Information about Peter Samson
) Samson listening to music programmed during the PDP-1 restoration project March 2005. Image courtesy Computer History Museum. Samson listening to music programmed during the PDP-1 restoration project March 2005. Image courtesy Computer History Museum. | |
| Born | 1941 Fitchburg, Massachusetts |
|---|---|
| Residence | ){kind=small} U.S. |
| Field | computer science |
| Institutions | Autodesk, Computer History Museum, Digital Equipment Corporation, NASA, Systems Concepts |
| Alma mater | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| Known for | music, Autodesk, NASA, Spacewar!, New York City Subway, Fortran II |
Samson studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) between 1958-1963. He wrote, with characteristic wit, the first editions of the Tech Model Railroad Club (TMRC) dictionary, a predecessor to the Jargon File. He appears in [2][3] by Steven Levy.
Dawn of software
Working with Jack Dennis on the TX-0 at MIT Building 26, he developed an interest in computing waveforms to synthesize music. For the PDP-1 he wrote the Harmony Compiler with which PDP-1 users coded music.[4]He wrote the Expensive Planetarium star display for Spacewar!.[5]
Also for the PDP-1 he wrote TJ-2 (Type Justifying Program), the predecessor of the troff and nroff page layout programs developed at Bell Labs[6], a War card game, and, with Alan Kotok, T-Square, a drafting program that used a Spacewar! controller for an input device.[7]
DEC
Samson was a contributing architect to the Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) PDP-6, and wrote the machine's first Fortran compiler. He is the author of Fortran II.[8]Chinese
At Systems Concepts, he programmed the first Chinese-character digital communication system, while he was director of marketing and director of program development.Synthesized music
Samson designed the Systems Concepts Digital Synthesizer. Built at Systems Concepts, it was for ten years the primary engine for the computer music group at Stanford University Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics (CCRMA).NASA
Samson oversaw manufacturing engineering for hardware including the central memory subsystem for the ILLIAC IV supercomputer complex at the NASA Ames Research Center.Autodesk
At Autodesk, he contributed to rendering, animation, Web browsing, and scripting languages. He received U.S. patents in software anti-piracy and virtual reality.[9]Subway racing
In 1966 Samson attempted to ride all lines of the New York City Subway in the shortest possible time. True to the MIT hacker culture he enlisted a computer in planning for the event. Despite missing out on the then fastest time, Sampson's attempt was to act as the inspiration for many similar subway racing attempts.[10][11]Current
Samson appears in the Computer History Museum Mouse That Roared panel discussion recorded in May 2006 to celebrate the restoration of a PDP-1. For the restoration project he reverse-engineered music tapes from the PDP-1 era and built a player for the museum[7] where he is currently a docent.Notes
1. ^ Computer History Museum (2006). Peter Samson. Retrieved on 2006-07-20.
2. ^ 2 January, 2001">Levy, Steven (Updated 2 January, 2001). Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution. Penguin (Non-Classics). ISBN 0-1410-0051-1.2001&rft.pub=Penguin%20%28Non-Classics%29">
3. ^ Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution by Steven Levy]'''], available at Project Gutenberg.
4. ^ Morris, Joe (1996). "[news://5629h5$ju2@top.mitre.org Debuggers (Was: blinking lights ...)]". [news://alt.folklore.computers alt.folklore.computers]. (Google Groups). Retrieved on 2006-12-22.
5. ^ Graetz, J. Martin (August 1981, Spring 1983). The origin of Spacewar!. Creative Computing and Creative Computing Video & Arcade Games. Retrieved on 2006-07-01.
6. ^ Smith, Daniel P. B. (1993-1997). TJ-2: A Very Early Word Processor. Retrieved on 2006-07-02. Transcription of the 1963 memo describing TJ-2, with annotations by Daniel P. B. Smith
7. ^ Samson, Peter. (2006). The Mouse That Roared: PDP-1 Celebration Event Lecture 05.15.06 [Google Video]. Mountain View, CA, USA: Computer History Museum. Retrieved on 2006-07-01.
8. ^ Stevens, Jack H. (1996). "[news://1995Jan13.151041.8661@eisner A History of TOPS]". [news://alt.sys.pdp10 alt.sys.pdp10]. (Google Groups). Retrieved on 2006-12-22.
9. ^ Computer History Museum (2004). Peter Samson. Retrieved on 2006-12-21.
10. ^ Miscione, Michael. "The Golden Age of the All-System Subway Races", New York Post Online Edition, NYP Holdings, Inc, 2004-10-07. Retrieved on 2006-08-25.
11. ^ The Rise and Fall of the Amateur New York Subway Riding Committee, Personal Web Page of Peter R. Samson
2. ^ 2 January, 2001">Levy, Steven (Updated 2 January, 2001). Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution. Penguin (Non-Classics). ISBN 0-1410-0051-1.2001&rft.pub=Penguin%20%28Non-Classics%29">
3. ^ Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution by Steven Levy]'''], available at Project Gutenberg.
4. ^ Morris, Joe (1996). "[news://5629h5$ju2@top.mitre.org Debuggers (Was: blinking lights ...)]". [news://alt.folklore.computers alt.folklore.computers]. (Google Groups). Retrieved on 2006-12-22.
5. ^ Graetz, J. Martin (August 1981, Spring 1983). The origin of Spacewar!. Creative Computing and Creative Computing Video & Arcade Games. Retrieved on 2006-07-01.
6. ^ Smith, Daniel P. B. (1993-1997). TJ-2: A Very Early Word Processor. Retrieved on 2006-07-02. Transcription of the 1963 memo describing TJ-2, with annotations by Daniel P. B. Smith
7. ^ Samson, Peter. (2006). The Mouse That Roared: PDP-1 Celebration Event Lecture 05.15.06 [Google Video]. Mountain View, CA, USA: Computer History Museum. Retrieved on 2006-07-01.
8. ^ Stevens, Jack H. (1996). "[news://1995Jan13.151041.8661@eisner A History of TOPS]". [news://alt.sys.pdp10 alt.sys.pdp10]. (Google Groups). Retrieved on 2006-12-22.
9. ^ Computer History Museum (2004). Peter Samson. Retrieved on 2006-12-21.
10. ^ Miscione, Michael. "The Golden Age of the All-System Subway Races", New York Post Online Edition, NYP Holdings, Inc, 2004-10-07. Retrieved on 2006-08-25.
11. ^ The Rise and Fall of the Amateur New York Subway Riding Committee, Personal Web Page of Peter R. Samson
External links
- Peter Samson personal home page
- Abridged Dictionary of the TMRC Language
- Music Playing on the PDP-6, by Donald Sordillo, 1996, contains Music Compiler for PDP-1 by Peter Samson
- PDP-1 Music, Daniel P. B. Smith, Web site and post to alt.folklore.computers (Google link) (accessed June 10, 2006)
19th century - 20th century - 21st century
1910s 1920s 1930s - 1940s - 1950s 1960s 1970s
1938 1939 1940 - 1941 - 1942 1943 1944
Year 1941 (MCMXLI
..... Click the link for more information.
1910s 1920s 1930s - 1940s - 1950s 1960s 1970s
1938 1939 1940 - 1941 - 1942 1943 1944
Year 1941 (MCMXLI
..... Click the link for more information.
Fitchburg, Massachusetts
The Nashua River in Fitchburg
Nickname: River City
Location in Worcester County in Massachusetts
Coordinates:
Country United States
..... Click the link for more information.
The Nashua River in Fitchburg
Nickname: River City
Location in Worcester County in Massachusetts
Coordinates:
Country United States
..... Click the link for more information.
Motto
"In God We Trust" (since 1956)
"E Pluribus Unum" ("From Many, One"; Latin, traditional)
Anthem
..... Click the link for more information.
"In God We Trust" (since 1956)
"E Pluribus Unum" ("From Many, One"; Latin, traditional)
Anthem
..... Click the link for more information.
Computer science, or computing science, is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and their implementation and application in computer systems.
..... Click the link for more information.
..... Click the link for more information.
Autodesk, Inc.
Public (NASDAQ: ADSK )
Founded Mill Valley, California, USA (1982)
Headquarters San Rafael, California, USA
Key people John Walker, Founder
Carol Bartz, Executive Chairman
Carl Bass, President and CEO
..... Click the link for more information.
Public (NASDAQ: ADSK )
Founded Mill Valley, California, USA (1982)
Headquarters San Rafael, California, USA
Key people John Walker, Founder
Carol Bartz, Executive Chairman
Carl Bass, President and CEO
..... Click the link for more information.
The Computer History Museum is a museum established in 1996, when The Computer Museum (TCM, in Boston) sent the majority of its historical collection to Moffett Field, California, so that TCM could concentrate on computing-related exhibits for children.
..... Click the link for more information.
..... Click the link for more information.
Digital Equipment Corporation was a pioneering American company in the computer industry. It is often referred to within the computing industry as DEC. (This acronym was frequently officially used by Digital itself,[1] but the official name was always DIGITAL.
..... Click the link for more information.
..... Click the link for more information.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NASA logo
Motto: For the Benefit of All[1]
NASA seal
Agency overview
Formed 29 July 1958
Headquarters Washington D.C.
Annual Budget $16.
..... Click the link for more information.
NASA logo
Motto: For the Benefit of All[1]
NASA seal
Agency overview
Formed 29 July 1958
Headquarters Washington D.C.
Annual Budget $16.
..... Click the link for more information.
Systems Concepts (now the SC Group) is a company co-founded by Stewart Nelson and Mike Levitt focused on making hardware products related to the DEC PDP-10 series of computers.
..... Click the link for more information.
..... Click the link for more information.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private, coeducational research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing 32 academic departments,[3]
..... Click the link for more information.
..... Click the link for more information.
Editing of this page by unregistered or newly registered users is currently disabled due to vandalism.
If you are prevented from editing this page, and you wish to make a change, please discuss changes on the talk page, request unprotection, log in, or .
..... Click the link for more information.
If you are prevented from editing this page, and you wish to make a change, please discuss changes on the talk page, request unprotection, log in, or .
..... Click the link for more information.
Autodesk, Inc.
Public (NASDAQ: ADSK )
Founded Mill Valley, California, USA (1982)
Headquarters San Rafael, California, USA
Key people John Walker, Founder
Carol Bartz, Executive Chairman
Carl Bass, President and CEO
..... Click the link for more information.
Public (NASDAQ: ADSK )
Founded Mill Valley, California, USA (1982)
Headquarters San Rafael, California, USA
Key people John Walker, Founder
Carol Bartz, Executive Chairman
Carl Bass, President and CEO
..... Click the link for more information.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NASA logo
Motto: For the Benefit of All[1]
NASA seal
Agency overview
Formed 29 July 1958
Headquarters Washington D.C.
Annual Budget $16.
..... Click the link for more information.
NASA logo
Motto: For the Benefit of All[1]
NASA seal
Agency overview
Formed 29 July 1958
Headquarters Washington D.C.
Annual Budget $16.
..... Click the link for more information.
Spacewar! is one of the earliest known digital computer games.
Steve "Slug" Russell, Martin "Shag" Graetz and Wayne Wiitanen of the fictitious "Hingham Institute" conceived of the game in 1961, with the intent of implementing it on a DEC PDP-1 at the
..... Click the link for more information.
Steve "Slug" Russell, Martin "Shag" Graetz and Wayne Wiitanen of the fictitious "Hingham Institute" conceived of the game in 1961, with the intent of implementing it on a DEC PDP-1 at the
..... Click the link for more information.
New York City Subway
Locale New York City
Transit type(s) Rapid transit
Began operation first section of subway: October 27, 1904
first elevated operation: July 3, 1868
first railroad operation: October 9, 1863[1]
..... Click the link for more information.
Locale New York City
Transit type(s) Rapid transit
Began operation first section of subway: October 27, 1904
first elevated operation: July 3, 1868
first railroad operation: October 9, 1863[1]
..... Click the link for more information.
Fortran
Paradigm: multi-paradigm: procedural, imperative, structured, object-oriented
Appeared in: 1957
Designed by: John W. Backus
Developer: John W.
..... Click the link for more information.
Paradigm: multi-paradigm: procedural, imperative, structured, object-oriented
Appeared in: 1957
Designed by: John W. Backus
Developer: John W.
..... Click the link for more information.
19th century - 20th century - 21st century
1910s 1920s 1930s - 1940s - 1950s 1960s 1970s
1938 1939 1940 - 1941 - 1942 1943 1944
Year 1941 (MCMXLI
..... Click the link for more information.
1910s 1920s 1930s - 1940s - 1950s 1960s 1970s
1938 1939 1940 - 1941 - 1942 1943 1944
Year 1941 (MCMXLI
..... Click the link for more information.
Fitchburg, Massachusetts
The Nashua River in Fitchburg
Nickname: River City
Location in Worcester County in Massachusetts
Coordinates:
Country United States
..... Click the link for more information.
The Nashua River in Fitchburg
Nickname: River City
Location in Worcester County in Massachusetts
Coordinates:
Country United States
..... Click the link for more information.
Motto
"In God We Trust" (since 1956)
"E Pluribus Unum" ("From Many, One"; Latin, traditional)
Anthem
..... Click the link for more information.
"In God We Trust" (since 1956)
"E Pluribus Unum" ("From Many, One"; Latin, traditional)
Anthem
..... Click the link for more information.
Computer science, or computing science, is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and their implementation and application in computer systems.
..... Click the link for more information.
..... Click the link for more information.
Computer software is a general term used to describe a collection of computer programs, procedures and documentation that perform some task on a computer system. [1]
..... Click the link for more information.
..... Click the link for more information.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private, coeducational research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing 32 academic departments,[3]
..... Click the link for more information.
..... Click the link for more information.
The Tech Model Railroad Club (TMRC) is a student organization at MIT and one of the most famous model railroad clubs in the world. Formed in 1946, its HO scale layout specializes in automated operation of model trains.
..... Click the link for more information.
..... Click the link for more information.
The Jargon File is a glossary of hacker slang. The original Jargon File was a collection of hacker slang from technical cultures including the MIT AI Lab, the Stanford AI Lab (SAIL), and others of the old ARPANET AI/LISP/PDP-10 communities including Bolt, Beranek and Newman (BBN),
..... Click the link for more information.
..... Click the link for more information.
Steven Levy (born 1951) is an American journalist who has written several books on computers, technology, cryptography, the Internet, cybersecurity, and privacy. Levy is chief technology writer and a senior editor for Newsweek
..... Click the link for more information.
..... Click the link for more information.
Jack Bonnell Dennis is an American electrical engineer and a computer scientist.
Dennis entered the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1949 as an electrical engineering major; he received his M.S.
..... Click the link for more information.
Dennis entered the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1949 as an electrical engineering major; he received his M.S.
..... Click the link for more information.
The TX-0, for Transistorized Experimental computer zero but affectionately referred to as tixo (pronounced "tix oh"), was an early fully transistorized computer and contained a then-huge 64K of 18-bit words of core memory.
..... Click the link for more information.
..... Click the link for more information.
PDP-1 (Programmed Data Processor-1) was the first computer in Digital Equipment Corporation's PDP series and was first produced in 1960. It is famous for being the computer most important in the creation of hacker culture, at MIT, BBN and
..... Click the link for more information.
..... Click the link for more information.
Harmony Compiler was written by Peter Samson at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The compiler was designed to encode music for the PDP-1 and built on an earlier program Samson wrote for the TX-0 computer.
..... Click the link for more information.
..... Click the link for more information.
Expensive Planetarium is the star display written by Peter Samson for Spacewar!, one of the first interactive computer games. Conceived and written by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) students including Stephen Russell who programmed it, the Spacewar! game first ran in
..... Click the link for more information.
..... Click the link for more information.
This article is copied from an article on Wikipedia.org - the free encyclopedia created and edited by online user community. The text was not checked or edited by anyone on our staff. Although the vast majority of the wikipedia encyclopedia articles provide accurate and timely information please do not assume the accuracy of any particular article. This article is distributed under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License.
Herod_Archelaus
