David C. Evans
Encyclopedia
David Cannon Evans was the founder of the computer science
department at the University of Utah
and co-founder (with Ivan Sutherland
) of Evans & Sutherland
, a computer firm which is known as a pioneer in the domain of computer-generated imagery
.
aviation electronics company, where he acted as project manager in 1955 to develop what some describe as an early personal computer
that ran on an interpretive operating system. The Bendix G-15
was a bulky unit about the size of a two door refrigerator. He stayed with the company just long enough to manage the G-16 project.
Evans became a faculty member of the University of California, Berkeley
.
His first important work with graphics dates from that period, when he did several experiments on an IDIOM display hooked up to a Digital Equipment Corporation
PDP
-5.
In 1963, he was co-Principal Investigator
(with Harry Huskey) for project Genie
to produce an early multi-user timesharing system. Students from this period include Butler Lampson
and L. Peter Deutsch
.
The system, which included key developments in the field of virtual memory
, was sponsored by the US Defense Department's Advanced Research Project Agency.
In 1965, the University of Utah recruited him back to start their own computer science department.
When he was building up the University of Utah department in 1968 he managed to convince Ivan Sutherland
(who had funded Evans' DARPA research) to come to Utah
, accepting the condition that they start a computer graphics company together. Evans retired from the company in 1994.
Students at Utah included Alan Kay
, Edwin Catmull
, James H. Clark
, John Warnock
, and Alan Ashton.
Evans was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He served as a branch president
, a counselor in bishoprics and stake presidencies, and as a scout master
for a total of 27 years. Evans was award the Silver Beaver for his role in scouting.
Evans married Joy Frewin
. They had ten children, only seven of which lived to adulthood. One of these is David F. Evans
, who became a general authority
in the LDS Church. From 1984 to 1990, Joy Evans was a counselor in the general presidency of the Relief Society
to Barbara W. Winder
. At the time of his death on October 12, 1998, Evans had 39 living grandchildren and great grandchildren.
In 1996, Brigham Young University
established the David C. Evans Chair of Computer Engineering and Graphics. Evans was at the ceremony where the founding of a chair in his honor was announced, but due to his suffering from Alzheimer's disease
, did not make any remarks at the ceremony.
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
department at the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
and co-founder (with Ivan Sutherland
Ivan Sutherland
Ivan Edward Sutherland is an American computer scientist and Internet pioneer. He received the Turing Award from the Association for Computing Machinery in 1988 for the invention of Sketchpad, an early predecessor to the sort of graphical user interface that has become ubiquitous in personal...
) of Evans & Sutherland
Evans & Sutherland
Evans & Sutherland is a computer firm involved in the computer graphics field. Their products are used primarily by the military and large industrial firms for training and simulation, and in digital projection environments like planetariums.-History:...
, a computer firm which is known as a pioneer in the domain of computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
.
Biography
Evans attended the University of Utah and studied electrical engineering; he earned his doctorate degree in physics. Evans first worked at the BendixBendix Corporation
The Bendix Corporation was an American manufacturing and engineering company which during various times in its 60 year existence made brake systems, aeronautical hydraulics, avionics, aircraft and automobile fuel control systems, radios, televisions and computers, and which licensed its name for...
aviation electronics company, where he acted as project manager in 1955 to develop what some describe as an early personal computer
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
that ran on an interpretive operating system. The Bendix G-15
Bendix G-15
The Bendix G-15 computer was introduced in 1956 by the Bendix Corporation, Computer Division, Los Angeles, California. It was about 5 by 3 by 3 ft and weighed about 950 lb . The base system, without peripherals, cost $49,500. A working model cost around $60,000. It could also be rented for...
was a bulky unit about the size of a two door refrigerator. He stayed with the company just long enough to manage the G-16 project.
Evans became a faculty member of the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
.
His first important work with graphics dates from that period, when he did several experiments on an IDIOM display hooked up to a Digital Equipment Corporation
Digital Equipment Corporation
Digital Equipment Corporation was a major American company in the computer industry and a leading vendor of computer systems, software and peripherals from the 1960s to the 1990s...
PDP
Programmed Data Processor
Programmed Data Processor was the name of a series of minicomputers made by Digital Equipment Corporation. The name 'PDP' intentionally avoided the use of the term 'computer' because, at the time of the first PDPs, computers had a reputation of being large, complicated, and expensive machines, and...
-5.
In 1963, he was co-Principal Investigator
Principal investigator
A principal investigator is the lead scientist or engineer for a particular well-defined science project, such as a laboratory study or clinical trial....
(with Harry Huskey) for project Genie
Project Genie
Project Genie was a computer research project started in 1964 at the University of California, Berkeley.It produced an early time-sharing system including the Berkeley Timesharing System, which was then commercialized as the SDS 940.-History:...
to produce an early multi-user timesharing system. Students from this period include Butler Lampson
Butler Lampson
Butler W. Lampson is a renowned computer scientist.After graduating from the Lawrenceville School , Lampson received his Bachelor's degree in Physics from Harvard University in 1964, and his Ph.D...
and L. Peter Deutsch
L. Peter Deutsch
L Peter Deutsch or Peter Deutsch is the founder of Aladdin Enterprises and creator of Ghostscript, a free software PostScript and PDF interpreter....
.
The system, which included key developments in the field of virtual memory
Virtual memory
In computing, virtual memory is a memory management technique developed for multitasking kernels. This technique virtualizes a computer architecture's various forms of computer data storage , allowing a program to be designed as though there is only one kind of memory, "virtual" memory, which...
, was sponsored by the US Defense Department's Advanced Research Project Agency.
In 1965, the University of Utah recruited him back to start their own computer science department.
When he was building up the University of Utah department in 1968 he managed to convince Ivan Sutherland
Ivan Sutherland
Ivan Edward Sutherland is an American computer scientist and Internet pioneer. He received the Turing Award from the Association for Computing Machinery in 1988 for the invention of Sketchpad, an early predecessor to the sort of graphical user interface that has become ubiquitous in personal...
(who had funded Evans' DARPA research) to come to Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, accepting the condition that they start a computer graphics company together. Evans retired from the company in 1994.
Students at Utah included Alan Kay
Alan Kay
Alan Curtis Kay is an American computer scientist, known for his early pioneering work on object-oriented programming and windowing graphical user interface design, and for coining the phrase, "The best way to predict the future is to invent it."He is the president of the Viewpoints Research...
, Edwin Catmull
Edwin Catmull
Dr. Edwin Earl Catmull, Ph.D. is a computer scientist and current president of Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios. As a computer scientist, Catmull has contributed to many important developments in computer graphics....
, James H. Clark
James H. Clark
James H. Clark is an American entrepreneur and computer scientist. He founded several notable Silicon Valley technology companies, including Silicon Graphics, Inc., Netscape Communications Corporation, myCFO and Healtheon...
, John Warnock
John Warnock
John Edward Warnock is an American computer scientist best known as the co-founder with Charles Geschke of Adobe Systems Inc., the graphics and publishing software company. Dr. Warnock was President of Adobe for his first two years and Chairman and CEO for his remaining sixteen years at the company...
, and Alan Ashton.
Evans was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He served as a branch president
Branch President
A branch president is a leader of a "branch" congregation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.The calling of branch president is very similar to the calling of bishop, except that instead of presiding over a ward, the branch president presides over a branch...
, a counselor in bishoprics and stake presidencies, and as a scout master
Scouting
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....
for a total of 27 years. Evans was award the Silver Beaver for his role in scouting.
Evans married Joy Frewin
Joy F. Evans
Beverly Joy Frewin Evans was a leader in the Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . From 1984 to 1990, she was the first counselor to Barbara W. Winder, the president of the Relief Society....
. They had ten children, only seven of which lived to adulthood. One of these is David F. Evans
David F. Evans
David Frewin Evans has been a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since April 2005. In 2008, he was serving as president of the church's Asia North Area. On October 1, 2011, he succeeded Elder Richard G...
, who became a general authority
General authority
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a general authority is a member of certain leadership organizations who are given administrative and ecclesiastical authority over the church...
in the LDS Church. From 1984 to 1990, Joy Evans was a counselor in the general presidency of the Relief Society
Relief Society
The Relief Society is a philanthropic and educational women's organization and an official auxiliary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . It was founded in 1842 in Nauvoo, Illinois, USA and has approximately 6 million members in over 170 countries and territories...
to Barbara W. Winder
Barbara W. Winder
Barbara Ann Woodhead Winder was the eleventh general president of the Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1984 to 1990....
. At the time of his death on October 12, 1998, Evans had 39 living grandchildren and great grandchildren.
In 1996, Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
established the David C. Evans Chair of Computer Engineering and Graphics. Evans was at the ceremony where the founding of a chair in his honor was announced, but due to his suffering from Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
, did not make any remarks at the ceremony.