philips
Electrologica), where he developed the Electrologica X1
computer with Loopstra. He remained with Philips Electrologica until 1979, when he switched to the Philips
Physics Laboratory, where he stayed until 1985.
In 1991 he was given an honorary doctorate by Technische Universiteit Eindhoven.
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
and a pioneer of computing
Computing
Computing is usually defined as the activity of using and improving computer hardware and software. It is the computer-specific part of information technology...
.
He studied physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
from 1945 to 1952 at the University of Amsterdam.
In 1947 he was asked by the Dutch Mathematisch Centrum (which later became the Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica) to collaborate in building an automatic calculator with his friend and fellow student Bram Loopstra. Their first system, the ARRA I
ARRA (computer)
The ARRA was the first Dutch computer, and was built from relays for the Dutch Mathematical Centre , which later became the Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica .It was designed and built by Carel Scholten and Bram Loopstra, and was finished in 1952...
was not a success, but its successor, the ARRA II, on which Gerrit Blaauw
Gerrit Blaauw
Gerrit Anne Blaauw is one of the principal designers of the IBM System/360 line of computers, together with Fred Brooks, Gene Amdahl, and others....
also collaborated was.
In 1954 work started on the ARMAC, which he built together with Loopstra and Edsger Dijkstra
Edsger Dijkstra
Edsger Wybe Dijkstra ; ) was a Dutch computer scientist. He received the 1972 Turing Award for fundamental contributions to developing programming languages, and was the Schlumberger Centennial Chair of Computer Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin from 1984 until 2000.Shortly before his...
, who was responsible for the software.
The ARMAC was remarkable for its use of transistor
Transistor
A transistor is a semiconductor device used to amplify and switch electronic signals and power. It is composed of a semiconductor material with at least three terminals for connection to an external circuit. A voltage or current applied to one pair of the transistor's terminals changes the current...
s.
In 1958 Scholten went to work for Electrologica (later Philips
Philips
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , more commonly known as Philips, is a multinational Dutch electronics company....
Electrologica), where he developed the Electrologica X1
Electrologica X1
The Electrologica X1 was a digital computer designed and manufactured in the Netherlands from 1958 to 1965. About thirty were produced and sold in the Netherlands and abroad....
computer with Loopstra. He remained with Philips Electrologica until 1979, when he switched to the Philips
Philips
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , more commonly known as Philips, is a multinational Dutch electronics company....
Physics Laboratory, where he stayed until 1985.
In 1991 he was given an honorary doctorate by Technische Universiteit Eindhoven.
Publications
- Edsger W. Dijkstra and Carel S. Scholten (1990). Predicate Calculus and Program Semantics. Springer-Verlag ISBN 0-387-96957-8 — An abstract, formal treatment of Predicate transformer semanticsPredicate transformer semanticsPredicate transformer semantics was introduced by Dijkstra in his seminal paper "Guarded commands, nondeterminacy and formal derivation of programs". They define the semantics of an imperative programming paradigm by assigning to each statement in this language a corresponding predicate...
External Links
- Eredoctor Carel Scholten overleden — Obituary by the Technische Universiteit Eindhoven (in Dutch).