David H. D. Warren facts for kids

David H. D. Warren is a brilliant computer scientist. He is well-known for his work on a special way of telling computers what to do. This method is called logic programming. He focused on a computer language named Prolog in the 1970s and 1980s.

Warren created the very first compiler for Prolog. A compiler translates computer code into something the computer can understand. Also, a special system for running Prolog programs, called the Warren Abstract Machine, is named after him.

Early Life and Education

David Warren studied at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. He earned his Ph.D. (a very high university degree) in artificial intelligence in 1977. His main teachers for this degree were Robert Kowalski and Donald Michie. Artificial intelligence is about making computers think and learn like humans.

Career Highlights

Working at SRI International

In the 1980s, David Warren worked at the Artificial Intelligence Center. This center is part of SRI International, a famous research organization. They work on many different science and technology projects.

Starting a Computer Company

In 1983, David Warren helped start a company called Quintus Computer Systems. He founded it with William Kornfeld, Lawrence Byrd, Fernando Pereira, and Cuthbert Hurd. Their goal was to sell the Prolog compiler he had created. This special version was called Quintus Prolog. The company was later sold to another company, Intergraph Corporation, in 1989.

Teaching at University

Besides his work in research and business, David Warren also taught. He held a teaching position at the University of Bristol. He worked in their Department of Computer Science, sharing his knowledge with students.