# Philip Arne Nelson

> American computer scientist

**Wikidata**: [Q102271370](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q102271370)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/philip-arne-nelson

## Summary
Philip Arne Nelson is an American computer scientist and university professor known for his contributions to software development and computer science education. He is a professor in the Department of Computer Science at Western Washington University and has been involved with the GNU Project. His work includes the development of GDBM (GNU Database Manager), a key tool in the open-source software ecosystem.

## Biography
- Born: Not specified
- Nationality: American
- Education: University of Washington (doctoral studies under Lawrence Snyder)
- Known for: Development of GDBM, contributions to GNU Project
- Employer(s): Western Washington University (professor), GNU Project (member)
- Field(s): Computer science, software development, database systems

## Contributions
Philip Arne Nelson is best known for developing GDBM (GNU Database Manager), a powerful database library that provides a simple and efficient way to store and retrieve key-value pairs. GDBM has been widely adopted in the open-source community and is included in many Linux distributions. As a professor at Western Washington University, Nelson has contributed to computer science education, teaching and mentoring students in software development and database systems. His involvement with the GNU Project demonstrates his commitment to free and open-source software principles. Nelson's doctoral advisor was Lawrence Snyder, and he maintains an active academic presence through his university website and various academic profiles including ACM Digital Library, ResearchGate, and the Mathematics Genealogy Project.

## FAQs
### Q: What is Philip Arne Nelson known for developing?
A: Philip Arne Nelson is known for developing GDBM (GNU Database Manager), a database library that provides efficient key-value storage and retrieval functionality.

### Q: Where does Philip Arne Nelson work?
A: Philip Arne Nelson is a professor in the Department of Computer Science at Western Washington University.

### Q: What is Philip Arne Nelson's connection to the GNU Project?
A: Philip Arne Nelson is a member of the GNU Project, contributing to the development and promotion of free and open-source software.

## Why They Matter
Philip Arne Nelson's development of GDBM has had a lasting impact on the open-source software ecosystem, providing developers with a reliable and efficient database solution that continues to be used in numerous applications and systems. His work as an educator at Western Washington University helps train the next generation of computer scientists and software developers. Through his involvement with the GNU Project, Nelson supports the broader movement toward free and open-source software, which has fundamentally changed how software is developed, distributed, and used worldwide. His contributions bridge both practical software development and academic computer science, making him a significant figure in both industry and education.

## Notable For
- Developed GDBM (GNU Database Manager), a widely-used database library
- Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Western Washington University
- Member of the GNU Project, supporting free and open-source software
- Doctoral student of Lawrence Snyder at the University of Washington
- Maintains active academic presence across multiple scholarly platforms

## Body
### Academic Background
Philip Arne Nelson completed his doctoral studies at the University of Washington, where he was advised by Lawrence Snyder. His academic lineage is documented in the Mathematics Genealogy Project under ID 87291, connecting him to the broader academic tradition in computer science.

### Professional Career
Nelson serves as a professor in the Department of Computer Science at Western Washington University, where he teaches and conducts research in computer science. His position is specifically within the computer science discipline, as indicated by his academic profile.

### Software Development Contributions
His most significant technical contribution is the development of GDBM (GNU Database Manager), which provides a simple yet powerful database system for applications requiring key-value storage. This work has been recognized by the GNU Project, where he is listed as a contributor.

### Academic and Professional Presence
Nelson maintains an active online presence through his university website (https://facultyweb.cs.wwu.edu/~phil/) and is indexed in major academic databases including ACM Digital Library (author ID: 99659405049), ResearchGate (contributions ID: 21284066), and the Mathematics Genealogy Project. His work is documented in English, and he is a native English speaker.

## References

1. [Source](https://facultyweb.cs.wwu.edu/~phil/)
2. Mathematics Genealogy Project
3. [GNU's Who](https://www.gnu.org/people/people.html#p)