It hall of fame
Charles Babbage (1822)
Charles Babbage was an English mathematician and inventor known as the "father of the computer." He designed the Analytical Engine, a mechanical computer concept, and the Difference Engine, a calculator, both pioneering devices in the history of computing. While his machines were never fully built in his lifetime, his visionary ideas laid the foundation for modern computers. Babbage's work continues to influence the field of computer science to this day.
Ada Lovelace (1840)
Ada Lovelace was an English mathematician and writer recognized as the world's first computer programmer. She made history by creating the world's first computer program for Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine, a pioneering mechanical computer. Lovelace's work laid the foundation for modern computer programming, and the language "Ada" is named in her honor.
Grace Hopper (1943)
Grace Hopper was a pioneering American computer scientist and naval officer. She played a crucial role in the development of early computer systems and is credited with popularizing the term "bug" for computer glitches. Hopper also helped create the first compiler, a fundamental tool for modern software development. She was a trailblazer for women in technology and had a significant impact on the field of computer science.
William Shockley (1947)
William Shockley was an American physicist and co-inventor of the transistor, a crucial component in modern electronics. His work at Bell Labs in the 1940s revolutionized the electronics industry and laid the foundation for the development of microelectronics and the information age. Shockley's contributions to science and technology earned him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1956.
Gordon Moore (1965)
Gordon Moore is an American engineer and co-founder of Intel Corporation. He is best known for "Moore's Law," a prediction he made in 1965 that the number of transistors on a computer chip would double approximately every two years, leading to exponential increases in computing power. This prediction has held true for several decades and has been a driving force in the semiconductor industry's advancement. Moore's work has had a profound impact on modern technology and computing.
Bill Gates (1975)
Bill Gates is an American business magnate, software developer, and philanthropist. He co-founded Microsoft Corporation in 1975 and played a significant role in the personal computer revolution. Under his leadership, Microsoft became a dominant force in the software industry, producing the Windows operating system and Microsoft Office suite.
Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs (1976)
Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs co-founded Apple Inc. Wozniak was the technical genius, while Jobs was the visionary and marketing expert. Together, they revolutionized technology with iconic products like the iPhone and Macintosh, leaving a lasting legacy in the tech industry.
Kevin Mitnick (1979)
Kevin Mitnick is a former hacker turned cybersecurity consultant and author. He gained notoriety as one of the most wanted computer criminals in the 1990s. After serving prison time for his hacking activities, he became a cybersecurity expert, advising companies on how to protect their systems from cyber threats. Mitnick's life story is the subject of books and documentaries, and he is known for his expertise in social engineering and computer security.
Rich Skrenta (1982)
Rich Skrenta is an American computer programmer and entrepreneur known for creating the first known computer virus called "Elk Cloner" in 1982 when he was just 15 years old. This virus infected Apple II computers and displayed a harmless message. Skrenta later co-founded various tech startups, including Topix and Blekko, and has contributed to the development of internet search and community-driven content platforms
Linus Torvalds (1991)
Linus Torvalds is a Finnish-American computer scientist and software engineer best known for creating the Linux kernel in 1991. Linux is the basis for the open-source Linux operating system, which has become a significant player in the world of computing, powering a wide range of devices, from servers to smartphones. Torvalds' work has had a profound impact on the open-source software community and the tech industry as a whole.
Larry Page and Sergey Brin (1998)
Larry Page and Sergey Brin co-founded Google, one of the world's leading tech companies, in 1998. Their innovative search engine transformed how we access information online, with Page as CEO and Brin contributing to technical advancements, shaping the digital era.
Mark Zuckerberg (2004)
Mark Zuckerberg is an American computer programmer and entrepreneur known for co-founding Facebook (now Meta Platforms, Inc.) in 2004. As Facebook's CEO, he played a pivotal role in the growth of the social media platform, which has become one of the largest and most influential tech companies in the world. Zuckerberg's work has had a significant impact on how people connect and communicate online.
Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim (2005)
Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim are the co-founders of YouTube, the pioneering video-sharing platform launched in 2005. Their creation revolutionized online video and quickly became a cultural phenomenon, ultimately being acquired by Google in 2006.