Informática 32 (2008) 340
th v 80 birthday of Prof. Anton P. Zeleznikar
- congratulations to the founder of
Informática
This year passes by 80 years from the birth of Prof. Železnikar, one of the pioneers of informatics and informational theory in Slovenia, as well as one of the initiators of Slovenian society Informatika, the founder and the Editor-in-chief of the journal Informática which celebrates this year the 32nd years of uninterrupted publication. We are using this opportunity to present some excerpts from his CV.
Anton Pavel Železnikar was born in Slovenj Gradec, Slovenia on June 8, 1928, as the seventh child of Vinko Železnikar (1887), MD, and Pavla, (1898, born Rogina), a teacher. His father was an innovative surgeon and the head physician of the hospital in Slovenj Gradec. There were ten children in the family: two half-brothers, two half-sisters, three brothers, and two sisters.
In 1933, before the primary school, he began to learn German and piano. After five classes of the primary school in Slovenj Gradec (1934-1939) he became a student of a real-gymnasium (special type of a classical secondary school) in Maribor (1939-1941). During German occupation, first, he visited the third and the fourth class of Hauptschule in Slovenj Gradec, and then the fifth and the sixth class of the Tegetthoff Gymnasium in Maribor. The schooling in the German gymnasium was decisive for his later professional and value orientation. Majority of the teachers of the gymnasium held the doctor of science degree, and did excellent teaching in German, English, mathematics, and also in Latin.
In May, 1945, he was called in the State Security Troops of the National Liberation Army, serving as a soldier up to February, 1946. The experience in this service helped him develop a strong pro-human stand, based on realizing the most perverted human values, especially the cynicism of the then leading communists.
In 1946, he finished the so-called nostrification exams for the gymnasium classes three to six. Afterwards he decided to study classes seven, eight, and gymnasium leaving exam (matura in Slovenian language) on a private basis. In 1948, he finally passed the exams and matura.
In 1948, he became a student of the Technical Faculty of the University in Ljubljana and, later, of the Electronic Department (altogether 10 semesters). His distinguished teachers at that time were J. Plemelj (mathematics), A. Peterlin (physics), and V. Koželj (theoretical electro engineering). He defended his diploma work in 1956, entitled "Magnetostrictive memory loop", being a part of the amplitude analyzer.
From 1955 to 1980 he was employed at Jozef Stefan Institute, in the Electronics Department. His work was oriented into the then emerging digital engineering using vacuum tubes and transistors. On this path he became aware of the significance of the modern technology, proceeding deeply into the sophisticated computer and software engineering and research. Within this period, he received his M. Sc and Ph. D in Electrical Engineering from the University of Ljubljana in 1966 and 1967, respectively. From 1961 to 1978 he served as the head of the Digital Engineering Department and from 1968 to 1978 also as a head of Electronics division of Josef Stefan Institute. In 1968, he became the assistant professor and in 1972 the associated professor at the University of Ljubljana.
In 1980 he moved to a fast growing Slovenian company Iskra-Delta Computers where he stayed until his retirement in 1990. Within the company he held the position of the head of Microcomputer lab between the years 1980 and 1982. In 1982 he was promoted to a position of the advisor of the general manager of Iskra-Delta Computers and a member of the research and development strategy board of Iskra Corporation where he stayed until the end of his work career.
In his long and fruitful scientific career he published over 100 scientific and research papers in four languages and 2 books. Most of his life was devoted to the research of the informational theory, including philosophy of the informational, theory of informational phenomenalism, informational machines and informational operating systems, informational investigations in literature, media, communication by theory and machines, informational theory of consciousness and informational entity programming.
Prof. Železnikar was awarded many times for his work from the National science foundation and from different professional associations from ex-Yugoslavia between the years 1968 - 1990. He is a member of New York academy of science, International academy of science San Marino, Cybernetic Academy vvStefan Odobleja'', Lugano and International Association for Cybernetics, Belgium.
In 1971, he co-organized and was the program committee member of the IFIP '71 Congress in Ljubljana, one of the biggest congresses in the area of electrical and computer science organized ever in ex-Yugoslavia.
In the prime of his life, Prof. Železnikar is still following the progress in information sciences and continues his work. We wish him a happy anniversary and plenty more years among us.
Niko Schlamberger, president of the Slovenian society Informatika