Bill Atkinson, an engineer who played a key role in the development of the Macintosh and other landmark Apple products, has died of pancreatic cancer.
After Atkinson’s family announced his passing on Facebook, Wired’s Steven Levy provided an overview of Atkinson’s many accomplishments as Apple employee number 51 . In addition to the Macintosh, the Apple projects he either created or contributed to include the Lisa computer, QuickDraw, the Magic Slate (a precursor of the iPad), and HyperCard (a precursor to the World Wide Web).
Atkinson, who was 74, eventually became passionate about nature photography and, when he was diagnosed with cancer last year, wrote on Facebook that he had “already led an amazing and wonderful life.”
In a post on X, Apple CEO Tim Cook described Atkinson as “a true visionary whose creativity, heart, and groundbreaking work on the Mac will forever inspire us.” And Daring Fireball’s John Gruber wrote that “with no hyperbole,” Atkinson “may well have been the best computer programmer who ever lived.”
As people look for ways to make new friends, here are the apps promising to help
In recent years, people have been increasingly looking for new ways to form platonic connections, as loneliness and social isolation...
Zoox issues software recall over lane crossings
Amazon-owned Zoox issued a recall Tuesday over concerns its autonomous driving system caused vehicles to cross over the center lane...
New York Governor Kathy Hochul signs RAISE Act to regulate AI safety
Governor Kathy Hochul has signed the RAISE Act, positioning New York as the second U.S. state to enact major AI...
YouTube will stream the Oscars — exclusively — beginning in 2029
YouTube has won exclusive rights to stream the Oscars starting in 2029, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced...
