Paul Flaherty

Paul Andrew Flaherty (March 14, 1964 – March 16, 2006) was an American computer scientist. He was a renowned specialist in Internet protocols and the inventor of the AltaVista search engine.

For the jazz saxophonist, see Paul Flaherty (musician).
Paul Flaherty
Flaherty in 2005
Born
Paul Andrew Flaherty

(1964-03-14)March 14, 1964
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
DiedMarch 16, 2006(2006-03-16) (aged 42)
Belmont, California, U.S.
Alma mater
Known forAltaVista
Spouse(s)
Natasha Margaret Minenko
​
​
(m. 1991)​

Biography

Flaherty was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He received his Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering and Mathematics from Marquette University, and his Master's Degree and PhD in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University.

He joined Digital Equipment Corporation in 1994 and, as the Associated Press wrote:

Flaherty came up with the idea of indexing Web pages that made the AltaVista search engine one of the most popular Internet search tools in the mid-1990s. Flaherty was working as a research engineer at Digital Equipment Corporation in Palo Alto when he teamed up with two other staff researchers in 1995 to develop AltaVista's technology. The Web site was made public in December 1995 and within weeks was processing several million searches a day. It was spun off from Digital Equipment as a private company in 1999.[1]

He held an amateur radio Extra class license with the call sign N9FZX. Was President, W6YX, Stanford Amateur Radio Club, 1986-1990.

  • Station Engineer, W6YX, Stanford Amateur Radio Club, 1990-1994.
  • Started the VHF+ mailing list in 1989.
  • Married to his Stanford University sweetheart N6YBV (this number refers to her amateur radio call sign).
  • An avid railfan photographer and past Assistant General Manager of the Niles Canyon Railway.
  • Member of the Marquette chapter of Triangle Fraternity as an undergrad, where he served as chapter President. He exercised his duties with honor and was well liked within the fraternity.
  • Member of the Sunnyvale Rod and Gun Club where he enjoyed target shooting and trap shooting.
  • While a grad student drove a 1979 Z28 Camaro with T-tops.

At age 42, Flaherty died of a heart attack at his home in Belmont, California.[2]

References
  1. "Creator of AltaVista Search Engine Dead at 42". NBCNews.com. Associated Press. 24 March 2006.
  2. Markoff, John (24 March 2006). "Paul A. Flaherty, a Developer of Web Indexing, Dies at 42". The New York Times.


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