Ken Olsen Quotes

A collection of quotes by Ken Olsen.

Ken Olsen was an American computer engineer and entrepreneur, best known as the co-founder and CEO of Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC). He was born on February 20, 1926, in Bridgeport, Connecticut. After completing a Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1950, Olsen continued his studies and earned a Master's degree in electrical engineering from MIT in 1952.

In 1957, Olsen co-founded DEC, a pioneering computer company that played a significant role in the early development of the computer industry. Under his leadership, DEC became known for innovations like the PDP series of minicomputers, which brought computing capabilities to smaller organizations and research institutions. DEC's successes made it one of the largest computer companies in the world during the 1970s and 1980s.

However, as the computer industry shifted towards personal computers, DEC failed to adapt, and Olsen's leadership was criticized. In 1992, Olsen was forced to retire as CEO, and DEC struggled in the face of competition from companies like IBM and Microsoft. Eventually, in 1998, DEC was acquired by Compaq.

Ken Olsen passed away on February 6, 2011, at the age of 84 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Despite the challenges faced by DEC in its later years, Olsen's contributions to the early computer industry and his role in popularizing minicomputers remain significant.