Andrew S. Tanenbaum

American-Dutch computer scientist · United States · Developers · Born 1944 · age 82

Andrew S. Tanenbaum is read about 283 times a day, in 46 languages.

A typical day, 30 days to 15 October 2026

The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 390 days, one point a day.

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Andrew Stuart Tanenbaum, sometimes referred to by the handle AST, is an American-born Dutch computer scientist and retired professor emeritus of computer science at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

A life in dates

2023ACM Software System AwardAward2007IEEE James H. Mulligan, Jr. Education MedalAward1997SIGCSE Outstanding Contribution to Computer Science EducationAward1992“Microkernels are not a pipe dream. They represent proven technology.”In their words5 February 1992In a Usenet message, 5 Feb 1992.Read the whole statement

“While most people can talk rationally about kernel design and portability, the issue of free-ness is 100% emotional.”In their words3 February 1992In a Usenet message, 3 Feb 1992.Read the whole statement

“Will we soon see President Bush coming to Europe with Richard Stallman and Rick Rashid in tow, demanding that Europe import more American free software?”In their words3 February 1992In a Usenet message, 3 Feb 1992.Read the whole statement

“A multithreaded file system is only a performance hack.”In their words30 January 1992In a Usenet message to Linus Torvalds, 30 Jan 1992.Read the whole statement

“But in all honesty, I would suggest that people who want a modern "free" OS look around for a microkernel-based, portable OS, like maybe GNU or something like that.”In their words29 January 1992In a Usenet message, 29 Jan 1992.Read the whole statement

1985“Never underestimate the bandwidth of a station wagon full of tapes hurtling down the highway.”In their wordsComputer Networks, 3rd ed., p. 83. (paraphrasing Dr. Warren Jackson, Director, University of Toronto Computing Services (UTCS) circa 1985)Read the whole statement

1944Born16 March 1944

Also in Deutsch

Photos 2

Tanenbaum is 4th from left

In their own words 10

Andrew S. Tanenbaum

10 statements, newest first

If you just want to use the system, instead of hacking on its internals, you don't need source code.
Feb 5, 1992, In a Usenet message, 5 Feb 1992., Own words
Microkernels are not a pipe dream. They represent proven technology.
Feb 5, 1992, In a Usenet message, 5 Feb 1992., Own words
Writing a portable OS is not much harder than a nonportable one, and all systems should be written with portability in mind these days.
Feb 3, 1992, In a Usenet message, 3 Feb 1992., Own words

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Awards

ACM Software System Award2023

IEEE James H. Mulligan, Jr. Education Medal2007

SIGCSE Outstanding Contribution to Computer Science Education1997

Akademiehoogleraren Prize

About this person

Country

United States

Developers from the United States 6

Eric Schmidt59.8

Joshua Bloch59.5

Coraline Ada Ehmke59.9

Fredrick Brennan59.1

Joel Spolsky59.9

Ian Murdock58.8

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