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Early life as well as education
Kenneth Olsen was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He attended MIT and majored in engineering. His master's thesis was on core memory, a computer storage advancement. -
Work at MIT Lincoln Laboratory
Helped develop the first transistorized computer, TX-2, which inspired hacker culture at MIT. -
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Legacy in Hacker Culture
DEC’s machines inspired generations of hackers and programmers. His early support of open experimentation laid the groundwork for open-source values. -
Founding of Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC)
Co-founded DEC with Harlan Anderson in a rented mill in Maynard, MA. Received a $70,000 investment from American Research and Development Corp. -
Release of the PDP-1
DEC's first computer, the PDP-1, became instrumental among early hackers -
Support of "Spacewar!"—First Digital Video Game
Programmed on the PDP-1 by MIT students; Olsen supported experimentation. -
Release of the PDP-8
The world's first commercially successful minicomputer, it was compact and affordable.
Empowered universities and labs worldwide. -
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Democratizing Computing
Giving computing power to smaller institutions—not just corporations. This helped bring Olsen's vision to a larger audience. -
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DECnet - Early Networking Protocol
The predecessor to modern networking—allowed DEC computers to talk to each other. DEC’s systems were used in ARPANET, precursor to the internet.
Many protocols and engineers came from DEC labs. -
VAX Series
Launched the VAX-11/780, a powerful 32-bit computer—huge in universities and labs. -
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Quote Controversy: “There is no reason for any individual to have a computer in his home”
the quote often highlights mispredictions about technology, Olsen claimed it was taken out of context. He was referring to computers for home automation, not to be confused with personal computers. -
DEC Rainbow & Early PC Competition
Olsen attempted to enter the PC market, but Microsoft/IBM dominated. -
DEC’s Decline and Olsen’s Departure
Olsen was forced out as CEO as DEC failed to adapt to the rise of PCs. DEC was later acquired by Compaq in 1998.
Compaq was later acquired by HP in 2002 -
Awards, Honors, and recognition
National Medal of Technology and Innovation (1993). Inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. -
Death and Legacy
Passed away on February 6, 2011. Celebrated as a visionary in both hardware and software development.