Mark Spencer is a computer engineer and is the original author of the GTK+

GTK+

GTK+ is a cross-platform widget toolkit for creating graphical user interfaces. It is licensed under the terms of the GNU LGPL, allowing both free and proprietary software to use it. It is one of the most popular toolkits for the X Window System, along with Qt.The name GTK+ originates from GTK;...

-based instant messaging client Gaim

Pidgin (software)

Pidgin is an open-source multi-platform instant messaging client, based on a library named libpurple. Libpurple has support for many commonly used instant messaging protocols, allowing the user to log into various services from one application.The number of Pidgin users was estimated to be over 3...

 (which has since been renamed to Pidgin), the L2TP

L2TP

In computer networking, Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol is a tunneling protocol used to support virtual private networks . It does not provide any encryption or confidentiality by itself; it relies on an encryption protocol that it passes within the tunnel to provide privacy.-History:Published in 1999...

 daemon

Daemon (computer software)

In Unix and other multitasking computer operating systems, a daemon is a computer program that runs as a background process, rather than being under the direct control of an interactive user...

 l2tpd and the Cheops Network User Interface. His mother is of Egyptian descent.http://www.dailystaregypt.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=4718

Mark Spencer is also the creator of Asterisk

Asterisk (PBX)

Asterisk is a software implementation of a telephone private branch exchange ; it was created in 1999 by Mark Spencer of Digium. Like any PBX, it allows attached telephones to make calls to one another, and to connect to other telephone services including the public switched telephone network and...

, a Linux

Linux

Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...

-based open-sourced PBX in software. He is the founder, chairman and CTO

Chief technical officer

A chief technology officer is an executive-level position in a company or other entity whose occupant is focused on scientific and technological issues within an organization....

 of Digium

Digium

Digium, Inc. is a privately held communications technology company based in Huntsville, Alabama. Digium specializes in developing and manufacturing communications hardware and telephony software, most notably the open-source telephony platform Asterisk....

, an open-source telecommunications supplier most notable for its development and sponsorship of Asterisk. Spencer shifted from CEO

Chief executive officer

A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...

 to Chairman and CTO in early 2007.

While attending Auburn University

Auburn University

Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...

, Spencer co-oped at Adtran

Adtran

ADTRAN, Inc. is a provider of telecommunications networking equipment and internetworking products.Its headquarters are in Huntsville, Alabama.The company is ISO 9001 and TL9000 certified.ADTRAN was a NASDAQ-100 Index stock from 1996 to 1998....

 when he wrote l2tpd. He went on to start a Linux technical support business. Spencer did not have enough money to buy a PBX (private branch exchange) for his company so he decided to write Asterisk and later founded Digium.

External links

• Forbes Magazine article on Mark Spencer
• Biography at Digium homepage
• Mark Spencer's previous homepage (copies at the Internet Archive
  Internet Archive
  The Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
  
  )
• Interview with Mark Spencer at OSDir.com
• Interview with Mark Spencer at CNet
• Linux Link Tech Show interview (audio), 2005
• Global open source enthusiasts interview Mark Spencer December 2009
• News story regarding changing roles at Digium
• http://www.dailystaregypt.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=4718 Daily Star Egypt article