Origins & Early Life

Gene Myron Amdahl (November 16, 1922 – November 10, 2015) was an American computer architect and high-tech entrepreneur, known for his work on mainframe computers at IBM and later his own companies, especially Amdahl Corporation. He formulated Amdahl's law, which states a fundamental limitation of parallel computing. Amdahl was born to immigrant parents of Norwegian and Swedish descent in Flandreau, South Dakota. After serving in the Navy during World War II he completed a degree in engineering physics at South Dakota State University in 1948.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He went on to study theoretical physics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison under Robert G. Sachs. However, in 1950, Amdahl and Charles H. "Charlie" Davidson, a fellow PhD student in the Department of Physics, approached Prof. Harold A.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Peterson with the idea of a digital computer. Amdahl and Davidson gained the support of Peterson and fellow electrical engineering professor Vincent C. Rideout, who encouraged them to build a computer of their unique design. Amdahl completed his doctorate at UW–Madison in 1952 with a thesis titled A Logical Design of an Intermediate Speed Digital Computer and created his first computer...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Aage Bohr — Contemporary (Born in 1922) (1922): Pioneering Danish nuclear physicist, Nobel laureate for atomic structure theory.
• Agostinho Neto — Contemporary (Born in 1922) (1922): Angolan communist revolutionary, poet, and first President of Angola.
• Alain Resnais — Contemporary (Born in 1922) (1922): Pioneering French filmmaker exploring memory, consciousness, and narrative structure.
• A. P. J. Abdul Kalam — Contemporary (Died in 2015) (2015): Visionary aerospace engineer, scientist, and former President of India.
• Adrian Frutiger — Contemporary (Died in 2015) (2015): Pioneering Swiss typeface designer, master of sans-serif aesthetics.
• Al Arbour — Contemporary (Died in 2015) (2015): Pioneering Canadian hockey player, coach, and executive known for leading the Islanders.
• Alan Watts — Shared historical date (11-16 · Died) (1973): Philosopher and lecturer popularizing Eastern thought for the West.
• Carl von Clausewitz — Shared historical date (11-16 · Died) (1831): Prussian military theorist whose work, On War, shaped modern strategic thought.
• Aldo Nadi — Shared historical date (11-10 · Died) (1965): Italian fencing champion known for his Olympic success and teaching in the US.
• Archibald Geikie — Shared historical date (11-10 · Died) (1924): Pioneering Scottish geologist, writer, and expert on the Scottish Highlands' geology.
• 1922 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1922
• November 16 (11-16) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on November 16
• 2015 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2015
• November 10 (11-10) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on November 10