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Mainframe Trailblazers – Part 4

Jan 13, 2025

Trivia

Mainframe Trailblazers Trivia

Sonja Soderlund

Sonja Soderlund is an Oregon-based B2B freelance writer. Whether writing about mainframe computers, educational technology, or sustainable retail, she strives to bring clarity to complex issues. Connect with her or LinkedIn.

Here at Planet Mainframe, January is the month to focus on talent and training, and this week’s Trivia quiz follows suit with a quiz on some of the big talents that blazed the trail of the mainframe.

These innovators have left an indelible mark on mainframe computing, whether through direct technical contributions, leadership, or advocacy, helping shape the foundation and future of Big Iron. 

Take the quiz and see how much you know!

1. Which mainframe pioneer originated the concept of a programmable general-purpose computer with the design of the Analytical Engine?

 
 
 
 

2. Who led the team that created FORTRAN, the first practical high-level programming language?

 
 
 
 

3. Which computer scientist is credited with developing the relational database model?

 
 
 
 

4. Who was the chief architect of the IBM System/360, a groundbreaking family of mainframe computers?

 
 
 
 

5. Which female pioneer was instrumental in developing COBOL and coined the term “debugging”?

 
 
 
 

6. Who is recognized for their work on the ENIAC, one of the earliest electronic general-purpose computers?

 
 
 
 

7. Who is known for their contributions to the development of the UNIX operating system?

 
 
 
 

8. Which computer scientist is credited with creating the C programming language?

 
 
 
 

9. Which female computer scientist was the first woman to receive the Turing Award for her work on optimizing compilers?

 
 
 
 

10. Jean Sammet was not only a key contributor to COBOL but also developed which programming language?

 
 
 
 

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