Gary Kildall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gary Kildall
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Kildall at the European Development Centre (EDC) in Hungerford, United Kingdom, 1988
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| Born | May 19, 1942 Seattle, Washington, U.S.
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| Died | July 11, 1994 (aged 52) Monterey, California, U.S.
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| Resting place | Evergreen Washelli Memorial Park |
| Alma mater | University of Washington |
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| Years active | 1972–1994 |
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| Title | Founder, chairman and CEO of Digital Research |
| Board member of | Digital Research |
| Spouse(s) | Dorothy McEwen Kildall Karen Kildall |
| Children | Scott and Kristen |
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Gary Arlen Kildall (May 19, 1942 – July 11, 1994) was an American computer scientist and entrepreneur. He was a very important person in the early days of personal computers.
During the 1970s, Gary Kildall created the CP/M operating system. An operating system is like the main program that makes a computer work. He also started a company called Digital Research, Inc. (DRI) to sell his software. Kildall was one of the first people to see that small microprocessors could be used to build powerful computers. Because of his work, he is known as a pioneer of the personal computer revolution.
In the 1980s, Kildall also helped host a TV show called Computer Chronicles. This show talked about the newest things happening in personal computing. He is mostly remembered for creating CP/M, which was similar to MS-DOS, an operating system used on the IBM PC.
Contents
Early Life and Computer Discoveries
Gary Kildall was born and grew up in Seattle, Washington. His family ran a school for sailors. His father was a ship captain.
Gary went to the University of Washington (UW) because he wanted to be a math teacher. But he became very interested in computers. After college in 1972, he taught at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) in Monterey, California. This school was close to Silicon Valley, where many computer companies were starting.
He learned about the first commercially available microprocessor, the Intel 4004. He bought one and started writing programs for it. He even worked at Intel as a consultant to learn more.
In 1972, Kildall earned his advanced degree in computer science from UW. He kept teaching at NPS and experimenting with microcomputers. In 1973, he created the first high-level programming language for microprocessors, called PL/M. He also developed CP/M that same year. CP/M helped the Intel 8080 processor control a floppy disk drive. This was a big step because it brought together all the main parts of a computer into a smaller size.
Building a Computer Business
The Rise of CP/M
Gary Kildall and his wife, Dorothy, started a company called "Intergalactic Digital Research." It was later renamed Digital Research, Inc.. They wanted to sell CP/M. They advertised in magazines for computer fans.
Digital Research allowed other companies to use CP/M for their computers. Soon, CP/M became a very popular standard. To make CP/M work on many different computers, Kildall created the idea of a BIOS. The BIOS is a set of simple programs stored in the computer's hardware. It helps the operating system run on different systems without needing changes.
CP/M became popular very quickly. By 1981, CP/M was used on 3,000 different computer models. Digital Research was making a lot of money each year.
Working with IBM
In 1980, IBM wanted to use a new version of CP/M, called CP/M-86, for their new IBM PC. Bill Gates of Microsoft suggested that IBM talk to Digital Research.
Gary Kildall often let his wife, Dorothy, handle business talks. While she was meeting with IBM, Gary was flying his private plane to deliver software. IBM wanted Dorothy to sign a special agreement before they would explain why they were there. Their lawyer told Dorothy not to sign without Gary's approval.
When Gary returned, he tried to continue the discussion. There are different stories about what happened next. Some say Gary signed the agreement, others say he didn't. It's also unclear if he ever met with the main IBM representatives that day.
The two companies did not reach a deal. Digital Research might not have wanted to sell their main product for a one-time payment. They usually got ongoing payments for each copy sold. Also, Digital Research was busy with other projects.
IBM then asked Bill Gates to find an operating system. Gates suggested 86-DOS, which was similar to CP/M. Microsoft bought 86-DOS and adapted it for the IBM PC. IBM sold it as IBM PC DOS.
Kildall later saw PC DOS and thought it was too much like CP/M. He threatened to take legal action against IBM. IBM offered to sell CP/M-86 as an option for the PC. Kildall agreed, but he thought the IBM PC would not be very successful. When the IBM PC came out, PC DOS cost $40, while CP/M-86 cost $240. Because of the price difference and less software support, CP/M-86 did not sell well.
Later Projects
After the IBM deal, Gary's role at Digital Research changed. He worked on new projects, like a version of CP/M that could do many things at once (MP/M). He also worked on Logo, a programming language for education.
In 1984, he started another company called Activenture, which later became KnowledgeSet. This company used optical disc technology for computers. In 1985, they released the first computer encyclopedia on a CD-ROM. It was called The Electronic Encyclopedia.
Kildall's last business was called Prometheus Light and Sound (PLS). This company worked on a communication system that combined regular phones with mobile phones. It was designed to help people connect to their home devices from far away.
Personal Life and Legacy
People who knew Gary Kildall remember him as creative and adventurous. He loved flying, sports cars, auto racing, and boating. He always loved the sea.
Even though Kildall wanted to move past the IBM situation, he was often compared to Bill Gates. Many stories spread that Kildall had missed the IBM meeting because he was flying for fun.
Selling Digital Research to Novell made Kildall a very rich man. He bought a house in Austin, Texas, with a lake view and a video studio. He owned his own Learjet plane and boats. He also helped children with HIV/AIDS. He had another large house in Pebble Beach, California, near Digital Research's office.
Computer Connections
In 1992, Kildall was invited to an event at the University of Washington. He was disappointed that he was only asked to be in the audience. He also felt it was unfair that Bill Gates, who had not gone to UW, was giving the main speech.
Because of this, Kildall started writing a book called Computer Connections. In the book, he shared his feelings about how people didn't seem to value good computer software enough. He also wrote about Bill Gates, saying he was "more of an opportunist than a technical type."
In his book, he called DOS "plain and simple theft" because it worked so similarly to CP/M. He believed IBM made CP/M-86 more expensive on purpose to make it less popular. Kildall finished a rough draft of his book in 1993, but it was never fully published.
Passing Away
On July 8, 1994, Gary Kildall had an accident in Monterey, California. He passed away on July 11, 1994, at the age of 52.
Recognition and Achievements
After Kildall's death, Bill Gates said he was "one of the original pioneers of the PC revolution" and "a very creative computer scientist."
In March 1995, Gary Kildall was honored for his important contributions to the computer industry. Some of his achievements include:
- The first programming language and compiler for microprocessors: PL/M. (1973)
- The first microprocessor disk operating system, CP/M. (1974)
- Creating the idea of the BIOS to help operating systems work on different computers. (1975)
- Developing ways to make disk drives faster, like read-ahead and RAM drives.
- Introducing operating systems that could do many tasks at once and had windowing features (like MP/M and GEM).
- Creating the first computer system for video disks that allowed interactive playback. (1984)
- Designing the file system for the first consumer CD-ROM. (1985)
In April 2014, the city of Pacific Grove placed a special plaque outside Kildall's old home. This house was also where Digital Research first started.
See also
In Spanish: Gary Kildall para niños
