Charles Simonyi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charles Simonyi
|
|
|---|---|
Simonyi in 2006
|
|
| Born | September 10, 1948 |
| Nationality | Hungarian |
| Citizenship | Hungary United States |
| Alma mater | University of California, Berkeley (BS) Stanford University (PhD) |
| Occupation | Software architect |
| Known for | Hungarian notation, space tourism, intentional programming |
|
Notable work
|
Microsoft Office |
| Spouse(s) |
Lisa Persdotter
(m. 2008) |
| Children | 2 |
| Parents |
|
| Space career | |
| Space Adventures tourist | |
|
Time in space
|
26d 14h 27m |
| Missions | Soyuz TMA-10/TMA-9, Soyuz TMA-14/TMA-13 |
Charles Simonyi (born September 10, 1948) is a Hungarian-American computer expert, businessman, and space traveler. He helped create the first application software for Microsoft, including early versions of Microsoft Office. Later, he started a company called Intentional Software. This company focused on his idea of intentional programming.
Before Microsoft, Simonyi worked at Xerox PARC. There, he helped develop graphical user interfaces, which make computers easier to use. He also brought object-oriented programming and Hungarian notation to Microsoft. Simonyi flew to space twice as a private citizen. He was the fifth person to travel to space as a tourist. He is also the only one to pay for two separate trips to the International Space Station.
Contents
Biography
Early life and computer passion
Charles Simonyi was born in Budapest, Hungary. His father, Károly Simonyi, was a famous professor of electrical engineering. His father even built Hungary's first nuclear particle accelerator. When Charles was in high school in the early 1960s, he worked part-time. He was a night watchman at a computer lab.
He watched over a large Soviet Ural II mainframe computer. He became very interested in computers. One of the engineers at the lab taught him how to program. By the time he finished school, he could create compilers. Compilers are programs that translate code into something a computer understands. He even sold one of his compilers to a government department. He once said his dream was "to get out of Hungary, go to the West and be free."
Starting his career
At 17, Simonyi left Hungary and did not return. In 1966, he was hired by a company in Denmark called A/S Regnecentralen. He worked on a minicomputer's Real-time Control System. He also helped with a computer language compiler called GIER ALGOL.
In 1968, he moved from Denmark to the United States. He studied at the University of California, Berkeley. He earned his degree in Engineering Mathematics & Statistics in 1972. He also has honorary degrees from the Juilliard School and the University of Pecs in Hungary.
Innovations at Xerox PARC
Simonyi joined Xerox PARC during an exciting time. He worked with other brilliant minds on the Xerox Alto. This was one of the very first personal computers. He also helped create Bravo, which was the first WYSIWYG program. WYSIWYG stands for "What You See Is What You Get." It means you see on the screen exactly how your document will look when printed.
He earned his PhD in computer science from Stanford University in 1977. His research was about a way to manage software projects called meta-programming. This idea aimed to make programming more efficient. It suggested that a "metaprogrammer" would design everything. Other programmers would just write the code exactly as described. This way, everyone would be on the same page. Simonyi stayed at PARC until 1981.
In 1997, Simonyi became a member of the National Academy of Engineering. This was for his work on popular desktop software. He also joined the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2008. He has served on the Board of Trustees for the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. In 2000, he received the Golden Plate Award.
Working at Microsoft
In 1981, Charles Simonyi met Bill Gates at Microsoft. Gates suggested Simonyi start a group to create application software. The first program was a WYSIWYG word processor. At Microsoft, Simonyi built the teams and programs that became very successful. These included Word and Excel.
Simonyi brought new ideas to Microsoft, like object-oriented programming. This is a way of organizing computer code. He also created the Hungarian notation for naming variables. This naming system was widely used inside Microsoft.
Intentional Software and later work
Simonyi stayed at Microsoft for many years. He became one of their top developers. In 2002, he left Microsoft to start a new company called Intentional Software. He co-founded it with Gregor Kiczales. This company focused on Simonyi's idea of intentional programming.
In this method, programmers first create a special language for a specific problem. Then, experts in that area describe what the program should do. They use a WYSIWYG-like system. An automated system then creates the final program. Any changes are made at the easy-to-understand WYSIWYG level. In 2017, Intentional Software was bought by Microsoft.
Inventions and patents
Charles Simonyi holds 11 patents for his inventions. These patents protect his unique ideas and designs in computer software.
Giving back: Philanthropy
Simonyi has given a lot of money to help others. He has funded three special professorships at universities:
- In 1995, he funded the Simonyi Professorship of the Public Understanding of Science at Oxford University.
- He also funded a professorship for Innovation in Teaching at Stanford University.
- In 2005, he gave $25 million to fund a professorship of Mathematical Physics at the Institute for Advanced Study.
In 2003, he started the Charles and Lisa Simonyi Fund for Arts and Sciences. This group gave money to art, science, and education organizations. They supported the Seattle Symphony and the Seattle Public Library. They also helped the Metropolitan Opera and the Juilliard School. This foundation closed in 2013. In 2017, Simonyi and his wife Lisa gave $5 million to the University of Washington's Computer Science department.
Political involvement
Charles Simonyi has also supported political causes. He contributed to Donald Trump's presidential campaigns in 2016 and 2020. He has also given money to other Republican candidates and committees.
Personal life
Simonyi became a United States citizen in 1982. He was in a long relationship with businesswoman Martha Stewart for 15 years. In 2008, he married Lisa Persdotter in Sweden. They have two daughters.
Simonyi lives in Medina, Washington, in a modern home called Villa Simonyi. The house has a collection of art by famous artists. He used to own a very large yacht called Skat, which he sold in 2021. As of 2023, he owns another large yacht named NORN.
Spaceflights
In 2006, Simonyi decided he wanted to be a space tourist. He signed agreements to go on a ten-day trip to the International Space Station (ISS). In August 2006, he passed the medical tests needed by the Russian Federal Space Agency. He started training in Star City in September 2006.
First trip to space
He launched into space on April 7, 2007, aboard Soyuz TMA-10. He traveled with two Russian cosmonauts to the International Space Station. He returned to Earth on April 21, 2007, aboard Soyuz TMA-9.
When he arrived at the ISS on April 9, 2007, Simonyi said it was amazing. He described it as "like a big stage set, a fantastic production of some incredible opera." His return was delayed by one day because of muddy ground where they were supposed to land.
Second trip to space
In October 2008, he booked a second trip to the ISS. He launched again on March 26, 2009, aboard Soyuz TMA-14. He returned to Earth on April 8, 2009, aboard Soyuz TMA-13. He landed in Kazakhstan with two other crew members.
Simonyi became the second Hungarian astronaut. He was the fifth space tourist. He is the only person in history to pay for two trips to space as a tourist. The first Hungarian in space was Bertalan Farkas in 1980. Another Hungarian astronaut is expected to visit the International Space Station by 2025.
Talking from space
Charles Simonyi is a licensed amateur radio operator. His call sign is KE7KDP. He planned to talk to many schools using amateur radio while he was on the International Space Station. On April 11, 2007, he was already making radio contacts from space.
He talked to Cedar Point Elementary in Bristow, Virginia. He also had a phone call with students at the Girls' Middle School in Mountain View, California, in 2009. He told them that returning to Earth felt strange. The air felt very thick, "like breathing Pepto-Bismol." He also said talking with the students "made his day."
Simonyi used his Hungarian call sign HA5SIK to contact 25 radio amateurs from Hungary. He also talked to students from Tivadar Puskás Polytechnic in Budapest. Simonyi supports The Museum of Flight in Seattle. He helped fund the Space Gallery there, which has a NASA Shuttle Trainer and other space items.
See also
In Spanish: Charles Simonyi para niños
- Hungarian notation
