'''Dr. Walter Gibbs (PhD)''' is a supporting character in ''[[TRON]]''. He is the founder of [[ENCOM]] and a mentor to [[Lora Baines]].
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'''Dr. Walter Gibbs (PhD)''' is a supporting character in ''[[TRON]]''. He is the founder of [[ENCOM]] and mentor of [[Lora Baines]].
==Biography==
==Biography==
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On July 22nd, 1972, Dr. Walter Gibbs (PhD) founded what would later become ENCOM within his own garage. As ENCOM was just beginning, Gibbs had written a prototype "''chess program''"that, with upgrades and modifications added on years later by [[Ed Dillinger]], would eventually evolve and grow uncontrollably into the [[MCP]]. Gibbs also wrote the [[Dumont]] program for handling all communication between [[user]]s and [[program]]s. Despite his status as ENCOM's founder, Walter hadbeen pushed out by Dillinger from any position of authority running the company. Buthe remained with ENCOM working with Lora Baines on the [[digitization]] technology, which suggests that Gibbs was retained as head of ENCOM's research & development division.
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On July 22nd, 1972, Dr. Walter Gibbs (PhD) founded the company that would later become ENCOM within his own garage. As ENCOM was just beginning, Gibbs had written a prototype chess [[program]]which, with upgrades and modifications added on years later by [[Ed Dillinger]], would eventually evolve and grow uncontrollably into the [[MCP]]. Gibbs also wrote a program called [[Dumont]] for handling all communication between [[user]]s and programs. Despite his status as ENCOM's founder, Walter wassidelined from any position of authority by Dillinger, who had taken over running the company. NonethelessGibbs remained with ENCOM, working with Lora Baines on [[digitization]] technology, which suggests that Gibbs was retained as head of ENCOM's research & development division.
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[[File:3867090225_56d6a4e6ed_b.jpg|left|thumb|Walter in the Laser Bay.]]When Dillinger heavily restricted access to the company's computer systems, Gibbs voiced his concerns towards this directive and also towards Dillinger and ENCOM's overdependence on the MCP, and expressed his unhappiness with the directions Dillinger was taking the company. After Dillinger responded with an implied threat to have Gibbs dismissed altogether from ENCOM, Walter retorted back:
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[[File:3867090225_56d6a4e6ed_b.jpg|left|thumb|Walter in the Laser Bay.]]When Dillinger heavily restricted access to the company's computer systems, Gibbs voiced his concerns about this directive and also about Dillinger and ENCOM's overdependence on the MCP, and expressed his unhappiness with the directions Dillinger was taking the company. After Dillinger responded with an implied threat to have Gibbs dismissed altogether from ENCOM, Walter retorted:
: "''That was uncalled for. You know you can remove men like'' [[Alan Bradley|''Alan'']] ''and me from the system, but we helped create it. And our spirit remains in every program we designed for this computer.''"
: "''That was uncalled for. You know you can remove men like'' [[Alan Bradley|''Alan'']] ''and me from the system, but we helped create it. And our spirit remains in every program we designed for this computer.''"
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Walter Gibbs never knew that whathesaidhad become ''almost literally true''. Some of the programs within the computer system had developed into avatars of the very people who wrote them (the [[Dumont]] program being an alter-ego of Gibbs himself). And then what Gibbs had said soon became prophetic for [[Kevin Flynn]], who would be transported entirely into the [[Game Grid]], and would do so again years later in Flynn's own [[TRON system]].
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Gibbs would never know that hisstatementwas almost literally true. Many of the programs within the computer world had developed into avatars of the very people who wrote them (the [[Dumont]] program being an alter-ego of Gibbs himself).
Walter's place at ENCOM, after Dillinger was deposed, is unrevealed. But, as was the case with Alan and Lora, it is extremely likely that newly promoted CEO Flynn also re-promoted Walter Gibbs very generously.
Walter's place at ENCOM, after Dillinger was deposed, is unrevealed. But, as was the case with Alan and Lora, it is extremely likely that newly promoted CEO Flynn also re-promoted Walter Gibbs very generously.
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==Personality==
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Gibbs was a kindly man, enthusiastic about his scientific work and with a paternal sense of responsibility for the company he had founded. He also exhibited wry humor about the role of technology in the daily lives of its users: "Won't that be something; the machines will start thinking and the people will stop!"
On July 22nd, 1972, Dr. Walter Gibbs (PhD) founded the company that would later become ENCOM within his own garage. As ENCOM was just beginning, Gibbs had written a prototype chess program which, with upgrades and modifications added on years later by Ed Dillinger, would eventually evolve and grow uncontrollably into the MCP. Gibbs also wrote a program called Dumont for handling all communication between users and programs. Despite his status as ENCOM's founder, Walter was sidelined from any position of authority by Dillinger, who had taken over running the company. Nonetheless Gibbs remained with ENCOM, working with Lora Baines on digitization technology, which suggests that Gibbs was retained as head of ENCOM's research & development division.
When Dillinger heavily restricted access to the company's computer systems, Gibbs voiced his concerns about this directive and also about Dillinger and ENCOM's overdependence on the MCP, and expressed his unhappiness with the directions Dillinger was taking the company. After Dillinger responded with an implied threat to have Gibbs dismissed altogether from ENCOM, Walter retorted:
"That was uncalled for. You know you can remove men likeAlanand me from the system, but we helped create it. And our spirit remains in every program we designed for this computer."
Gibbs would never know that his statement was almost literally true. Many of the programs within the computer world had developed into avatars of the very people who wrote them (the Dumont program being an alter-ego of Gibbs himself).
Walter's place at ENCOM, after Dillinger was deposed, is unrevealed. But, as was the case with Alan and Lora, it is extremely likely that newly promoted CEO Flynn also re-promoted Walter Gibbs very generously.
Gibbs was a kindly man, enthusiastic about his scientific work and with a paternal sense of responsibility for the company he had founded. He also exhibited wry humor about the role of technology in the daily lives of its users: "Won't that be something; the machines will start thinking and the people will stop!"
Edit
Added by Bob Plissken