Kristen Nygaard

Kristen Nygaard (August 27, 1926 - August 10, 2002) was a Norwegian mathematician, computer programming language pioneer and politician. He was born in Oslo and died of a heart attack in 2002.

Object-oriented programming

Internationally he is acknowledged as the co-inventor of

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object-oriented programming and the programming language

Related Topics:
Object-oriented programming - Programming language

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Simula with Ole-Johan Dahl in the 1960s.

Related Topics:
Simula - Ole-Johan Dahl - 1960s

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The computer systems that form the foundation of the modern information

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society are among the most complex things humans have created. Through his ground-breaking research Nygaard made it possible to manage that complexity.

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Nygaard got his master's degree in mathematics at the University of Oslo in 1956. His thesis on abstract probability theory was entitled "Theoretical Aspects of Monte Carlo Methods".

Related Topics:
Master - Mathematics - University of Oslo - 1956 - Monte Carlo Methods

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Nygaard worked full time at the Norwegian Defense Research Establishment from 1948 to 1960 - in computing and programming (1948-1954) and operational research (1952-1960).

Related Topics:
Norwegian Defense Research Establishment - 1948 - 1960 - Computing - Programming - 1954 - Operational research - 1952

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From 1957 to 1960 he was head of the first operations research groups in the Norwegian defense establishment. He was cofounder and first chairman of the Norwegian Operational Research Society (1959-1964). In 1960 he was hired by the Norwegian Computing Center (NCC), responsible for building up the NCC as a research institute in the 1960s, becoming its Director of Research in 1962.

Related Topics:
1957 - Operations research - Norwegian Operational Research Society - 1959 - 1964 - Norwegian Computing Center - 1960s - 1962

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Together with Ole-Johan Dahl he developed SIMULA I (1961-1965) and SIMULA 67 - the first object-oriented programming languages, introducing the concepts upon which all later

Related Topics:
SIMULA I - 1961 - 1965 - SIMULA 67 - Object-oriented programming

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object-oriented programming languages are built: objects,

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classes, inheritance, virtual quantities and

Related Topics:
Class - Inheritance - Virtual quantities

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multi-threaded (quasi-parallel) program execution.

Related Topics:
Multi-threaded - Quasi-parallel

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He did research for Norwegian trade unions on planning,

Related Topics:
Norwegian - Trade unions

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control, and data processing, all evaluated in light of the objectives

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of organised labour (1971-1973, working together with

Related Topics:
Organised labour - 1971 - 1973

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Olav Terje Bergo). His other research and development work included the

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social impact of computer technology and the

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general system description language DELTA (1973-1975, working with

Related Topics:
General system description language - DELTA - 1973 - 1975

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Erik Holbaek-Hanssen and Petter Haandlykken).

Related Topics:
Erik Holbaek-Hanssen - Petter Haandlykken

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Nygaard was a professor in Aarhus, Denmark

Related Topics:
Aarhus - Denmark

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(1975-1976) and then became professor emeritus in

Related Topics:
1975 - 1976

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Oslo (part-time from 1977, full time 1984-1996).

Related Topics:
Oslo - 1977 - 1984 - 1996

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His work in Aarhus

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and Oslo included research and education in

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system development

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and the social impact of computer technology, and became the

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foundation of

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the Scandinavian School in System Development, which is closely linked

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to the field of participatory design.

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In June 1990 he received an honorary doctorate from

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Lund University, Sweden, and in June 1991 he became

Related Topics:
Lund University - Sweden - 1991

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the first person to be given an honorary doctorate by

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Aalborg University, Denmark. He became a member of the

Related Topics:
Aalborg University - Denmark

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Norwegian Academy of Science.

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In October 1990 Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility awarded him its

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Norbert Wiener Prize for responsibility in social and

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professional work.

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In 1999 he became - together with Dahl - the first

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to receive the Rosing Prize. This new prize is

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awarded by the Norwegian Data Association for exceptional

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professional achievements.

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In June 2000 he was awarded an Honorary Fellowship for

Related Topics:
2000 - Honorary Fellowship

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"his originating of object technology concepts" by the

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Object Management Group, the

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international standardisation organisation

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within object-orientation.

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In November 2001 he and Dahl were

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awarded the IEEE John von Neumann Medal by the

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Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers "For the introduction of the concepts underlying

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object-oriented programming through the design and implementation

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of SIMULA 67".

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In February 2002 he was given, once more together with Ole-Johan Dahl, the 2001 A. M. Turing Award by the

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Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), with the citation:

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"For ideas fundamental to the emergence of object oriented programming, through their design of the programming languages Simula I and Simula 67."

Related Topics:
Object oriented programming - Programming language

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In August 2000 he was made Commander of the Order of Saint Olav by the King of Norway.

Related Topics:
Commander of the Order of Saint Olav - King of Norway

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Beginning in 1976 he was engaged in the development and

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(since 1986) the implementation of the general

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object-oriented programming language BETA (together with

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Bent Bruun Kristensen, Ole Lehrmann Madsen and

Related Topics:
Bent Bruun Kristensen - Ole Lehrmann Madsen

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Birger Moeller-Pedersen). The language is now available on a

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wide range of computers.

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Nygaard was in the first half of the 1980s chairman of the

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steering committee of the Scandinavian research program

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SYDPOL (System Development and Profession Oriented Languages),

Related Topics:
SYDPOL - System Development and Profession Oriented Languages

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coordinating research and supporting

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working groups in system development, language research

Related Topics:
System development - Language research

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and artificial intelligence. Also in the 1980s, he was chairman

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of the steering committee for the Cost-13

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(European Common Market Commission)-financed

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research project on the extensions of profession-oriented languages necessary when artificial intelligence and

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information technology are becoming part of professional work.

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Nygaard's research from 1995-1999 was related to

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distributed systems. He was the leader of

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General Object-Oriented Distributed Systems (GOODS), a three-year

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Norwegian Research Council-supported project starting in

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1997, aiming at enriching object-oriented languages and

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system development methods by new basic

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concepts that make it possible to describe the relation between

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layered and/or distributed programs and the hardware and

Related Topics:
Distributed programs - Hardware

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people carrying out these programs.

Related Topics:
People - Programs

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The GOODS team also included

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Haakon Bryhni, Dag Sjøberg and Ole Smørdal.

Related Topics:
Haakon Bryhni - Dag Sjøberg - Ole Smørdal

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Nygaard's final research interests were studies of the

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introductory teaching of programming, and

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the creation of a process-oriented conceptual platform for

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informatics. These subjects are to be developed in a new research

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project called COOL (Comprehensive Object-Oriented Learning) together

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with a number of international test sites. He was giving lectures and

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courses on these subjects in Norway and elsewhere. In November

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1999 he became chair of an advisory committee on

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Broadband Communication for the

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Norwegian Department for Municipal and Regional Affairs.

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