Michael Dertouzos
Encyclopedia
Michael Leonidas Dertouzos (Greek
: Μιχαήλ Λεωνίδας Δερτούζος) (November 5, 1936 - August 27, 2001) was a Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
and Director of the M.I.T. Laboratory for Computer Science (LCS) from 1974 to 2001.
During Dertouzos's term, LCS innovated in a variety of areas, including RSA encryption
, the spreadsheet
, the NuBus
, the X Window System
, and the Internet
. Dertouzos was instrumental in defining the World Wide Web Consortium
and bringing it to MIT. He was a firm supporter of the GNU Project
, Richard Stallman
, and the FSF
, and their continued presence at MIT.
In 1968, he founded Computek, Inc., a manufacturer of graphics
and intelligent terminals.
Dertouzos was a graduate of Athens College
and attended the University of Arkansas
on a Fulbright Scholarship. He received his Ph.D. from M.I.T. in 1964 and joined the M.I.T. faculty. He was buried in Athens
, at the First Cemetery.
Greek alphabet
The Greek alphabet is the script that has been used to write the Greek language since at least 730 BC . The alphabet in its classical and modern form consists of 24 letters ordered in sequence from alpha to omega...
: Μιχαήλ Λεωνίδας Δερτούζος) (November 5, 1936 - August 27, 2001) was a Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
and Director of the M.I.T. Laboratory for Computer Science (LCS) from 1974 to 2001.
During Dertouzos's term, LCS innovated in a variety of areas, including RSA encryption
Encryption
In cryptography, encryption is the process of transforming information using an algorithm to make it unreadable to anyone except those possessing special knowledge, usually referred to as a key. The result of the process is encrypted information...
, the spreadsheet
Spreadsheet
A spreadsheet is a computer application that simulates a paper accounting worksheet. It displays multiple cells usually in a two-dimensional matrix or grid consisting of rows and columns. Each cell contains alphanumeric text, numeric values or formulas...
, the NuBus
NuBus
NuBus is a 32-bit parallel computer bus, originally developed at MIT as a part of the NuMachine workstation project. The first complete implementation of the NuBus and the NuMachine was done by Western Digital for their NuMachine, and for the Lisp Machines Inc. LMI-Lambda. The NuBus was later...
, the X Window System
X Window System
The X window system is a computer software system and network protocol that provides a basis for graphical user interfaces and rich input device capability for networked computers...
, and the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
. Dertouzos was instrumental in defining the World Wide Web Consortium
World Wide Web Consortium
The World Wide Web Consortium is the main international standards organization for the World Wide Web .Founded and headed by Tim Berners-Lee, the consortium is made up of member organizations which maintain full-time staff for the purpose of working together in the development of standards for the...
and bringing it to MIT. He was a firm supporter of the GNU Project
GNU Project
The GNU Project is a free software, mass collaboration project, announced on September 27, 1983, by Richard Stallman at MIT. It initiated GNU operating system development in January, 1984...
, Richard Stallman
Richard Stallman
Richard Matthew Stallman , often shortened to rms,"'Richard Stallman' is just my mundane name; you can call me 'rms'"|last= Stallman|first= Richard|date= N.D.|work=Richard Stallman's homepage...
, and the FSF
Free Software Foundation
The Free Software Foundation is a non-profit corporation founded by Richard Stallman on 4 October 1985 to support the free software movement, a copyleft-based movement which aims to promote the universal freedom to create, distribute and modify computer software...
, and their continued presence at MIT.
In 1968, he founded Computek, Inc., a manufacturer of graphics
Storage tube
Mostly obsolete, a storage tube is a special monochromatic CRT whose screen has a kind of 'memory' : when a portion of the screen is illuminated by the CRT's electron gun, it stays lit until a screen erase command is given...
and intelligent terminals.
Dertouzos was a graduate of Athens College
Athens College
Athens College is a co-educational private independent school in Psychiko, Greece, a suburb of Athens, part of the Hellenic-American Educational Foundation which also includes Psychiko College, although both schools are usually referred to as "Athens College"...
and attended the University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
on a Fulbright Scholarship. He received his Ph.D. from M.I.T. in 1964 and joined the M.I.T. faculty. He was buried in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, at the First Cemetery.
Quotes
External links
- Oral history interview with Michael L. Dertouzos. Charles Babbage InstituteCharles Babbage InstituteThe Charles Babbage Institute is a research center at the University of Minnesota specializing in the history of information technology, particularly the history since 1935 of digital computing, programming/software, and computer networking....
University of Minnesota. Dertouzos discusses his research in computer science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Project MAC's change under his direction to the Laboratory for Computer Science. The bulk of the interview concerns MIT's relationship with the Defense Advanced Research Projects AgencyDefense Advanced Research Projects AgencyThe Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is an agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the development of new technology for use by the military...
(DARPA) and its Information Processing Techniques Office (IPTO). Topics include: time-sharingTime-sharingTime-sharing is the sharing of a computing resource among many users by means of multiprogramming and multi-tasking. Its introduction in the 1960s, and emergence as the prominent model of computing in the 1970s, represents a major technological shift in the history of computing.By allowing a large...
, distributive systems, networking, multiprocessing, the ARPANETARPANETThe Advanced Research Projects Agency Network , was the world's first operational packet switching network and the core network of a set that came to compose the global Internet...
, and Robert KahnRobert KahnRobert Kahn may refer to:* Robert Kahn , composer and music teacher* Bob Kahn , Internet pioneer* Robert Kahn, more famous as Bob Kane, the creator of the comic book superhero Batman...
's directorship of IPTO. - Biography on KurzweilAI.net