Ilya Zhitomirskiy
Encyclopedia
Ilya Zhitomirskiy was a Russian-American software developer
and entrepreneur
. Zhitomirskiy was a co-founder and developer of the open-source
social network
DIASPORA*
and software service Diaspora
.
to Alexei and Inna Zhitomirskiy. Both his father and paternal grandfather are mathematicians. In 2000, his family emigrated to the United States (Zhitomirskiy first attended Acton-Boxborough Regional High School
in Acton, MA), eventually settling outside of Philadelphia, where he graduated from Lower Merion High School
in 2007. He then studied mathematics, economics and computer science at Tulane University
, University of Maryland, College Park
, and New York University
. At NYU, he studied computer science at The Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences
, where he met the three friends with whom he founded DIASPORA*, a Facebook
alternative, in 2010. The project was conceived after the founders had attended a lecture by Columbia Law School
professor and free software
activist Eben Moglen
about the threat to privacy posed by commercial Internet services in February 2010. According to Moglen, Zhitomirskiy was "immensely talented" and "the most idealistic of the group ... He had a choice between graduate school and this project, and he chose to do the project because he wanted to do something with his time that would make freedom."
Software developer
A software developer is a person concerned with facets of the software development process. Their work includes researching, designing, developing, and testing software. A software developer may take part in design, computer programming, or software project management...
and entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
. Zhitomirskiy was a co-founder and developer of the open-source
Open source
The 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...
social network
Social network
A social network is a social structure made up of individuals called "nodes", which are tied by one or more specific types of interdependency, such as friendship, kinship, common interest, financial exchange, dislike, sexual relationships, or relationships of beliefs, knowledge or prestige.Social...
DIASPORA*
Diaspora (social network)
Diaspora is a non-profit, user-owned, distributed social network that is based upon the free Diaspora software. As of November 2011, there are more than 200 thousand users connected to the biggest server...
and software service Diaspora
Diaspora (software)
Diaspora is a free personal web server that implements a distributed social networking service. Installations of the software form nodes which make up the distributed Diaspora social network....
.
Early life
Ilya Alekseevich Zhitomirskiy was born on October 12, 1989, in MoscowMoscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
to Alexei and Inna Zhitomirskiy. Both his father and paternal grandfather are mathematicians. In 2000, his family emigrated to the United States (Zhitomirskiy first attended Acton-Boxborough Regional High School
Acton-Boxborough Regional High School
Acton-Boxborough Regional High School is an open enrollment high school in Acton, Massachusetts. It serves the Massachusetts towns of Acton and Boxborough, with roughly 500 students per grade level in grades 9 through 12. ABRHS has consistently ranked among the top secondary schools in Massachusetts...
in Acton, MA), eventually settling outside of Philadelphia, where he graduated from Lower Merion High School
Lower Merion High School
Lower Merion High School, is an American public high school in Ardmore, a community on the Pennsylvania Main Line.It is the larger of the two high schools in Lower Merion School District, which serves both Lower Merion Township and the Borough of Narberth. It was ranked among the top 60 U.S. high...
in 2007. He then studied mathematics, economics and computer science at Tulane University
Tulane University
Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
, University of Maryland, College Park
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
, and New York University
New York University
New 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...
. At NYU, he studied computer science at The Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences
Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences
The Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences is an independent division of New York University under the Faculty of Arts & Science that serves as a center for research and advanced training in computer science and mathematics...
, where he met the three friends with whom he founded DIASPORA*, a Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
alternative, in 2010. The project was conceived after the founders had attended a lecture by Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School, founded in 1858, is one of the oldest and most prestigious law schools in the United States. A member of the Ivy League, Columbia Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Columbia University in New York City. It offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in...
professor and free software
Free software
Free software, software libre or libre software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions that only ensure that further recipients can also do...
activist Eben Moglen
Eben Moglen
Eben Moglen is a professor of law and legal history at Columbia University, and is the founder, Director-Counsel and Chairman of Software Freedom Law Center, whose client list includes numerous pro bono clients, such as the Free Software Foundation....
about the threat to privacy posed by commercial Internet services in February 2010. According to Moglen, Zhitomirskiy was "immensely talented" and "the most idealistic of the group ... He had a choice between graduate school and this project, and he chose to do the project because he wanted to do something with his time that would make freedom."
Death
He was found dead at age 22 on the evening of November 12, 2011, at his home in San Francisco, apparently having committed suicide.External links
- Ilya Zhitomirskiy's Diaspora* account profile
- Tribute pages at Diaspora* Public Pod Diasporg and Diaspora* home page
- Diaspora Foundation Obituary
- Kevin Kleinman: Ilya, you will be missed!
- "Co-founder of social network site Diaspora, Ilya Zhitomirskiy, dies at 22" from Associated PressAssociated PressThe Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
- Privacy and social networks: interview with Ilya Zhitomirskiy founder of Diaspora