Editing Andrew Tridgell

{{Short description|Australian computer programmer}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Andrew Tridgell
| honorific_suffix   = [[Medal of the Order of Australia|OAM]]
| image              = Andrew Tridgell.jpg
| caption            = Tridgell in 2006
| birth_date         = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1967|02|28}}
| birth_place        = [[Sydney]], Australia
| occupation         = Programmer
| known_for          = [[rsync]], [[Samba software|Samba]], [[rzip]], [[ccache]], [[ArduPilot]]
| nationality        = Australian
| employer           = 
| other_names        = Tridge
}}
'''Andrew''' "'''Tridge'''" '''Tridgell''' {{post-nominals|country=AUS|OAM}} (born 28 February 1967) is an Australian [[computer programmer]].  He is the author of and a contributor to the [[Samba (software)|Samba]] [[file server]], and co-inventor of the [[rsync]] algorithm.

He has analysed complex [[proprietary protocol]]s and algorithms, to allow compatible [[free and open source software]] implementations.

==Projects==
Tridgell was a major developer of the Samba software, analyzing the [[Server Message Block]] protocol used for [[Workgroup (computer networking)|workgroup]] and network file sharing by [[Microsoft Windows]] products. He developed the [https://talloc.samba.org/talloc/doc/html/index.html {{not a typo|talloc}}] hierarchical memory allocator, originally as part of Samba.

For his PhD dissertation, he co-developed [[rsync]], including the rsync algorithm, a highly efficient [[file transfer]] and [[File synchronization|synchronisation]] tool. He was also the original author of [[rzip]], which uses a similar algorithm to rsync. He developed spamsum,{{clarify|and what would that be?|date=June 2016}} based on [[locality-sensitive hashing]] algorithms.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Jesse Kornblum|title=Identifying almost identical files using context triggered piecewise hashing|url=http://dfrws.org/2006/proceedings/12-Kornblum.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://dfrws.org/2006/proceedings/12-Kornblum.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live|journal=DFRWS|year=2006|access-date=23 February 2014}}</ref>

He is the author of [[KnightCap]], a [[reinforcement learning|reinforcement-learning]] based [[chess engine]].

Tridgell was also a leader in [[Hacker (hobbyist)|hacking]] the [[TiVo]] to make it work in Australia, which uses the [[PAL]] video format.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.samba.org/~tridge/tivo-ethernet/ |title=TiVo Ethernet |first=Andrew |last=Tridgell |access-date=17 August 2012 |archive-date=14 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120114183142/http://www.samba.org/~tridge/tivo-ethernet/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In April 2005, Tridgell tried to produce free software (now known as [[SourcePuller]]) that interoperated with the [[BitKeeper]] source code repository. This was cited as the reason that BitMover revoked a license allowing [[Linux]] developers free use of their BitKeeper product.<ref>[https://lwn.net/Articles/169178/ git [LWN.net&#93;<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> [[Linus Torvalds]], the creator of the Linux kernel, and Tridgell were thus involved in a public debate about the events, in which Tridgell stated that, not having bought or owned BitKeeper – and thus having never agreed to its license – he could not violate it, and was analyzing the protocol ethically, as he had done with Samba. Tridgell's involvement in the project resulted in Torvalds accusing him of playing dirty tricks with BitKeeper.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/04/14/torvalds_attacks_tridgell/ |title=Torvalds knifes Tridgell: Kernel source row turns nasty |first= Andrew |last=Orlowski |date=14 April 2005 |work=[[The Register]]}}</ref> Tridgell claimed his analysis started with simply [[telnet]]ing to a BitKeeper server and typing <code>help</code>.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.groklaw.net/articlebasic.php?story=20050421023821174 |title=Groklaw – Tridge Speaks<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=5 September 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110527150705/http://www.groklaw.net/articlebasic.php?story=20050421023821174 |archive-date=27 May 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2011 Tridgell became involved with the software development of ArduPilot Mega,<ref>[http://diydrones.com/profile/AndrewTridgell Andrew Tridgell's Page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414011835/http://diydrones.com/profile/AndrewTridgell |date=14 April 2012 }}. DIY Drones. Retrieved on 19 September 2013.</ref> an open source Arduino-based UAV controller board, working on an entry with CanberraUAV<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-12-03 |title=CanberraUAV – Open Source Civilian UAV Development |url=http://www.canberrauav.com/ |access-date=2024-03-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181203100833/http://www.canberrauav.com/ |archive-date=3 December 2018 }}</ref> for the [[UAV Outback Challenge|UAV Challenge Outback Rescue]].<ref>[http://www.uavoutbackchallenge.com.au/ UAV Challenge – Outback Rescue 2013 – Home] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210145124/http://www.uavoutbackchallenge.com.au/ |date=10 February 2012 }}. Retrieved on 19 September 2013.</ref>

==Academic achievements==
Tridgell completed a PhD at the Computer Sciences Laboratory of the [[Australian National University]]. His original doctorate work was in the area of [[speech recognition]] but was never completed. His submitted dissertation 'Efficient Algorithms for Sorting and Synchronization' was based on his work on the [[rsync]] algorithm.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.genealogy.math.ndsu.nodak.edu/id.php?id=59310|title=Andrew Tridgell - The Mathematics Genealogy Project|website=www.genealogy.math.ndsu.nodak.edu|access-date=2017-12-11}}</ref>

==Awards and honours==
* In October 2003, [[The Bulletin (Australian periodical)|The Bulletin]] magazine judged Tridgell to be Australia's smartest [[Information and Communications Technology]] person.<ref>[http://sites.ninemsn.com.au/smart100/default.asp The Bulletin Smart 100<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070318022419/http://sites.ninemsn.com.au/smart100/default.asp |date=18 March 2007 }}</ref><ref>[http://bulletin.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=135066 The Bulletin publishes for the last time<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070509095038/http://bulletin.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=135066 |date=9 May 2007 }}</ref>
* In July 2008, Tridgell was named "Best Interoperator" at the [[Google–O'Reilly Open Source Awards]], for his work on [[Samba (software)|Samba]] and [[rsync]].<ref>[http://google-opensource.blogspot.com/2008/07/and-winners-of-2008-google-oreilly-open.html Google Open Source Blog: ... and the winners of the 2008 Google-O'Reilly Open Source Awards are<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
*Tridgell (along with [[Jeremy Allison]] and Volker Lendecke) has been called a "[[guru]] in its traditional Indian meaning" by IT writer, Sam Varghese.<ref>[http://www.itwire.com/opinion-and-analysis/open-sauce/15896-foss-folk-who-make-us-proud FOSS folk who make us proud], Sam Varghese, [[iTWire]], 2007-12-25, accessed 27 September 2009</ref>
* On 11 December 2018, Tridgell was awarded the degree of Doctor of Science ([[Honoris Causa]]) by the Australian National University, for authoring Samba, co-inventing rsync; and contributions to free and open source software.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://livestream.com/reedgrad/111218AN2/videos/184628443|title=ANU Graduation Ceremony 1 - from ANU Graduation Ceremony 2|website=Livestream|access-date=2018-12-11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.anu.edu.au/news/all-news/honorary-degree-dr-andrew-tridgell|title=ANU Honorary degree: Dr Andrew Tridgell|date=13 December 2018}}</ref>
* On 26 January 2020, Tridgell was awarded the Medal (OAM) of the [[Order of Australia]] in the General Division for service to Information Technology. The biographical notes for the award noted his contributions to software development and education including his work on [[rsync]], [[Samba (software)|Samba]], [[ArduPilot]], MAVProxy as well as teaching at the [[Australian National University]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gg.gov.au/australian-honours-and-awardsaustralian-honours-lists/australia-day-2020-honours-list|title=Australia Day 2020 Honours List}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Free and open-source software}}
* [http://www.samba.org/~tridge/ Andrew Tridgell's website], [https://tridgell.net/tridge/ Newer Personal Website]
* [https://github.com/tridge/junkcode Andrew Tridgell's "Junk Code" collection]
* [http://samba.org/~tridge/phd_thesis.pdf Efficient Algorithms for Sorting and Synchronization (PhD thesis)] – (406kB PDF)
* [http://www.itwire.com/opinion-and-analysis/open-sauce/22773-lca2009-active-directory-in-samba-4-an-old-story Active Directory in Samba 4 'an old story']
* [http://www.itwire.com/opinion-and-analysis/open-sauce/15896-foss-folk-who-make-us-proud FOSS folk who make us proud]
* [http://news.swpat.org/2010/03/transcript-tridgell-patents/ Patent Defence for Free Software], January 2010 presentation transcript

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Tridgell, Andrew}}
[[Category:Australian computer programmers]]
[[Category:Free software programmers]]
[[Category:IBM employees]]
[[Category:1967 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from the Australian Capital Territory]]
[[Category:University of Sydney alumni]]
[[Category:Australian National University alumni]]
[[Category:Geeknet]]
[[Category:People educated at Barker College]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia]]