Legends of Ethiopic Computing

Does Ethiopia have a Bill Gates? A Larry Wall? A Kernigan or Ritchie? A Stallman or Anderseen? Who are the individuals who have made Ethiopic computing what it is today? Why did they do it? What drove them? While Western computer and software developers were risking little more than their pocket books and personal time, our unsung heros were putting quite a bit more on the line when they sat down to type. We may want to turn the question around and ask ``Does the West have a Fesseha Atlaw? A Daniel Admassie? An Adamu Walelign? A Yonas Fesseha or Yitna Firdyiwek?''

This effort is initiated to preserve the history of ``Ethiopic Computerization'' before it is lost under the passage of time. We honor here those who have devoted some part of their lives to bringing us to where we are today. In the course of presenting the history of Ethiopic Computing from those who created it we hope in some way to reduce or eliminate the misconceptions and rumors that have developed in the absence of recorded history. The developer, as the source of the actual events that unfolded is given the opportunity to tell the story they way they lived it and to set the records straight.

Telling Their Own Stories:

Notes on Others: