Guido van Rossum
Encyclopedia
Guido van Rossum is a Dutch
computer programmer who is best known as the author of the Python programming language
. In the Python community, Van Rossum is known as a "Benevolent Dictator For Life
" (BDFL), meaning that he continues to oversee the Python development process, making decisions where necessary. He is currently employed by Google
, where he spends half his time working on Python development.
National Institute of Standards and Technology
(NIST), Gaithersburg, Maryland, and the Corporation for National Research Initiatives
(CNRI), Reston, Virginia.
In December 2005, Van Rossum was hired by Google
. He wrote a web-based code-review tool for Google in Python.
, a type designer and also a programmer. Just van Rossum designed the font that is used in the "Python Powered" logo. Currently Guido lives in California together with his American wife Kim Knapp and their son Orlijn.
Unix
in 1986. Van Rossum also worked on the development of the ABC programming language
.
About the origin of Python
, Van Rossum wrote in 1996:
In 2000 he further wrote:
Arguably, several of these ambitions have since been realized. Python has grown to become a popular programming language. For example, as of November 2011, it is the 3rd most popular language on the GitHub.com social coding website, and according to a programming language popularity survey it is consistently amongst the top 10 most mentioned languages in job postings. Additionally, it is consistently in the top 10 most popular languages according to the TIOBE Programming Community Index .
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
computer programmer who is best known as the author of the Python programming language
Python (programming language)
Python is a general-purpose, high-level programming language whose design philosophy emphasizes code readability. Python claims to "[combine] remarkable power with very clear syntax", and its standard library is large and comprehensive...
. In the Python community, Van Rossum is known as a "Benevolent Dictator For Life
Benevolent Dictator For Life
Benevolent Dictator For Life is a title given to a small number of open-source software-development leaders, typically project founders who retain the final say in disputes or arguments within the community....
" (BDFL), meaning that he continues to oversee the Python development process, making decisions where necessary. He is currently employed by Google
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
, where he spends half his time working on Python development.
Biography
Van Rossum was born and grew up in the Netherlands, where he received a masters degree in mathematics and computer science from the University of Amsterdam in 1982. He later worked for various research institutes, including the Dutch Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI), Amsterdam, the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
National Institute of Standards and Technology
National Institute of Standards and Technology
The National Institute of Standards and Technology , known between 1901 and 1988 as the National Bureau of Standards , is a measurement standards laboratory, otherwise known as a National Metrological Institute , which is a non-regulatory agency of the United States Department of Commerce...
(NIST), Gaithersburg, Maryland, and the Corporation for National Research Initiatives
Corporation for National Research Initiatives
The Corporation for National Research Initiatives , based in Reston, Virginia, is a non-profit organization founded in 1986 by Robert E. Kahn as an "activities center around strategic development of network-based information technologies", including the National Information Infrastructure in the...
(CNRI), Reston, Virginia.
In December 2005, Van Rossum was hired by Google
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
. He wrote a web-based code-review tool for Google in Python.
Personal life
Guido van Rossum is the brother of Just van RossumJust van Rossum
Just van Rossum is a Dutch typeface designer and computer programmer.-Typeface design:Just van Rossum’s typefaces combination of programming and letterform design has resulted in several developments in typeface design. His typeface FF Beowolf used a random feature of the PostScript language to...
, a type designer and also a programmer. Just van Rossum designed the font that is used in the "Python Powered" logo. Currently Guido lives in California together with his American wife Kim Knapp and their son Orlijn.
Work
While working at the Stichting Mathematisch Centrum (CWI), Guido van Rossum wrote and contributed a glob routine to BSDBerkeley Software Distribution
Berkeley Software Distribution is a Unix operating system derivative developed and distributed by the Computer Systems Research Group of the University of California, Berkeley, from 1977 to 1995...
Unix
Unix
Unix is a multitasking, multi-user computer operating system originally developed in 1969 by a group of AT&T employees at Bell Labs, including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Brian Kernighan, Douglas McIlroy, and Joe Ossanna...
in 1986. Van Rossum also worked on the development of the ABC programming language
ABC programming language
ABC is an imperative general-purpose programming language and programming environment developed at CWI, Netherlands by Leo Geurts, Lambert Meertens, and Steven Pemberton. It is interactive, structured, high-level, and intended to be used instead of BASIC, Pascal, or AWK...
.
Python
Python (programming language)
Python is a general-purpose, high-level programming language whose design philosophy emphasizes code readability. Python claims to "[combine] remarkable power with very clear syntax", and its standard library is large and comprehensive...
, Van Rossum wrote in 1996:
Over six years ago, in December 1989, I was looking for a "hobby" programming project that would keep me occupied during the week around Christmas. My office … would be closed, but I had a home computer, and not much else on my hands. I decided to write an interpreter for the new scripting language I had been thinking about lately: a descendant of ABC that would appeal to Unix/C hackers. I chose Python as a working title for the project, being in a slightly irreverent mood (and a big fan of Monty Python's Flying CircusMonty Python's Flying CircusMonty Python’s Flying Circus is a BBC TV sketch comedy series. The shows were composed of surreality, risqué or innuendo-laden humour, sight gags and observational sketches without punchlines...
).
In 2000 he further wrote:
Python's predecessor, ABC, was inspired by SETLSETLSETL is a very-high level programming language based on the mathematical theory of sets. It was originally developed by Jack Schwartz at the NYU Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences in the late 1960s....
– Lambert MeertensLambert MeertensLambert Guillaume Louis Théodore Meertens is a Dutch computer scientist and professor.While still a student at the Ignatius Gymnasium in Amsterdam, Meertens designed a computer, together with his classmate Kees Koster....
spent a year with the SETL group at NYUNew York UniversityNew York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
before coming up with the final ABC design!
Computer Programming for Everybody
In 1999, Van Rossum submitted a funding proposal to DARPA called Computer Programming for Everybody, in which he further defined his goals for Python:- an easy and intuitive language just as powerful as major competitors
- open sourceOpen sourceThe term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...
, so anyone can contribute to its development - code that is as understandable as plain English
- suitability for everyday tasks, allowing for short development times
Arguably, several of these ambitions have since been realized. Python has grown to become a popular programming language. For example, as of November 2011, it is the 3rd most popular language on the GitHub.com social coding website, and according to a programming language popularity survey it is consistently amongst the top 10 most mentioned languages in job postings. Additionally, it is consistently in the top 10 most popular languages according to the TIOBE Programming Community Index .
Recognition
- Van Rossum received the 2001 Award for the Advancement of Free Software from the Free Software FoundationFree Software FoundationThe 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...
(FSF) at the 2002 FOSDEMFOSDEMFOSDEM is a non-commercial volunteer organized European event centered around free and open source software development. It is aimed at developers and anyone interested in the free and open source software movement...
conference in BrusselsBrusselsBrussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, BelgiumBelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. - Guido received a NLUUGNLUUGNLUUG is an association of professional UNIX / Linux users in the Netherlands. The group aims to increase and extend the awareness and use of Open Standards and similar open systems and Open Source.The NLUUG also maintains one of the larger FTP mirrors in the world, and is the prime FTP site for...
Award in May 2003. - In 2006 he was recognized as a Distinguished Engineer by the Association for Computing MachineryAssociation for Computing MachineryThe Association for Computing Machinery is a learned society for computing. It was founded in 1947 as the world's first scientific and educational computing society. Its membership is more than 92,000 as of 2009...
.
External links
- Guido van Rossum's homepage
- Neopythonic (New Weblog)
- All Things Pythonic (Old Weblog)
- The History of Python Guido's blog on the History of Python and design decisions
- Computer Programming for Everybody
- Interview with Guido van Rossum on FLOSS WeeklyFLOSS WeeklyFLOSS Weekly is a free software / open source themed podcast from the TWiT Network. The show premiered on April 7, 2006, and features prominent guests from the free software/open source community. It was originally hosted by Leo Laporte; his cohost for the first seventeen episodes was Chris DiBona...
- Computerworld Interview with Guido van Rossum on Python
- Google App Engine - Run your web applications on Google's infrastructure - technical talk on Google App EngineGoogle App EngineGoogle App Engine is a platform as a service cloud computing platform for developing and hosting web applications in Google-managed data centers. It virtualizes applications across multiple servers,...
given by Guido van Rossum at Stanford UniversityStanford UniversityThe Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
. (online video archive)