Christopher Dunn (computer programmer): Difference between revisions

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{{short description|British writer and computer enthusiast}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2016}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Christopher Dunn

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| image =

| image_size =

| caption = Christopher Dunn and Pamela Jensen, shown here in a dot-matrix printout of a [[run-length encoding|CompuServe RLE]] graphic

| caption =

| birth_date = ca. 1956<ref name="tribune1983" />

| birth_place =

| death_date =

| death_place =

| occupation = Computer Technician and Gurutechnician

| spouse = Pamela Jensen

| parents =

}}

'''Christopher Dunn''' is a computer enthusiast noted for his involvement with [[CompuServe]], and for the first high-profile [[online dating service|online courtship]] leading to [[marriage]] in the United States.

== CompuServe contributions ==

Around 1980, Dunn discovered [[CompuServe]], an early [[online service]] popular with owners of [[8-bit]] [[microcomputer]]s.<ref name="tribune1983" /> He served as the [[sysop]] of CBIG, a [[special interest group]] for users of CompuServe's [[CB Simulator]] chat service, where he went by the [[pseudonym|handle]] "Chrisdos".<ref name="transactor7_3" /> In 1985, he authored [[CBterm/C64]], a [[terminal emulator]] for the [[Commodore 64]] noted for its ability to directly display CompuServe's [[run-length encoding|RLE]] graphics.<ref name="run" />

Around 1980, Dunn discovered [[CompuServe]], an early [[online service]] popular with owners of [[8-bit]] [[microcomputer]]s.<ref name="tribune1983" /> He served as the [[sysop]] of CBIG, a [[special interest group]] for users of CompuServe's [[CB Simulator]] chat service, where he went by the [[pseudonym|handle]] "Chrisdos".<ref name="transactor7_3" /><ref name="glossbrenner" /> Dunn was the author of MU, an unofficial menu and [[e-mail|mail]] notification program that ran on CompuServe's [[Digital Equipment Corporation|DEC]] [[Programmed Data Processor|PDP]] servers. (By 1984, it was no longer possible for customers to install and run server-side programs; MU was the sole exception.)<ref name="glossbrenner" /> In 1985, heDunn authored [[CBterm/C64]], a [[terminal emulator]] for the [[Commodore 64]] noted for its ability to directly display CompuServe's [[run-length encoding|RLE]] graphics.<ref name="run" />

In 1982, Dunn met Pamela Jensen through the CB Simulator. At the time, the 26-year-old Dunn lived in [[Queens]], where he dialled into CompuServe using a [[Heathkit]] computer. Jensen, whose handle "[[Zebra 3]]" was borrowed from ''[[Starsky & Hutch]]'', was 30 years old and working in [[Chicago]] as an animal keeper at the [[Lincoln Park Zoo]]. The two soon hit it off and began exchanging private messages. They met in person for the first time on April 23, 1982, when Dunn flew to Chicago to attend a house party hosted by Jensen. Both were immediately smitten, and on their next visit, Dunn proposed.<ref name="tribune1983" />

== Online dating ==

At the time, online dating was in its infancy, and the pair's online courtship caused a nationwide media sensation. The couple appeared on ''[[Good Morning America]]'', ''[[The Phil Donahue Show]]'', and ''[[20/20 (U.S. TV series)|20/20]]'', and were the subject of articles in several newspapers and magazines, including ''[[The New York Times]]''.<ref name="tribune2008" /><ref name="nyt" /> "Cupid and Computers Conquer All", a biographical article in the ''[[The Chicago Tribune]]'', was released on the [[Associated Press|AP wire]] and widely reprinted in the American and international press.<ref name="paperclips" />

In 1982, Dunn met Pamela Jensen through the CB Simulator. At the time, the 26-year-old Dunn lived in [[Queens]], where he dialled into CompuServe using a [[Heathkit]] computerCRT terminal and a [[Teletype Model 33]]. Jensen, whose handle "[[Zebra 3]]" was borrowed from ''[[Starsky & Hutch]]'', was 30 years old and working in [[Chicago]] as an animal keeper at the [[Lincoln Park Zoo]]. The two soon hit it off and began exchanging private messages. They met in person for the first time on April 23, 1982, when Dunn flew to Chicago to attend a house party hosted by Jensen. Both were immediately smitten, and on their next visit, Dunn proposed.<ref name="tribune1983" />

The couple married in April 1983, a year after their first real-life meeting, in a small civil ceremony attended by three friends and five television news crews.<ref name="nyt" /><ref name="tribune2008" /> Dunn left his job with a security firm in New York City and moved in with Pam in Chicago, where he became the technical operations manager of the [[Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum]].<ref name="nyt" /><ref name="tribune2008" /> Though commentators—including Dunn's father—were initially sure that the marriage wouldn't last, the couple celebrated their 25th anniversary in 2008.<ref name="tribune2008" />

At the time, online dating was in its infancy, and the pair's online courtship caused a nationwide media sensation. The couple appeared on ''[[Good Morning America]]'', ''[[The Phil Donahue Show]]'', and ''[[20/20 (U.S. TV series)|20/20]]'', and were the subject of articles in several newspapers and magazines, including ''[[The New York Times]]''.<ref name="tribune2008" /><ref name="nyt" /> "Cupid and Computers Conquer All", a biographical article in the ''[[The Chicago Tribune]]'', was released on the [[Associated Press|AP wire]] and widely reprinted in the American and international press.<ref name="paperclips" />

The couple married in April 1983, a year after their first real-life meeting, in a small civil ceremony attended by three friends and five television news crews.<ref name="nyt" /><ref name="tribune2008" /> Dunn left his job with a security firm in New York City and moved in with Pam in Chicago, where he became the technical operations manager of the [[Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum]].<ref name="nyt" /><ref name="tribune2008" /> Though commentators—including Dunn's father—were initially sure that the marriage wouldn't last, the couple celebrated their 25th anniversary in 2008.<ref name="tribune2008" />

Though Dunn and Jensen's online courtship was the first to receive widespread media coverage in the United States, the couple did not exchange vows electronically. Shortly before his own real-life wedding, however, Dunn attended what may have been the world's first [[online wedding]], held on CompuServe's CB channel 14 for George "Mike" Stickles and Debbie "Silver" Fuhrman.<ref name="infoworld" /><ref name="people" />

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== References ==

{{reflistReflist|refs=

<ref name="transactor7_3glossbrenner">{{cite journalmagazine |author-last=<!-- Staff writer; no bylineGlossbrenner |author-->first=Alfred |title=NewsTricks BRKof |pages=77–80the On-line Trade |journalmagazine=[[ThePC TransactorMagazine]] |volumedate=7October |number=316, |accessdate=2015-12-061984 |url=httphttps://csbrucebooks.google.com/cbm/transactor/pdfs/trans_v7_i03.pdfbooks?id=msSKK7cn2K4C&q=%22chrisdos%22&pg=PA179 |publisheraccess-date=[[Transactor Publishing]]2015-12-11 |datepages=1987177–192}}</ref>

<ref name="runtransactor7_3">{{cite journal |author-last=Lovhaug<!-- Staff writer; no byline |author-first=Loren-> |title=TelecomputingNews WorkshopBRK |pages=77–80 |journal=[[RunThe (magazine)|RunTransactor]] |date=1989 |volume=67 |number=53 |pagesaccess-date=67–68 |publisher=[[IDG Communications]] |issn=07412015-428512-06 |url=https://archivecsbruce.orgcom/detailscbm/run-magazine-65transactor/pdfs/trans_v7_i03.pdf |accessdatepublisher=2015-12-06[[Transactor Publishing]] |date=1987}}</ref>

<ref name="run">{{cite journal |author-last=Lovhaug |author-first=Loren |title=Telecomputing Workshop |journal=[[Run (magazine)|Run]] |date=1989 |volume=6 |number=5 |pages=67–68 |publisher=[[IDG Communications]] |issn=0741-4285 |url=https://archive.org/details/run-magazine-65 |access-date=2015-12-06}}</ref>

<ref name="infoworld">{{cite journal |author=<!-- Staff writer; no byline --> |title=The CompuServe Wedding Ceremony |pages=8 |journal=[[InfoWorld]] |volume=5 |number=11 |url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=-i8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA8&lpg=PA8&dq=chrisdos+zebra3&source=bl&ots=aToXfay27X&sig=2xVPeDBvxS6YGrHUSSuZbK5Lb_s&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjm1aCIycfJAhXBfA8KHfAkBWAQ6AEINjAE#v=onepage&q=chrisdos |date=1983}}</ref>

<ref name="infoworld">{{cite journal |author=<!-- Staff writer; no byline --> |title=The CompuServe Wedding Ceremony |pages=8 |journal=[[InfoWorld]] |volume=5 |number=11 |url=https://books.google.co.ukcom/books?id=-i8EAAAAMBAJ&pgq=PA8chrisdos&lpgpg=PA8&dq=chrisdos+zebra3&source=bl&ots=aToXfay27X&sig=2xVPeDBvxS6YGrHUSSuZbK5Lb_s&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjm1aCIycfJAhXBfA8KHfAkBWAQ6AEINjAE#v=onepage&q=chrisdos |date=1983}}</ref>

<ref name="people">{{cite magazine |last=Hart |first=Lianne |date=1983-06-20 |title=A Computer Wedding |url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20085317,00.html |magazine=[[People (magazine)|People]] ||access-date=2015-12-06 }}</ref>

<ref name="nytpeople">{{cite newsmagazine |last=LasdenHart |first=MartinLianne |titledate=OfJune Bytes20, and Bulletin Boards1983 |newspapertitle=[[TheA NewComputer York Times]] |date=1985-08-04 |accessdate=2015-12-06Wedding |url=http://www.nytimespeople.com/1985people/08archive/04article/0,,20085317,00.html |magazine/of=[[People (magazine)|People]] |access-bytesdate=2015-and12-bulletin-boards.html06 }}</ref>

<ref name="tribune1983nyt">{{cite news |last=LipinskiLasden |first=Ann MarieMartin |title=CupidOf Bytes and computersBulletin conquer allBoards |newspaper=[[ChicagoThe TribuneNew York Times]] |date=1983August 4, 1985 |access-01date=2015-2612-06 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/08/04/magazine/of-bytes-and-bulletin-boards.html}}</ref>

<ref name="tribune2008tribune1983">{{cite news |last=StevensLipinski |first=HeidiAnn Marie |title=ChicagoCupid coupleand amongcomputers theconquer first to connect via the Internetall |newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]] |date=2008-05-18January |accessdate=2015-12-0626, 1983 |url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2008-05-18/features/0805140486_1_25th-computer-met}}</ref>

<ref name="tribune2008">{{cite news |last=Stevens |first=Heidi |title=Chicago couple among the first to connect via the Internet |newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]] |date=May 18, 2008 |access-date=2015-12-06 |url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2008-05-18/features/0805140486_1_25th-computer-met|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140511225031/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2008-05-18/features/0805140486_1_25th-computer-met|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 11, 2014}}</ref>

<ref name="paperclips">{{cite web |title=Chrisdos Zebra3 Paper Clips |website=centaur.org |url=http://www.centaur.org/chrisdos/paperclips.html |accessdate=2015-12-06}}</ref>

<ref name="paperclips">{{cite web |title=Chrisdos Zebra3 Paper Clips |website=centaur.org |url=httphttps://www.centaur.org/chrisdos/paperclips.html |accessdateaccess-date=2015-12-06}}</ref>

}}

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== External links ==

* [httphttps://www.centaur.org Centaur of the Universe], Dunn's personal website

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dunn, Christopher}}

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[[Category:Living people]]

[[Category:People from Queens, New York]]

[[Category:People from Chicago, Illinois]]

[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]

[[Category:CompuServe]]