Kristen Nygaard, 75; Computer Pioneer

Kristen Nygaard, a pioneer in developing the computer programming language that laid the foundation for Java, C++ and others that fueled development of the Internet, has died. He was 75.

Nygaard died Saturday after suffering a heart attack in the Norwegian capital, according to media reports.

The University of Oslo professor was acclaimed internationally for his work in developing the programming language Simula, which formed the basis for MS-DOS and the Internet.

He and his colleague Ole-Johan Dahl, who died in June, were presented the 2001 A.M. Turing Award and other prizes for their role in the invention of object-oriented programming at the Norwegian Computing Center from 1961 to 1967.

The Assn. for Computing Machinery, which awarded the prize, said the work had paved the way for the widely used programming languages Java, C++ and others used in personal computers and home entertainment devices.

The first models of Simula--an abbreviation for simulation language--were for calculators.

Later editions of Simula became the basis for icon-based programming language.

Nygaard also helped spearhead the successful campaign against Norway’s membership in the 15-nation EU.

Part of that work involved holding together a highly divergent group of opponents, including conservative farmers and leftist trade unionists.

Friends and political foes alike gave him credit for the EU opponents’ victory in an October 1994 referendum in which Norwegians voted 53% to 47% against membership.