Maurice Wilkes

Lore & Background

After reading John von Neumann's prepress description of the EDVAC, he decided to build a stored-program computer. Wilkes also contributed to early time-sharing systems, distributed computing, and capability-based computing.

Reader's Guide

Maurice Wilkes's significance lies in his foundational contributions to computing hardware and software. His invention of microprogramming simplified CPU design by using a miniature program in high-speed ROM to control the processor, a technique that became widespread. He also pioneered programming tools like symbolic labels, macros, and subroutine libraries, which eased software development and paved the way for high-level languages. His work on the Titan computer introduced controlled access based on program identity and an early password encryption system later used by Unix. The Cambridge Ring network, inspired by a Swiss data network, influenced local area networking. His career spanned from early hardware design to operating systems and networking, reflecting a broad and lasting impact on the field.

Did You Know?

• Wilkes used EDSAC in 1950 to solve a differential equation related to gene frequencies, the first use of a computer for a biology problem.
• The Titan computer's operating system introduced a password encryption system later used by Unix.