:Guido van Rossum

Van Rossum was born and raised in the Netherlands, where he received a master's degree in mathematics and computer science from the University of Amsterdam in 1982. He received a bronze medal in 1974 in the International Mathematical Olympiad.{{Cite web |title=International Mathematical Olympiad |url=https://www.imo-official.org/participant_r.aspx?id=10303 |access-date=23 May 2022 |website=www.imo-official.org |archive-date=10 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230310105202/https://www.imo-official.org/participant_r.aspx?id=10303 |url-status=live }} He has a brother, Just van Rossum, who is a type designer and programmer who designed the typeface used in the "Python Powered" logo.{{cite web |url=https://medium.com/type-thursday/learning-python-makes-you-a-better-designer-an-interview-with-just-van-rossum-8d4758c192d8/ |title=Learning Python Makes You A Better Designer: An Interview with Just van Rossum |last=Thomas |first=Jockin |publisher=Medium |date=28 May 2016 |access-date=25 October 2019 |archive-date=25 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191025180434/https://medium.com/type-thursday/learning-python-makes-you-a-better-designer-an-interview-with-just-van-rossum-8d4758c192d8 |url-status=live }}

Van Rossum lives in Belmont, California, with his wife, Kim Knapp,{{cite web |url=http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2000-June/004497.html |title=(Python-Dev) Guido and Kim married |last=Manheimer |first=Ken |publisher=Python-Dev -- Python core developers |date=6 June 2000 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100928035232/http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2000-June/004497.html |archive-date=28 September 2010 }} and their son.{{cite web |url=https://www.python.org/~guido/bio.html |title=Guido van Rossum - Brief Bio |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819142627/https://www.python.org/~guido/bio.html |archive-date=19 August 2014 }}{{cite web |url=http://mail.python.org/pipermail/mailman-announce/2000-May/000010.html |title=(Mailman-Announce) forwarded message from Guido van Rossum |date=30 May 2000 |quote=Oh, and to top it all off, I'm going on vacation. I'm getting married and will be relaxing on my honeymoon. |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080527065145/http://mail.python.org/pipermail/mailman-announce/2000-May/000010.html |archive-date=27 May 2008 }}{{cite web |url=http://csg.csail.mit.edu/6.893/Handouts/PythonWhatsNew.pdf |title=What's New in Python? |last=van Rossum |first=Guido |work="Not your usual list of new features". Stanford CSL Colloquium, 29 October 2003; BayPiggies, 13 November 2003 |publisher=Elemental Security |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100627001813/http://csg.csail.mit.edu/6.893/Handouts/PythonWhatsNew.pdf |archive-date=27 June 2010 }}

While working at the Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI), Van Rossum wrote and contributed a glob() routine to BSD Unix in 1986{{cite web|url=http://www.isc.org/sources/devel/func/glob.txt|title='Globbing' library routine|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071219090708/http://www.isc.org/sources/devel/func/glob.txt|archive-date=19 December 2007}}{{cite web|url=https://metacpan.org/module/File::Glob|title=File::Glob - Perl extension for BSD glob routine|publisher =metacpan.org |url-status=live| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130807081635/https://metacpan.org/module/File::Glob|archive-date=7 August 2013}} and helped develop the ABC programming language. He once stated, "I try to mention ABC's influence because I'm indebted to everything I learned during that project and to the people who worked on it."{{Cite web|url=http://www.artima.com/intv/pythonP.html|title=The Making of Python|last=Venners|first=Bill|website=www.artima.com|access-date=14 September 2016|url-status=live| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160901183332/http://www.artima.com/intv/pythonP.html|archive-date=1 September 2016}} He also created Grail, an early web browser written in Python, and engaged in discussions about the HTML standard.{{cite web|url=http://1997.webhistory.org/www.lists/www-talk.1993q1/0184.html|title=Re: xmosaic experience|url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160828030223/http://1997.webhistory.org/www.lists/www-talk.1993q1/0184.html|archive-date=28 August 2016}}

He has worked for various research institutes, including the Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI) in the Netherlands, the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and the Corporation for National Research Initiatives (CNRI). In May 2000, he left CNRI along with three other Python core developers to work for tech startup BeOpen.com, which subsequently collapsed by October of the same year.{{Cite web|url=https://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/access/text/2018/07/102738761-05-01-acc.pdf|title=Oral History of Guido van Rossum, part 2 - Computer History Museum|access-date=17 November 2021|archive-date=17 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211117145843/https://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/access/text/2018/07/102738761-05-01-acc.pdf|url-status=live}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.python.org/download/releases/2.3.2/license/ |title=Python 2.3.2 License A. HISTORY OF THE SOFTWARE |access-date=17 November 2020 |archive-date=17 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211117145844/https://www.python.org/download/releases/2.3.2/license/ |url-status=live }} From late 2000 until 2003 he worked for Zope Corporation. In 2003 Van Rossum left Zope for Elemental Security. While there he worked on a custom programming language for the organization.{{Cite web|url=http://www.computerhistory.org/atchm/2018-chm-fellow-guido-van-rossum-python-creator-benevolent-dictator-for-life/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180724114116/http://www.computerhistory.org/atchm/2018-chm-fellow-guido-van-rossum-python-creator-benevolent-dictator-for-life/|title=2018 Museum Fellow Guido van Rossum, Python Creator & Benevolent Dictator for Life - Computer History Museum |date=5 April 2018 |archive-date=24 July 2018|access-date=23 August 2018}}

From 2005 to December 2012, Van Rossum worked at Google, where he spent half of his time developing the Python language.

At Google, he developed Mondrian, a web-based code review system written in Python and used within the company. He named the software after the Dutch painter Piet Mondrian.{{cite web|url=https://developers.google.com/appengine/articles/rietveld|title=An Open Source App: Rietveld Code Review Tool|last=van Rossum|first=Guido|date=May 2008|access-date=24 August 2012|quote=... the internal web app, which I code-named Mondrian after one of my favorite Dutch painters|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017112923/https://cloud.google.com/appengine/articles/rietveld|archive-date=17 October 2015}} He named Rietveld, another related software project, after Gerrit Rietveld, a Dutch designer.{{cite web|url=https://cloud.google.com/appengine/articles/rietveld |title=An Open Source App: Rietveld Code Review Tool|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017112923/https://cloud.google.com/appengine/articles/rietveld |archive-date=17 October 2015}} On 7 December 2012, Van Rossum left Google.{{cite web |title=Guido van Rossum |url=https://twitter.com/gvanrossum/status/277126763295944705 |website=@gvanrossum |publisher=Twitter |access-date=15 August 2022 |language=en |quote=Today's my last day at Google. In January I start a new job at Dropbox: t.co/JxnfdBM0 |archive-date=16 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131216140256/https://twitter.com/gvanrossum/status/277126763295944705 |url-status=live }}

In January 2013, Van Rossum started working at the cloud file storage company Dropbox.{{cite web|last=Constine|first=Josh|url=https://techcrunch.com/2012/12/07/dropbox-guido-van-rossum-python/|title=Dropbox Hires Away Google's Guido van Rossum, The Father Of Python|date=7 December 2012 |publisher=Techcrunch|access-date=7 December 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121209015453/http://techcrunch.com/2012/12/07/dropbox-guido-van-rossum-python/|archive-date=9 December 2012}}{{cite news |url=https://tech.dropbox.com/2012/12/welcome-guido/ |title= Welcome Guido! |publisher=Dropbox Tech Blog |date=7 December 2012 |access-date=6 September 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130907212330/https://tech.dropbox.com/2012/12/welcome-guido/ |archive-date=7 September 2013 }}

In October 2019, Van Rossum left Dropbox and officially retired.{{Cite tweet |user=gvanrossum |number=1189546865114529792 |title=It's bittersweet: I'm leaving @dropbox, and am now retired. I've learned a lot during my time as an engineer here -- e.g. type annotations came from this experience -- and I'll miss working here. |accessdate=30 October 2019}}{{cite web |title=Thank you, Guido |url=https://blog.dropbox.com/topics/company/thank-you--guido |website=Dropbox Blog |publisher=Dropbox |access-date=1 February 2021 |archive-date=16 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210216114908/https://blog.dropbox.com/topics/company/thank-you--guido |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Tung |first1=Liam |title=Python programming language creator retires, saying: 'It's been an amazing ride' |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/python-programming-language-creator-retires-saying-its-been-an-amazing-ride/ |access-date=1 February 2021 |work=ZDNet |date=31 October 2019 |language=en |archive-date=21 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121090335/https://www.zdnet.com/article/python-programming-language-creator-retires-saying-its-been-an-amazing-ride/ |url-status=live }}

On 12 November 2020 Van Rossum announced that he was coming out of retirement to join the Developer Division at Microsoft. He currently holds the title Distinguished Engineer at Microsoft.{{cite web |url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/guido-van-rossum-4a0756/ |title=Guido van Rossum |quote=Python's BDFL-emeritus, Distinguished Engineer at Microsoft, Computer History Fellow.}} {{Self-published source|date=June 2022}}{{Cite tweet |user=gvanrossum |number=1326932991566700549 |title=I decided that retirement was boring and have joined the Developer Division at Microsoft. To do what? Too many options to say! But it'll make using Python better for sure (and not just on Windows :-). There's lots of open source here. Watch this space.|accessdate=12 November 2020}}{{cite news |last1=Lardinois |first1=Frederic |title=Python creator Guido van Rossum joins Microsoft |url=https://techcrunch.com/2020/11/12/python-creator-guido-van-rossum-joins-microsoft/ |work=TechCrunch |date=12 November 2020 |access-date=16 November 2020 |archive-date=24 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210124085936/https://techcrunch.com/2020/11/12/python-creator-guido-van-rossum-joins-microsoft/ |url-status=live }}

In December 1989, Van Rossum had been looking for a {{"'}}hobby' programming project that would keep [him] occupied during the week around Christmas" as his office was closed when he decided to write an interpreter for a "new scripting language [he] had been thinking about lately: a descendant of ABC that would appeal to Unix/C hackers". He chose the name Python for his programming language not because of the snake type but the comedy series Monty Python's Flying Circus.

He has explained that Python's predecessor, ABC, was inspired by SETL, noting that ABC co-developer Lambert Meertens had "spent a year with the SETL group at NYU before coming up with the final ABC design".{{cite web|url=http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2000-August/008881.html|title=Python-Dev] SETL (was: Lukewarm about range literals)|date=29 August 2000 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514231628/http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2000-August/008881.html|archive-date=14 May 2011}}

On 12 July 2018, Van Rossum announced that he would be stepping down from the position of benevolent dictator for life of the Python programming language.{{cite news |last1=Fairchild |first1=Carlie |title=Guido van Rossum Stepping Down from Role as Python's Benevolent Dictator For Life |url=https://www.linuxjournal.com/content/guido-van-rossum-stepping-down-role-pythons-benevolent-dictator-life |access-date=12 July 2018 |work=Linux Journal |date=12 July 2018 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180713192427/https://www.linuxjournal.com/content/guido-van-rossum-stepping-down-role-pythons-benevolent-dictator-life |archive-date=13 July 2018}}

In 1999, Van Rossum submitted a funding proposal to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) called "Computer Programming for Everybody", in which he further defined his goals for Python:

• An easy and intuitive language just as powerful as major competitors
• Open source, so anyone can contribute to its development
• Code that is as understandable as plain English
• Suitability for everyday tasks, allowing for short development times

In 2019, Python became the second most popular language on GitHub, the largest source code management website on the internet, after JavaScript.{{Cite web|title=The State of the Octoverse|url=https://octoverse.github.com/|access-date=6 May 2021|website=The State of the Octoverse|language=en-gb|archive-date=5 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170405182156/https://octoverse.github.com/|url-status=live}} In 2024 Python became the most used language on GitHub, overtaking JavaScript after a 10-year run as the most used language.{{Cite web|title=Octoverse: AI leads Python to top language as the number of global developers surges|url=https://github.blog/news-insights/octoverse/octoverse-2024/|access-date=6 January 2025|website=GitHub Insights|language=en-us|archive-date=16 November 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241116052434/https://github.blog/news-insights/octoverse/octoverse-2024/|url-status=live}} According to a programming language popularity survey{{cite web|url=http://langpop.com/|title=Programming Language Popularity|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150412161127/http://langpop.com/|archive-date=12 April 2015}} it is consistently among the top 10 most mentioned languages in job postings. Furthermore, Python has been among the 10 most popular programming languages every year since 2004 according to the TIOBE Programming Community Index and got the number one spot on the index in October 2021.{{cite web |title=index {{!}} TIOBE - The Software Quality Company |url=https://www.tiobe.com/tiobe-index/ |website=www.tiobe.com |access-date=29 May 2020 |archive-date=15 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231015080735/https://www.tiobe.com/tiobe-index/ |url-status=live }}

• At the 2002 FOSDEM conference in Brussels, Van Rossum received the 2001 Award for the Advancement of Free Software from the Free Software Foundation (FSF) for his work on Python.
• In May 2003, he received a NLUUG Award.{{cite news|title=Guido van Rossum Ontvangt NLUUG Award|url=https://www.nluug.nl/vereniging/persberichten/009.html|access-date=22 January 2018|work=NLUUG|date=28 May 2003|archive-date=8 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308225336/https://www.nluug.nl/vereniging/persberichten/009.html|url-status=live}}
• In 2006, he was recognized as a Distinguished Engineer by the Association for Computing Machinery.
• In 2018, he was made a Fellow of the Computer History museum.{{cite news|title=Guido van Rossum|url=http://www.computerhistory.org/fellowawards/hall/guido-van-rossum/|work=Computer History Museum|language=en|access-date=22 February 2018|archive-date=3 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190703181839/https://www.computerhistory.org/fellowawards/hall/guido-van-rossum/|url-status=live}}
• In 2019, he was awarded the honorary title of Dijkstra Fellow by CWI.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cwi.nl/en/news/david-chaum-and-guido-van-rossum-awarded-dijkstra-fellowship/|title=David Chaum and Guido van Rossum awarded Dijkstra Fellowship|website=www.cwi.nl|access-date=21 March 2024|archive-date=21 March 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240321182149/https://www.cwi.nl/en/news/david-chaum-and-guido-van-rossum-awarded-dijkstra-fellowship/|url-status=live}}
• In 2023, he was awarded the C&C Prize by NEC Corporation for developing the Python programming language.{{cite web |url=https://www.nec.com/en/press/202310/global_20231010_01.html |title=NEC C&C Foundation Awards 2023 C&C Prize |location=Tokyo |date=10 October 2023 |website=nec.com |access-date=19 February 2024 |archive-date=19 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240219055207/https://www.nec.com/en/press/202310/global_20231010_01.html |url-status=live }}

{{reflist}}

{{Portal|Free and open-source software}}

{{Commons category|Guido van Rossum}}

• {{Official website}}
• Guido van Rossum. [https://python-history.blogspot.com/2009/01/introduction-and-overview.html The History of Python]
• Guido van Rossum. [https://neopythonic.blogspot.com/2008/10/thoughts-after-reading-neal-stephensons.html Neopythonic: Ramblings]
• [https://www.python.org/doc/essays/everybody/ Computer Programming for Everybody]
• [http://www.twit.tv/floss11 Guido van Rossum Interview] on FLOSS Weekly
• [http://workspiration.org/guido-van-rossum Guido van Rossum interview] - Workspiration.org
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20081229095320/http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id%3B66665771 Guido van Rossum on Python Interview] - Computerworld
• Guido van Rossum [http://www.stanford.edu/class/ee380/Abstracts/081105.html Run your web applications on Google's infrastructure] — Google App Engine technical talk at Stanford University. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20090326060917/http://stanford-online.stanford.edu/courses/ee380/081105-ee380-300.asx video archive])
• {{YouTube|id=Pzkdci2HDpU|title=Oral History of Guido Van Rossum Part 1}} Computer History Museum
• {{YouTube|id=y-Yetu20snM|title=Oral History of Guido Van Rossum Part 2}} Computer History Museum

{{Python (programming language)}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rossum, Guido van}}

Category:1956 births

Category:Computer programmers

Category:Dutch computer programmers

Category:Dutch computer scientists

Category:Dutch emigrants to the United States

Category:Free software programmers

Category:Google employees

Category:Living people

Category:Members of the Open Source Initiative board of directors

Category:Microsoft employees

Category:People from Belmont, California

Category:People from Haarlem

Category:Programming language designers

Category:Python (programming language) people

Category:University of Amsterdam alumni

Category:Dutch software engineers