Science Fair Project Encyclopedia
Guido van Rossum
Guido van Rossum is a computer programmer who is best-known as the author of the Python programming language.
Van Rossum was born and grew up in the Netherlands. He received a master degree from the University of Amsterdam in 1982, and later worked for various research institutes, including the Dutch National Research Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science (CWI) (Amsterdam), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) (Gaithersburg, Maryland), and the Corporation for National Research Initiatives (CNRI) (Reston, Virginia). He worked on the development of the ABC programming language, a descendant of the Simula language.
About the origin of Python, Van Rossum wrote in 1996:
Over six years ago, in December 1989, I was looking for a "hobby" programming project that would keep me occupied during the week around Christmas. My office ... would be closed, but I had a home computer, and not much else on my hands. I decided to write an interpreter for the new scripting language I had been thinking about lately: a descendant of ABC that would appeal to Unix/C hackers. I chose Python as a working title for the project, being in a slightly irreverent mood (and a big fan of Monty Python's Flying Circus). (Introduction to Programming Python, by Mark Lutz, published by O'Reilly)
In 1999, Van Rossum submitted a funding proposal to DARPA called Computer Programming for Everybody, in which he further defined his goals for Python:
- an easy and intuitive language while being just as powerful as major competitors
- open source, so anyone can contribute to its development
- code that is as understandable as plain English
- suitability for everyday tasks, allowing for short development times
Many of these ambitions have since been realized. Python has grown to become a popular programming language, particularly in the Internet environment. In the Python community, Van Rossum is known as the Benevolent Dictator for Life (BDFL), meaning that he continues to oversee the Python development process, taking the ultimate decisions where necessary.
In 2002, Van Rossum received the Free Software Award of 2001 from the FSF at the FOSDEM conference in Brussels, Belgium.
Guido van Rossum is the brother of Just van Rossum, a well-known type designer, who also designed the font that is used in the "Python Powered" logo.
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