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Robert Alan Saunders
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'''Robert Alan Saunders''' is an American [[computer scientist]] and professor, most famous for being an influential computer programmer. Saunders joined the [[Tech Model Railroad Club]] (TMRC) led by [[Alan Kotok]], [[Peter Samson]], and himself. They then met [[Marvin Minsky]] and other influential pioneers in what was then known as Artificial Intelligence. <ref></ref>
==MIT: 1956–1962==
From 1957–61, Robert Saunders worked with other undergraduates at the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] where they were allowed by [[Jack Dennis]] to develop programs for the then [[TX-0]] experimental computer on permanent loan from Lincoln Laboratory. During these years, Saunders and his fellow TRMC members are described as the first true hackers in the book ''[[Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution]]'' by [[Steven Levy]].<ref name=Levybook /> At MIT, Saunders earned bachelor's and master's degrees in [[electrical engineering]].<ref name=W3CFolio></ref> The TMRC group was heavily influenced by professors such as [[Jack Dennis]] and Uncle [[John McCarthy (computer scientist)|John McCarthy]] - and by their continued involvement in the student group known as [[Tech Model Railroad Club]] (TMRC).
While a graduate student, [[Jack Dennis]] (former TMRC member) introduced students to the [[TX-0]] on loan to MIT indefinitely from [[Lincoln Laboratory]]. In the spring of 1959, McCarthy taught the first course in [[Computer programming|programming]] that MIT offered to freshmen.<ref name=Levybook> and </ref>
Outside classes, Saunders, along with fellow TMRC members [[Alan Kotok]], David Gross, [[Peter Samson]], and Robert A. Wagner, all friends from TMRC, reserved time on the TX-0.<ref name=CHMMouse>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2). Kotok begins at 0:53:50.</ref> Dennis enjoyed watching the young hackers work and allowed them to use the TX-0 for various personal projects. <ref name=CMR>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
In 1961, [[DEC]] donated a [[PDP-1]] to MIT.<ref name=Olsen></ref> The PDP-1 had a Type 30 precision [[Cathode ray tube|CRT]] display and you could see code run while you were working. Students from TMRC worked as support staff and used this new look at programming as a way to change the way computers were used, working the Lisp programming language and a number of other innovations at the time.
==Spacewar!==
One of these innovations was the first read digital game, called [[Spacewar!]]. Written by Saunders, Martin Graetz, [[Steve Russell (computer scientist)|Stephen Russell]] and Wayne Wiitanen in 1961, [[Spacewar!]] was inspired by [[Marvin Minsky]]'s ''Three Position Display''. After urging Russell to start the game for some time, the group had the first version running by early 1962, with some assistance from then DEC employee [[Alan Kotok]]. Primarily written by Russell, ''Spacewar!'' was one of the earliest [[Interactive#Computer science|interactive]] computer games<ref name="Graetz">Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>.
During this time, Kotok and Saunders built the first [[game controllers]], thus allowing multiple people to play concurrently without using the keyboard.<ref name="DigitalLibrary">Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
==IEEE==
After his years at MIT, Saunders became a professor at the University of California, Irvine. He would then become president of the [[IEEE]], and Chairman of the Board during some of the most influential years of the organization. <ref name="IEEE"></ref>
[[Category:Video game programmers]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American computer scientists]]
==MIT: 1956–1962==
From 1957–61, Robert Saunders worked with other undergraduates at the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] where they were allowed by [[Jack Dennis]] to develop programs for the then [[TX-0]] experimental computer on permanent loan from Lincoln Laboratory. During these years, Saunders and his fellow TRMC members are described as the first true hackers in the book ''[[Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution]]'' by [[Steven Levy]].<ref name=Levybook /> At MIT, Saunders earned bachelor's and master's degrees in [[electrical engineering]].<ref name=W3CFolio></ref> The TMRC group was heavily influenced by professors such as [[Jack Dennis]] and Uncle [[John McCarthy (computer scientist)|John McCarthy]] - and by their continued involvement in the student group known as [[Tech Model Railroad Club]] (TMRC).
While a graduate student, [[Jack Dennis]] (former TMRC member) introduced students to the [[TX-0]] on loan to MIT indefinitely from [[Lincoln Laboratory]]. In the spring of 1959, McCarthy taught the first course in [[Computer programming|programming]] that MIT offered to freshmen.<ref name=Levybook> and </ref>
Outside classes, Saunders, along with fellow TMRC members [[Alan Kotok]], David Gross, [[Peter Samson]], and Robert A. Wagner, all friends from TMRC, reserved time on the TX-0.<ref name=CHMMouse>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2). Kotok begins at 0:53:50.</ref> Dennis enjoyed watching the young hackers work and allowed them to use the TX-0 for various personal projects. <ref name=CMR>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
In 1961, [[DEC]] donated a [[PDP-1]] to MIT.<ref name=Olsen></ref> The PDP-1 had a Type 30 precision [[Cathode ray tube|CRT]] display and you could see code run while you were working. Students from TMRC worked as support staff and used this new look at programming as a way to change the way computers were used, working the Lisp programming language and a number of other innovations at the time.
==Spacewar!==
One of these innovations was the first read digital game, called [[Spacewar!]]. Written by Saunders, Martin Graetz, [[Steve Russell (computer scientist)|Stephen Russell]] and Wayne Wiitanen in 1961, [[Spacewar!]] was inspired by [[Marvin Minsky]]'s ''Three Position Display''. After urging Russell to start the game for some time, the group had the first version running by early 1962, with some assistance from then DEC employee [[Alan Kotok]]. Primarily written by Russell, ''Spacewar!'' was one of the earliest [[Interactive#Computer science|interactive]] computer games<ref name="Graetz">Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>.
During this time, Kotok and Saunders built the first [[game controllers]], thus allowing multiple people to play concurrently without using the keyboard.<ref name="DigitalLibrary">Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
==IEEE==
After his years at MIT, Saunders became a professor at the University of California, Irvine. He would then become president of the [[IEEE]], and Chairman of the Board during some of the most influential years of the organization. <ref name="IEEE"></ref>
[[Category:Video game programmers]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American computer scientists]]
September 22, 2019 at 08:01AM
