# Peter Samson

> American computer programmer

**Wikidata**: [Q2717389](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2717389)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Samson)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/peter-samson

## Summary
Peter Samson is an American computer programmer and computer scientist, born in 1941, best known as an MIT-educated engineer and model railroader. His professional identity is documented in multiple library and authority databases (VIAF, GND, WorldCat) and in multilingual Wikipedia entries.

## Biography
- Born: 1941, Fitchburg
- Nationality: United States
- Education: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Known for: American computer programmer and computer scientist; model railroader
- Employer(s): Affiliated with Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Field(s): Computer science; engineering; model railroading

## Contributions
The provided source material identifies Peter Samson primarily as an American computer programmer and computer scientist affiliated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His documented contributions in public authority and bibliographic records include entries in VIAF (viaf_id: 306001511), the German National Library (GND id: 1045619345), Freebase (/m/0dpqx3), and WorldCat (E39PBJghrhdCDBxwMHwkpgTrbd). These records establish his professional identity and make his authored or attributed works discoverable in library and research infrastructures. He is represented across multiple-language Wikipedia entries (including English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Korean and others), which indicates broad recognition of his role as a programmer and computer scientist. The source material does not list specific papers, products, patents, companies founded, or the years of particular works; therefore no additional named publications or technical projects can be asserted from the provided data.

## FAQs
### Q: Who is Peter Samson?
A: Peter Samson is an American computer programmer and computer scientist born in 1941, educated at and affiliated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

### Q: What is his connection to MIT?
A: The source material lists Massachusetts Institute of Technology as his place of education and as an affiliation; no additional MIT roles or dates are provided.

### Q: Does he have published works or identifiers?
A: Yes. Authority and bibliographic records for Peter Samson appear in VIAF, GND, Freebase, and WorldCat, and he has Wikipedia entries in multiple languages. The provided sources do not enumerate specific publications or patents.

## Why They Matter
Peter Samson’s significance, as represented in the provided sources, rests on his identification as an American computer programmer and computer scientist with formal ties to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The existence of standardized authority records (VIAF, GND) and a WorldCat entity for him makes his identity and any bibliographic footprint discoverable to libraries, scholars, and digital services, facilitating citation, cataloging, and historical research. Multilingual Wikipedia coverage and multiple institutional identifiers signal recognition beyond a single national or disciplinary context, which helps preserve and propagate knowledge of his career in international bibliographic and academic systems. While the provided material does not list specific inventions, publications, or leadership roles, the recorded metadata ensures that future researchers can reliably attribute works and trace his presence within computing history and related collections.

## Notable For
- Being identified as an American computer programmer and computer scientist.
- Education and affiliation with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
- Presence in major authority files: VIAF (306001511) and GND (1045619345).
- Representation in WorldCat (E39PBJghrhdCDBxwMHwkpgTrbd) and Freebase (/m/0dpqx3).
- Multilingual Wikipedia coverage (including English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Korean).

## Body

### Personal data
- Full name: Peter Samson (alias: Peter R. Samson).
- Family name: Samson.
- Given name: Peter.
- Birth year: 1941.
- Birth place: Fitchburg.
- Sex/gender: Male.
- Citizenship: United States.

### Education and affiliation
- Educated at: Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
- Affiliation: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (listed as an affiliated institution in the source material).

### Occupation and fields
- Occupations listed: Engineer, computer scientist, model railroader.
- Field areas: Computer science and engineering, with an interest or activity in model railroading.

### Authority and bibliographic identifiers
- VIAF identifier: 306001511.
- GND (German National Library) id: 1045619345.
- WorldCat entities id: E39PBJghrhdCDBxwMHwkpgTrbd.
- Freebase id: /m/0dpqx3.
- These identifiers support cataloging and discovery across library and archival systems.

### Public presence and documentation
- Wikipedia title: Peter Samson.
- Wikidata description: American computer programmer.
- Wikipedia language editions listed: Arabic, Azerbaijani (azb), Catalan, English, Spanish, French, Korean, Malagasy, Chinese.
- Sitelink count reported: 9.

### Limitations of source material
- The provided source material does not enumerate specific publications, software projects, patents, company founding, award dates, or detailed career chronology. Statements above are confined to the documented biographical and bibliographic facts present in the source.

## References

1. Virtual International Authority File
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013