Miguel de Icaza

Date of Birth: November 23, 1972

Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius

Biography

Miguel de Icaza is a renowned Mexican software developer and advocate for free software, known for his pivotal role in the development of various open-source projects. Born in Mexico City, he co-founded the GNOME project in 1997, which aimed to create a free and user-friendly desktop environment for Unix-like operating systems. He later co-founded Ximian (originally called Helix Code), a company dedicated to developing and supporting GNOME software. De Icaza is also famous for his work on Mono, an open-source implementation of Microsoft’s .NET Framework. This project aimed to enable developers to build cross-platform applications. His contributions have significantly impacted the open-source community, earning him several accolades, including the Free Software Foundation Award for the Advancement of Free Software in 1999. In addition to his technical work, de Icaza has been a vocal advocate for open standards and software freedom. He has held leadership roles at various tech companies, including Xamarin, which was acquired by Microsoft in 2016. His career reflects a deep commitment to enhancing software accessibility and functionality across diverse platforms.

5 Interesting Facts about Miguel de Icaza

1. Miguel de Icaza co-founded GNOME, one of the most popular desktop environments for Linux.

2. He was awarded the Free Software Foundation Award for the Advancement of Free Software in 1999.

3. De Icaza played a significant role in the development of Mono, an open-source implementation of Microsoft’s .NET Framework.

4. His company Xamarin was acquired by Microsoft in 2016.

5. He has been a vocal advocate for open standards and software freedom throughout his career.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Miguel de Icaza

1. “The beauty of open-source is that you can fix it yourself if you don’t like it.”

2. “I am a huge believer in the power of open standards to drive innovation.”

3. “Software is a medium of human progress and should be accessible to all.”

4. “We started GNOME because we wanted to create a free and open desktop environment that anyone could use.”

5. “Cross-platform development is essential for the future of software.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

The highest net worth achieved by Miguel de Icaza is estimated to be around $15 million, largely due to the acquisition of Xamarin by Microsoft.

Children

Miguel de Icaza is married to Maria Laura de Icaza, and they have two children. Their family life is kept relatively private, but de Icaza often mentions the importance of balancing work and family.