John von Neumann, the Computer Scientist

A man ahead of his time, stuck in meetings

Computer scientist extraordinaire, John von Neumann was known for his work on game theory, artificial intelligence, and the development of the computer as we know it today.

• Contributed significantly to the development of the ENIAC, the first all-electronic computer
• Fundamental contributions to the field of game theory, particularly the Minimax Theorem
• Co-founded the Institute for Numerical Analysis at Brown University

See Alan Turing's attendance in this very same meeting

		
			// The Minimax Theorem: A Game Theoretic Perspective
			function findOptimalStrategy(game) {
				for each move in game {
					if (game.outcome() == 'win') {
						return 'play it';
					} else {
						return 'not it';
					}
				}
			}
		
	

Meetings Minutes: Computer Scientists of the 1950s