American computer scientist and microcomputer entrepreneur (1942–1994)

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gary Kildall</span>

Gary Kildall

<p><b>Gary Arlen Kildall</b> (<span class="rt-commentedText nowrap"><span class="IPA nopopups noexcerpt"><a href="/en/Help:IPA/English" title="Help:IPA/English" class="wl">/<span style="border-bottom:1px dotted"><span>ˈ</span><span>k</span><span>ɪ</span><span>l</span><span>d</span><span>ˌ</span><span>ɔː</span><span>l</span></span>/</a></span></span>; May 19, 1942<span>&nbsp;</span>– July 11, 1994) was an American <a href="/en/Computer_scientist" title="Computer scientist" class="wl">computer scientist</a> and <a href="/en/Microcomputer" title="Microcomputer" class="wl">microcomputer</a> <a href="/en/Entrepreneur" title="Entrepreneur" class="mw-redirect wl">entrepreneur</a>.</p>

<div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none" about="#mwt1">American computer scientist and microcomputer entrepreneur (1942–1994)</div>
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<style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1066479718" typeof="mw:Extension/templatestyles mw:Transclusion">.mw-parser-output .infobox-subbox{padding:0;border:none;margin:-3px;width:auto;min-width:100%;font-size:100%;clear:none;float:none;background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .infobox-3cols-child{margin:auto}.mw-parser-output .infobox .navbar{font-size:100%}body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-header,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-subheader,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-above,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-title,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-image,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-below{text-align:center}</style><div class='mobile-collapse'><header class="mobile-collapse-header mobile-collapse-btn"><b>Quick facts: Gary Kildall, Born, Died, Resting place, Alma...</b> <span class='arrow'>▼</span></header> <table class="infobox biography vcard mobile-collapse-element"><tbody><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-above" style="font-size:125%;"><div class="fn" style="display:inline">Gary Kildall</div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-image"><span class="mw-default-size"><a href="/en/File:GaryKildall.jpg" class="mw-file-description image media-thumb" data-hash="File:GaryKildall.jpg"><img loading="lazy" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/47/GaryKildall.jpg/220px-GaryKildall.jpg" decoding="async" data-file-width="245" data-file-height="284" data-file-type="bitmap" height="255" width="220" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/47/GaryKildall.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/47/GaryKildall.jpg 2x" alt="GaryKildall.jpg"></a></span><div class="infobox-caption">Kildall at the <a href="/en/Digital_Research_European_Development_Centre" title="Digital Research European Development Centre" class="mw-redirect wl">European Development Centre</a> (EDC) in <a href="/en/Hungerford" title="Hungerford" class="wl">Hungerford</a>, <a href="/en/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom" class="wl">United Kingdom</a>, 1988</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Born</th><td class="infobox-data"><span style="display:none">(<span class="bday">1942-05-19</span>)</span>May 19, 1942<br><div style="display:inline" class="birthplace"><a href="/en/Seattle" title="Seattle" class="wl">Seattle</a>, Washington, U.S.</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Died</th><td class="infobox-data">July 11, 1994<span style="display:none">(1994-07-11)</span> (aged<span>&nbsp;</span>52)<br><div style="display:inline" class="deathplace"><a href="/en/Monterey,_California" title="Monterey, California" class="wl">Monterey, California</a>, U.S.</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Resting place</th><td class="infobox-data label"><a href="/en/Evergreen_Washelli_Memorial_Park" title="Evergreen Washelli Memorial Park" class="wl">Evergreen Washelli Memorial Park</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Alma<span>&nbsp;</span>mater</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/University_of_Washington" title="University of Washington" class="wl">University of Washington</a><span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-Kildall_1968_1-0"><a href="#cite_note-Kildall_1968-1" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 1;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[1]</span></a></span><span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-Kildall_1972_2-0"><a href="#cite_note-Kildall_1972-2" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 2;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[2]</span></a></span></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Occupations</th><td class="infobox-data role"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374" typeof="mw:Extension/templatestyles">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ul{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist .mw-empty-li{display:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dt::after{content:": "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li::after{content:" · ";font-weight:bold}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li:last-child::after{content:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:first-child::before{content:" (";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:last-child::after{content:")";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol{counter-reset:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li{counter-increment:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li::before{content:" "counter(listitem)"\a0 "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li ol>li:first-child::before{content:" ("counter(listitem)"\a0 "}</style><div class="hlist"><ul><li>Computer scientist</li><li>entrepreneur</li></ul></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Years<span>&nbsp;</span>active</th><td class="infobox-data">1972–1994</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Known<span>&nbsp;</span>for</th><td class="infobox-data"><div class="hlist"><ul><li>Creator of <a href="/en/CP/M" title="CP/M" class="wl">CP/M</a></li><li>Pioneer of the <a href="/en/Microcomputer_revolution" title="Microcomputer revolution" class="mw-redirect wl">personal computer revolution</a></li></ul></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Title</th><td class="infobox-data title">Founder, chairman and CEO of <a href="/en/Digital_Research" title="Digital Research" class="wl">Digital Research</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Board member<span>&nbsp;</span>of</th><td class="infobox-data">Digital Research</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Spouse(s)</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/Dorothy_McEwen_Kildall" title="Dorothy McEwen Kildall" class="wl">Dorothy McEwen Kildall</a><br>Karen Kildall<span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-3"><a href="#cite_note-3" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 3;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[3]</span></a></span></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Children</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/Scott_Kildall" title="Scott Kildall" class="wl">Scott</a> and Kristen<span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-Markoff_1994_4-0"><a href="#cite_note-Markoff_1994-4" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 4;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[4]</span></a></span></td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header">Signature</th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data"><span><a href="/en/File:Gary_Kildall_Signature.svg" class="mw-file-description image media-thumb" data-hash="File:Gary_Kildall_Signature.svg"><img loading="lazy"alt="Gary" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/31/Gary_Kildall_Signature.svg/150px-Gary_Kildall_Signature.svg.png" decoding="async" data-file-width="177" data-file-height="106" data-file-type="drawing" height="90" width="150" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/31/Gary_Kildall_Signature.svg/225px-Gary_Kildall_Signature.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/31/Gary_Kildall_Signature.svg/300px-Gary_Kildall_Signature.svg.png 2x"></a></span></td></tr></tbody></table> <footer class='mobile-collapse-footer mobile-collapse-btn'><b>Close</b> <span class='arrow'>▲</span></footer></div>

<p>During the 1970s, Kildall created the <a href="/en/CP/M" title="CP/M" class="wl">CP/M</a> <a href="/en/Operating_system" title="Operating system" class="wl">operating system</a> among other operating systems and programming tools,<span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-Kildall_1993_5-0"><a href="#cite_note-Kildall_1993-5" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 5;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[5]</span></a></span> and subsequently founded <a href="/en/Digital_Research" title="Digital Research" class="wl">Digital Research, Inc.</a> (or "DRI") to market and sell his software products. Kildall was among the earliest individuals to recognize <a href="/en/Microprocessor" title="Microprocessor" class="wl">microprocessors</a> as fully capable <a href="/en/Computer" title="Computer" class="wl">computers</a> (rather than simply as equipment controllers), and to organize a company around this concept.<span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-Chronicles_1995_6-0"><a href="#cite_note-Chronicles_1995-6" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 6;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[6]</span></a></span> Due to his accomplishments during this era, Kildall is considered a pioneer of the <a href="/en/History_of_personal_computers" title="History of personal computers" class="wl">personal computer revolution</a>.<span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-Chronicles_1995_6-1"><a href="#cite_note-Chronicles_1995-6" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 6;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[6]</span></a></span><span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-Evans_2004_7-0"><a href="#cite_note-Evans_2004-7" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 7;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[7]</span></a></span></p>

<p>During the 1980s, Kildall also appeared on <a href="/en/PBS" title="PBS" class="wl">PBS</a> as co-host (with <a href="/en/Stewart_Cheifet" title="Stewart Cheifet" class="wl">Stewart Cheifet</a>) of <i><a href="/en/Computer_Chronicles" title="Computer Chronicles" class="wl">Computer Chronicles</a></i>, a weekly informational program which covered the latest developments in personal computing.</p>

<p>Although Kildall's entrepreneurial career in computing spanned more than two decades, he is mainly remembered in connection with his development of the <a href="/en/CP/M" title="CP/M" class="wl">CP/M</a> operating system, an early multi-platform microcomputer OS that has many parallels to the later <a href="/en/MS-DOS" title="MS-DOS" class="wl">MS-DOS</a> used on the <a href="/en/IBM_Personal_Computer" title="IBM Personal Computer" class="wl">IBM PC</a>.</p>



Gary Arlen Kildall was an American computer scientist and microcomputer entrepreneur. During the 1970s, Kildall created the CP/M operating system among other operating systems and programming tools, 