Planet Mainframe on LinkedIn
Planet Mainframe
Vanguard Security & Compliance

More Mainframe Trailblazer Trivia

Jun 2, 2025

Trivia

Frances Allen Trivia

Sonja Soderlund

Frances “Fran” Allen was a trailblazing computer scientist whose work at IBM helped shape the direction of modern computing. Known for her expertise in compiler technology and performance optimization, she made lasting contributions to how software runs on large-scale systems like mainframes. Allen’s career broke barriers not only in technology but also in representation, earning her recognition as a pioneer in a field historically dominated by men. 

Today we’re exploring her life, legacy, and impact on computing, especially in the context of mainframe innovation. Take the quiz and see if you learn something about mainframe history!

1. In which year did Fran Allen join IBM?

 
 
 
 

2.  Fran Allen was a pioneer in developing optimizing compilers for which IBM mainframe system?

 
 
 
 

3. What programming language did Fran Allen help optimize early in her career?

 
 
 
 

4. What groundbreaking title did Fran Allen earn in 2006?

 
 
 
 

5. Fran Allen’s research contributed to what key concept in modern computing?

 
 
 
 

6. Which IBM project did Fran Allen notably contribute to in the 1970s?

 
 
 
 

7. What was the Stretch-Harvest project focused on?

 
 
 
 

8. Fran Allen was instrumental in developing techniques for what kind of code analysis

 
 
 
 

9. What academic degree did Fran Allen hold when she joined IBM?

 
 
 
 

10. Fran Allen was a fierce advocate for what cause later in her career?

 
 
 
 

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sign up to receive the latest mainframe information

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
EP Strategies September Webinars

Recently Published

Read More

Mainframes and Their Rivals

Mainframes and Their Rivals

by Sonja Soderlund

For decades, mainframes have stood quietly at the heart of global enterprise computing, but they haven’t been without competition. From the rise of minicomputers to the spread of UNIX systems and the open-source movement, each wave of innovation has challenged the...

Mainframes in Pop Culture

Mainframes in Pop Culture

by Sonja Soderlund

We’re in the long, hot days of summer here in the Northern Hemisphere, and while many of us may not be on summer holidays, our Planet Mainframe Trivia Quiz is going to venture into new territory - mainframes in pop culture! Mainframes may be known for their...

CICS Month Trivia

CICS Month Trivia

by Sonja Soderlund

It’s CICS month at Planet Mainframe! That means we’ll spend some time this month exploring the system that’s been the bedrock of enterprise transaction processing since the 1960s. CICS grew out of the idea of Ben Riggens, an IBM systems engineer working at Virginia...