In 1973 a photo of a Swedish Playboy model was used to create the JPEG image format. Linda Kinstler tracked down Lena Forsen.
Among some computer engineers, Lena is a mythic figure, a mononym on par with Woz or Zuck. Whether or not you know her face, you’ve used the technology it helped create; practically every photo you’ve ever taken, every website you’ve ever visited, every meme you’ve ever shared owes some small debt to Lena. Yet today, as a 67-year-old retiree living in her native Sweden, she remains a little mystified by her own fame.
A fascinating story that I had never heard of before.
Check It Out: This Playboy Model’s Image Was Used to Create the JPEG Format