Oct 29, 2007

Computer museum honors top players in field

By Janet Duca Norton / Society Columnist

The Computer History Museum's 20th Anniversary Fellow Awards Dinner and Ceremony on Oct.16 was a sold-out success. Almost 600 friends, industry leaders, past honorees and board members turned out to honor four exceptional innovators of the Information Age: Morris Chang, John Hennessy, David Patterson and Charles Thacker, who join a select group of 40 Computer History Museum Fellows.

Fellows are honored for their accomplishments, creativity, persistence, vision and influence in the field of computing. This was the first time the nominations were opened to the community at large.

The board gives the Fellow Award to honor "heroes of technology," museum board chairman Len Shustek said, "and to inspire the next generation."

The new Fellows were the stars of the evening who were spotlighted with personal stories told via video interviews and through their official remarks.

When Chang founded Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, he changed the face of the computer industry by developing the first independent semiconductor manufacturing foundry. Companies no longer had to invest large quantities of cash into fabrication facilities to get their designs etched quickly onto silicon. Chang is recognized as the father of the dedicated semiconductor foundry industry.

Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina wrote in a letter presented at the awards: "Morris, I hope you will savor this evening's recognition of the trails you've blazed and the history you've changed."

Hennessy was recognized as an industry pioneer for his 30 years of innovation in engineering education and research. In 1981 he focused research on a new computer architecture called Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC) that revolutionized the computer industry by increasing performance while reducing costs, and in 1984 co-founded MIPS Computer Systems, which used the new architecture. With co-Fellow Patterson, Hennessy co-wrote two engineering textbooks on leading edge computer architecture and design that have been used around the world. These texts have been updated four times and are considered the gold standard in this field.

Hennessy said his advice to his students has been to "take risks," and he added, "We're blessed to be in the greatest industry of all."

Patterson of the University of California, Berkeley, has fostered close ties with academia and industry with SPARC microachitecture from Sun Microsystems. He co-led a project for RAID technology that improved disk speed and reliability, and most Web servers in the world now use a form of RAID. Patterson also collaborated closely with Hennessy on the RISC architecture and the textbooks. "We see the world the same way," said Patterson, of his collaboration with Hennessy.

Thacker was recognized for his work on the GENIE project at UC-Berkeley, which introduced time-sharing to computers, and for leading development of the Xerox PARC Alto computer. Thacker also co-invented the Ethernet LAN (local area network).

Thacker was particularly proud of his work on the Alto computer. He mentioned that his wife Karen said he invented a WYSIWYG, "what you see is what you get."

Leading the list of attendees were former Fellows Gene Amdahl, Doug Engelbart and Steve Wozniak.

Seen applauding the new Fellows were John Toole, museum executive director, and board members John Mashey, Angela Hey and Donna Dubinsky.

"HOLIDAYS ON A HIGH NOTE"

Designer-created holiday table settings, wine tasting, jazz music by Jim Pollack and Friends with vocals by Chuck and Donna Huggins, a silent auction, shopping, and a floral demonstration by well-known San Francisco floral designer Jun Pinon were highlights of the 10th annual "Holidays on a High Note" benefit. The Oct. 14-15 event at the Menlo Circus Club in Atherton was a partner presentation by the Foothill and Valley Auxiliaries to the San Mateo County Family Service Agency.

Luncheon co-chairwomen Andi Mallinckrodt and Kris Forbes and "Jazzy Preview Party" co-chairwomen Jennifer Pollack and Betty Ann Reinhardt were thrilled the combined events netted $55,000 for Family Service programs.

Members of both auxiliaries are hands-on volunteers within Family Services' divisions: Valley Auxiliary members work with the Fair Oaks Intergenerational Center in Redwood City and Foothill Auxiliary members work at Haven Child Development Center in Menlo Park.

The 1920s-themed "Jazzy Preview Party" attracted a record-setting 190 guests with many dressed in clever vintage ensembles, including Donna Huggins, Katie Syme and Erin MacGeraghty of The House of Erin MacGeraghty fine jewelry, who brought her Heritage '34 Mercedes sport coupe. MacGeraghty also donated a pair of diamond hoop earrings for the auction. After making the winning bid, Huggins put on the earrings to add a modern touch to her costume.

Several of the 25 tables that Peninsula-based designers, businesses and volunteers decorated in holiday finery (complete with gorgeous floral centerpieces) were sold by silent auction.

Jean Davidson and Carol Whitfield (a Foothill Auxiliary founder and board member) used a cinnamon color scheme, zebra accents and an album of prints taken on a photo safari for their "Escape to Africa" tea table.

"Family service is never out of my thoughts," Whitfield said. "People have to understand they have to give something back."

Popular tables were the red-and-white Thanksgiving table designed by Mallinckrodt and Forbes of Pomegranate Events and Floral Design, and the gold-and-white "Angelic Holiday" table designed by Forbes. Angelic table winner Anita Sabinske-Roth not only made the winning bid, she photographed the table setting so she could make an exact re-creation in her home.

Seen studying and planning their bids were Pam Huggins, Laura Strand, Sara Spang, Deanna Tarr, Family Service President Laurie Wishard and Foothill members Janet Tarr, Tricia Christensen and Leigh Ann Bandet.

"It's so wonderful to contribute to this organization that stepped up to meet the needs of families," Bandet said. "We're happy we keep growing. We've tripled our attendance in the last three years."