Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Content deleted Content added
change link
Tags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit Advanced mobile edit
 
(33 intermediate revisions by 25 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|Icelandic businessman}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner
| name = Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner
| image = Jon von Tetzchner in June 2015, Magnolia (Massachusetts, USA).jpg
| image = Jon S. von Tetzchner photo.jpg
| caption = Tetzchner in June 2015
| caption = Tetzchner in front of logos of the [[Vivaldi (browser)|Vivaldi browser]]
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1967|8|29}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1967|8|29}}
| birth_place = [[Reykjavík]], [[Iceland]]
| birth_place = [[Reykjavík]], [[Iceland]]
| death_place =
| death_place =
| occupation = Co-Founder & CEO of Vivaldi Technologies, Entrepreneur
| occupation = Co-Founder & CEO of Vivaldi Technologies, Entrepreneur
}}
}}


'''Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner''' (in Icelandic: Jón, born 29 August 1967 in [[Reykjavík]]) is a [[Norway|Norwegian]]-[[Iceland]]ic [[programmer]] and businessman. He is the co-founder and CEO of [[Vivaldi Technologies]]. Before starting the Vivaldi Web browser, he launched a [[Virtual community|community site]] called Vivaldi.net. Tetzchner is also a co-founder and the former CEO of [[Opera Software]].
'''Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner''' (Icelandic: Jón; born 29 August 1967 in [[Reykjavík]]) is an [[Iceland]]ic-[[Norway|Norwegian]] [[programmer]] and businessman. He is the co-founder and CEO of [[Vivaldi Technologies]]. Before starting the Vivaldi Web browser, he launched a [[Virtual community|community site]] called Vivaldi.net. Tetzchner is also a co-founder and the former CEO of [[Opera Software]].


== Early life ==
== Early life ==
Jon Stephenson von [[Tetzchner]] is the son of the Icelander Elsa Jónsdóttir and the Norwegian Stephen von Tetzchner, a professor of psychology. Tetzchner grew up around Skólabraut in the [[Reykjavík]] suburb of [[Seltjarnarnes]] with his grandparents, the doctor Jón Gunnlaugsson and Selma Kaldalóns, the daughter of the doctor and composer Sigvaldi Kaldalóns. Tetzchner went to secondary school at the [[Menntaskólinn í Reykjavík]] before continuing his studies in Norway, where he made his career.<ref>Jón G. Hauksson, ''Björgólfur Thor og Jón Tetzchner: Íslendingar eiga tvo leiðtoga í 237 manna hópi „Ungra leiðtoga" sem taka þátt í verkefninu Forum of Young Global Leaders'', ''Frjáls verslun'', 67.1 (2005), 16--22 (p. 17); {{ISSN|1017-3544}}.</ref>
Jon Stephenson von [[Tetzchner]] is the son of the Icelander Elsa Jónsdóttir and the Norwegian Stephen von Tetzchner, a professor of psychology (and the brother of politician [[Michael Tetzschner]]). Jon Stephenson grew up around Skólabraut in the [[Reykjavík]] suburb of [[Seltjarnarnes]] with his grandparents, the doctor Jón Gunnlaugsson and Selma Kaldalóns, the daughter of the doctor and composer [[Sigvaldi Kaldalóns]]. Tetzchner went to secondary school at the [[Menntaskólinn í Reykjavík]] before continuing his studies in Norway, where he made his career.<ref>Jón G. Hauksson, ''Björgólfur Thor og Jón Tetzchner: Íslendingar eiga tvo leiðtoga í 237 manna hópi "Ungra leiðtoga" sem taka þátt í verkefninu Forum of Young Global Leaders'', ''Frjáls verslun'', 67.1 (2005), 16–22 (p. 17); {{ISSN|1017-3544}}.</ref>


Tetzchner holds a master's degree in computer science from the [[University of Oslo]].<ref name="about">{{cite web |url=http://www.opera.com/company/executive/ |title=About Opera, Executive team |accessdate=25 July 2014 |publisher=Opera Software |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081214142807/http://www.opera.com/company/executive/ |archivedate=14 December 2008}}</ref>
Tetzchner holds a master's degree in computer science from the [[University of Oslo]].<ref name="about">{{cite web |url=http://www.opera.com/company/executive/ |title=About Opera, Executive team |accessdate=25 July 2014 |publisher=Opera Software |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081214142807/http://www.opera.com/company/executive/ |archivedate=14 December 2008}}</ref>


== Opera Software ==
== Opera Software ==
Tetzchner worked at the [[Norway|Norwegian]] state phone company (now known as [[Telenor]]) from 1991 to 1995.<ref name="about"/> There, he and [[Geir Ivarsøy]] developed browsing software called MultiTorg Opera. The project was abandoned by Telenor, but Ivarsøy and von Tetzchner obtained the rights to the software, formed a company named Opera Software in 1995 and continued working on the [[Opera (web browser)|Opera browser]].<ref name="about"/>
Tetzchner worked at the [[Norway|Norwegian]] state phone company (now known as [[Telenor]]) from 1991 to 1995.<ref name="about"/> There, he and [[Geir Ivarsøy]] developed browsing software called MultiTorg Opera. The project was abandoned by Telenor, but Ivarsøy and von Tetzchner obtained the rights to the software, formed a company named [[Opera Software ASA|Opera Software]] in 1995 and continued working on the [[Opera (web browser)|Opera browser]].<ref name="about"/> In 1996 it was offered for sale to the public.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kwJ6DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA301|page=301|title=The SAGE Handbook of Web History|editor-last1=Brügger|editor-first1=Niels|editor-last2=Milligan|editor-first2=Ian|publisher=SAGE|year=2018|isbn=978-1-4739-8005-1}}</ref>


On 21 April 2005, Tetzchner proclaimed at an internal meeting of Opera Software that if the download numbers of the browser's new version Opera 8 reached one million within four days, he would swim across the [[Atlantic Ocean]] from Norway to the [[United States]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.operasoftware.com/press/releases/desktop/the-one-million-download-challenge-of-opera-8-opera-s-ceo-will-swim-from-norway-to-the-usa |title=The one million download challenge of Opera 8: Opera's CEO will swim from Norway to the USA |accessdate=25 July 2014 |date=21 April 2005 |publisher=Opera Software}}</ref> Two days later, on the 23rd, the downloads reached 1,050,000 and Tetzchner had to fulfill his challenge.<ref name="geek">{{cite web |url=http://www.geek.com/news/opera-ceo-fulfills-download-challenge-sort-of-559773/ |title=Opera CEO fulfills Download Challenge … sort of |accessdate=25 July 2014 |date=27 April 2005 |publisher=Geek.com |last=Osborne |first=Brian}}</ref> The Opera site covered the swim and his quick failure.<ref name="geek"/>
On 21 April 2005, Tetzchner proclaimed at an internal meeting of Opera Software that if the download numbers of the browser's new version [[Opera Software|Opera]] 8 reached one million within four days, he would swim across the [[Atlantic Ocean]] from Norway to the [[United States]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.operasoftware.com/press/releases/desktop/the-one-million-download-challenge-of-opera-8-opera-s-ceo-will-swim-from-norway-to-the-usa |title=The one million download challenge of Opera 8: Opera's CEO will swim from Norway to the USA |accessdate=25 July 2014 |date=21 April 2005 |publisher=Opera Software}}</ref> Two days later, on the 23rd, the downloads reached 1,050,000 and Tetzchner had to fulfill his challenge.<ref name="geek">{{cite web |url=http://www.geek.com/news/opera-ceo-fulfills-download-challenge-sort-of-559773/ |title=Opera CEO fulfills Download Challenge … sort of |accessdate=25 July 2014 |date=27 April 2005 |website=[[Geek.com]] |last=Osborne |first=Brian |archive-date=10 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140810175435/http://www.geek.com/news/opera-ceo-fulfills-download-challenge-sort-of-559773/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Opera site covered the swim and his quick failure.<ref name="geek"/><ref>{{cite web |title=THE 1 MILLION DOWNLOAD CHALLENGE |url=http://opera.com/swim/ |website=Opera Web Browser |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050428012730/http://opera.com/swim/ |archive-date=28 April 2005 |date=26 April 2005}}</ref>


Under his leadership, Jon took Opera into a global company with more than 750 employees in 13 countries. Opera was an early pioneer in mobile web browser and more than 350 million people use Opera to enjoy the web on their own terms.{{buzzword inline|date=January 2019}}
Under his leadership, Jon turned [[Otello Corporation|Opera]] into a global company with more than 750 employees in 13 countries. Opera was an early pioneer in mobile web browser and more than 350 million people use Opera.


In January 2010, Tetzchner stepped down as Chief Executive Officer of Opera Software, but he continued to serve Opera as a strategic adviser.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.operasoftware.com/press/releases/general/opera-appoints-lars-boilesen-new-chief-executive-officer |title=Opera appoints Lars Boilesen new Chief Executive Officer |accessdate=25 July 2014 |date=5 January 2010 |publisher=Opera Software}}</ref>
In January 2010, Tetzchner stepped down as Chief Executive Officer of [[Opera Software ASA|Opera Software]], but he continued to serve Opera as a strategic adviser.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://press.opera.com/2010/01/05/opera-appoints-lars-boilesen-new-chief-executive-officer/|title=Opera appoints Lars Boilesen new Chief Executive Officer |accessdate=25 July 2014 |date=5 January 2010 |publisher=Opera Software}}</ref>


In June 2011, Tetzchner announced that he was leaving Opera Software.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.operasoftware.com/press/releases/general/jon-s.-von-tetzchner-is-leaving-opera-software |title=Jon S. von Tetzchner is leaving Opera Software |accessdate=25 July 2014 |date=24 June 2011 |publisher=Opera Software}}</ref>
In June 2011, Tetzchner announced that he was leaving [[Opera Software ASA|Opera Software]] over disagreements with management.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2081824/opera-founder-resigns-disagreements|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190616161838/https://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2081824/opera-founder-resigns-disagreements|url-status=unfit|archive-date=16 June 2019|title=Opera co-founder resigns over disagreements|last=Wilson|first=Dean|website=[[The Inquirer]]|date=27 June 2011|access-date=3 December 2019}}</ref>


== Vivaldi Technologies ==
== Vivaldi Technologies ==
{{Main|Vivaldi Technologies}}
{{Advert section|date=January 2019}}
In December 2013, Tetzchner founded the company [[Vivaldi Technologies]] and launched the [[online community]] site vivaldi.net, which includes a forum, blogs, chat, photo sharing and a free email service named Vivaldi Mail.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://techcrunch.com/2014/01/23/operas-former-ceo-launches-vivaldi-a-new-community-site-and-email-service/ |title=Opera’s Former CEO Launches Vivaldi, A New Community Site And Email Service |last=Lardinois |first=Frederic |accessdate=25 July 2014 |date=23 January 2014 |publisher=Techcrunch.com}}</ref>
In December 2013, Tetzchner founded the company [[Vivaldi Technologies]] and launched the [[online community]] site vivaldi.net, which includes a forum, blogs, chat, photo sharing and a free email service named [https://webmail.vivaldi.net Vivaldi Mail].<ref name="Lardinois">{{cite web |url=https://techcrunch.com/2014/01/23/operas-former-ceo-launches-vivaldi-a-new-community-site-and-email-service/ |title=Opera’s Former CEO Launches Vivaldi, A New Community Site And Email Service |last=Lardinois |first=Frederic |accessdate=25 July 2014 |date=23 January 2014 |website=[[TechCrunch]]}}</ref>


On 27 January 2015, Vivaldi Technologies announced the release of its new web browser [[Vivaldi (web browser)|Vivaldi]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/06/us-internet-vivaldi-idUSKBN0LA1JH20150206 |title=Vivaldi browser hits 500,000 downloads in first 10 days |work=[[Reuters]] |date=February 6, 2015 |last=Dagenborg |first=Joachim |accessdate=May 2, 2015 |location=Oslo, Norway |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150208202934/https://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/06/us-internet-vivaldi-idUSKBN0LA1JH20150206 |archivedate=8 February 2015 |deadurl=no}}</ref> Its 1.0 version came out in April 2016. Jon von Tetzchner and his team are making a personal and a feature-rich browser that takes into consideration the needs of every user. Vivaldi is self-funded and aims to be this way where the employees hold equity.
On 27 January 2015, Vivaldi Technologies announced the release of its new web browser [[Vivaldi (web browser)|Vivaldi]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-internet-vivaldi-idUSKBN0LA1JH20150206 |title=Vivaldi browser hits 500,000 downloads in first 10 days |work=[[Reuters]] |date=6 February 2015 |last=Dagenborg |first=Joachim |accessdate=2 May 2015 |location=Oslo, Norway |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150208202934/https://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/06/us-internet-vivaldi-idUSKBN0LA1JH20150206 |archivedate=8 February 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/ex-opera-ceo-launches-new-browser-vivaldi/|title=Ex-Opera CEO composes Vivaldi, a new Web browser|last=Shankland|first=Stephen|website=[[CNET]]|date=27 January 2015|access-date=2 December 2019}}</ref> Its 1.0 version came out in April 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/vivaldi-launches-customisable-browser-for-demanding-web-users/|title=Vivaldi launches customisable browser for demanding web users|last=Palmer|first=Danny|website=[[ZDNet]]|date=6 April 2016|access-date=3 December 2019}}</ref> Vivaldi is self-funded.<ref name="Lardinois"/>


== References ==
== References ==
Line 40: Line 41:
{{wikinews|Jon S. von Tetzchner, CEO for Opera speaks against DotMobi}}
{{wikinews|Jon S. von Tetzchner, CEO for Opera speaks against DotMobi}}
* {{LinkedIn page}}
* {{LinkedIn page}}
* [https://vivaldi.net/unity/profile/jon/6-blog Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner's blog at Vivaldi.net]
* [https://vivaldi.com/author/jonvt/ Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner's blog at Vivaldi]


{{OperaBrowser}}
{{OperaBrowser}}
Line 48: Line 49:
[[Category:1967 births]]
[[Category:1967 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Icelandic businesspeople]]
[[Category:21st-century Icelandic businesspeople]]
[[Category:Opera Software employees]]
[[Category:Opera Software employees]]
[[Category:Vivaldi (web browser)]]
[[Category:Icelandic people of Norwegian descent]]
[[Category:Icelandic people of Norwegian descent]]
[[Category:Norwegian people of German descent|von]]

Latest revision as of 16:50, 26 January 2024

Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner
Tetzchner in front of logos of the Vivaldi browser
Born (1967-08-29) 29 August 1967 (age 56)
Occupation(s)Co-Founder & CEO of Vivaldi Technologies, Entrepreneur

Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner (Icelandic: Jón; born 29 August 1967 in Reykjavík) is an Icelandic-Norwegian programmer and businessman. He is the co-founder and CEO of Vivaldi Technologies. Before starting the Vivaldi Web browser, he launched a community site called Vivaldi.net. Tetzchner is also a co-founder and the former CEO of Opera Software.

Early life[edit]

Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner is the son of the Icelander Elsa Jónsdóttir and the Norwegian Stephen von Tetzchner, a professor of psychology (and the brother of politician Michael Tetzschner). Jon Stephenson grew up around Skólabraut in the Reykjavík suburb of Seltjarnarnes with his grandparents, the doctor Jón Gunnlaugsson and Selma Kaldalóns, the daughter of the doctor and composer Sigvaldi Kaldalóns. Tetzchner went to secondary school at the Menntaskólinn í Reykjavík before continuing his studies in Norway, where he made his career.[1]

Tetzchner holds a master's degree in computer science from the University of Oslo.[2]

Opera Software[edit]

Tetzchner worked at the Norwegian state phone company (now known as Telenor) from 1991 to 1995.[2] There, he and Geir Ivarsøy developed browsing software called MultiTorg Opera. The project was abandoned by Telenor, but Ivarsøy and von Tetzchner obtained the rights to the software, formed a company named Opera Software in 1995 and continued working on the Opera browser.[2] In 1996 it was offered for sale to the public.[3]

On 21 April 2005, Tetzchner proclaimed at an internal meeting of Opera Software that if the download numbers of the browser's new version Opera 8 reached one million within four days, he would swim across the Atlantic Ocean from Norway to the United States.[4] Two days later, on the 23rd, the downloads reached 1,050,000 and Tetzchner had to fulfill his challenge.[5] The Opera site covered the swim and his quick failure.[5][6]

Under his leadership, Jon turned Opera into a global company with more than 750 employees in 13 countries. Opera was an early pioneer in mobile web browser and more than 350 million people use Opera.

In January 2010, Tetzchner stepped down as Chief Executive Officer of Opera Software, but he continued to serve Opera as a strategic adviser.[7]

In June 2011, Tetzchner announced that he was leaving Opera Software over disagreements with management.[8]

Vivaldi Technologies[edit]

In December 2013, Tetzchner founded the company Vivaldi Technologies and launched the online community site vivaldi.net, which includes a forum, blogs, chat, photo sharing and a free email service named Vivaldi Mail.[9]

On 27 January 2015, Vivaldi Technologies announced the release of its new web browser Vivaldi.[10][11] Its 1.0 version came out in April 2016.[12] Vivaldi is self-funded.[9]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Jón G. Hauksson, Björgólfur Thor og Jón Tetzchner: Íslendingar eiga tvo leiðtoga í 237 manna hópi "Ungra leiðtoga" sem taka þátt í verkefninu Forum of Young Global Leaders, Frjáls verslun, 67.1 (2005), 16–22 (p. 17); ISSN 1017-3544.
  2. ^ a b c "About Opera, Executive team". Opera Software. Archived from the original on 14 December 2008. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  3. ^ Brügger, Niels; Milligan, Ian, eds. (2018). The SAGE Handbook of Web History. SAGE. p. 301. ISBN 978-1-4739-8005-1.
  4. ^ "The one million download challenge of Opera 8: Opera's CEO will swim from Norway to the USA". Opera Software. 21 April 2005. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  5. ^ a b Osborne, Brian (27 April 2005). "Opera CEO fulfills Download Challenge … sort of". Geek.com. Archived from the original on 10 August 2014. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  6. ^ "THE 1 MILLION DOWNLOAD CHALLENGE". Opera Web Browser. 26 April 2005. Archived from the original on 28 April 2005.
  7. ^ "Opera appoints Lars Boilesen new Chief Executive Officer". Opera Software. 5 January 2010. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  8. ^ Wilson, Dean (27 June 2011). "Opera co-founder resigns over disagreements". The Inquirer. Archived from the original on 16 June 2019. Retrieved 3 December 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  9. ^ a b Lardinois, Frederic (23 January 2014). "Opera's Former CEO Launches Vivaldi, A New Community Site And Email Service". TechCrunch. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  10. ^ Dagenborg, Joachim (6 February 2015). "Vivaldi browser hits 500,000 downloads in first 10 days". Reuters. Oslo, Norway. Archived from the original on 8 February 2015. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
  11. ^ Shankland, Stephen (27 January 2015). "Ex-Opera CEO composes Vivaldi, a new Web browser". CNET. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  12. ^ Palmer, Danny (6 April 2016). "Vivaldi launches customisable browser for demanding web users". ZDNet. Retrieved 3 December 2019.

External links[edit]