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10 Tech Pioneers: Where Are They Now?

pcworld.com — These former technology luminaries have all taken different paths. How different? One's a country doctor, one's a budding movie mogul, and one teaches toddlers--and he's not even alive. Once you get past Bill Gates, Michael Dell, and Steve Jobs (part deux), the list gets pretty thin mighty fast.

Who dugg this? Made popular Nov 22, 2007

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  • Sonizel, on 11/22/2007, -0/+22funny thing is that i didn't even read the paragraph of Marc Collins-Rector to see he liked to touch boys. The picture says it all
  • saleem, on 11/22/2007, -0/+20all on one page http://www.pcworld.com/printable/article/id,139726 ...
  • AlanCayce, on 11/22/2007, -1/+11"Only a few of the names are the "big names" in the industry."

    What else did you expect from the article?? Did you not read the description?
    "Once you get past Bill Gates, Michael Dell, and Steve Jobs (part deux), the list gets pretty thin mighty fast."

  • basilbub, on 11/22/2007, -0/+8He has the "pedo-smile."

    Rather disturbing, I must say.
  • Spamcan, on 11/22/2007, -1/+8The sock puppet from pets.com is a pioneer in the field of ***** internet corporate mascots but should that really count?
  • funkytommyman, on 11/22/2007, -0/+6thank you. why websites must divide their articles into these many pages when presenting a list is beyond me
  • itatter, on 11/22/2007, -1/+6"In April 1976, Wayne asked the Steves to buy out his 10 percent share in Apple for $800."
    ouch. watching your one company go down and then missing out on the other's (eventual) explosion must be ***** awful to stomache
  • freakgd, on 11/22/2007, -1/+6Wack.
  • itatter, on 11/22/2007, -0/+3and even Steve Jobs' had some troubles until fairly recently -- getting the boot from Apple early on, and the mediocre performing NeXT startup -- but then bounced back pretty goddamn ridiculously
  • Firebrand143, on 11/22/2007, -0/+3am I the only one who read "one teaches toddlers--and he's not even alive" and thought "wait a minute... is there something i don't know about gary kildall?"

    talk about one of the unsung (among many) quote-unquote tech pioneers....
  • basilbub, on 11/22/2007, -0/+2epic fail.
  • wedgemartin, on 11/22/2007, -0/+2You obviously have no idea what goes into search technology.
  • Ajjah, on 11/22/2007, -2/+4The article was interesting enough that I did not mind that it was on more than one page.
  • mike4410, on 11/22/2007, -0/+2The list is thought provoking. There are so many that could be added. How about all the pioneers at Xerox's PARC.
    Anyone ever read Michael Hiltzik's book "Dealers of Lightning?" -one of the best books ever!
  • wedgemartin, on 11/23/2007, -0/+2Sorry. that comment came off with the tact of an opinionated 12 year old.
  • flessa, on 11/22/2007, -0/+2Only a couple on there are real tech pioneers, and thats including the pedophile. All I know is, he'd love the internet now.
  • itsameericle, on 11/22/2007, -1/+3I literally thought to myself, "This guy has that creepy sexual predator look...Then again, maybe I'm just prejudiced."

    Sadly, it's eerily predictable.
  • faithfreedom, on 11/22/2007, -0/+1My brother works at Zim, Mike Copeland's company. The company is so tiny and he got paid so cheap. Mike Copeland is done, I assure you.
  • TheKappa, on 11/28/2007, -0/+1ALL of these guys look like serial killers... ALL OF THEM.
  • inactive, on 11/22/2007, -0/+1Yay blink182 and greenday!!!
    Not, ***** off.
  • inactive, on 11/22/2007, -0/+1In 1976 they had pet rocks to play with, now we have Second Life!!! How things have improved... Oh wait, nevermind...
  • Sonizel, on 11/22/2007, -0/+1ya Sabeer Bhatia and Andy Hertzfeld should be on that list instead of the pets.com mascot
  • desibabu, on 11/22/2007, -0/+1Sabeer Bhatia should have been on that list!
  • WhoDoneIt, on 11/22/2007, -0/+1I sure hope you're joking. $800 dollars then is probably only a few grand now. Far cry from a million, that's for sure.
  • computergod, on 11/22/2007, -0/+1To show more ads, but this problem can be solved with a plugin called repagination that combines all of the pages into one:
    https://addons.mozilla.org/ja/firefox/addon/2099
  • shotgunefx, on 11/22/2007, -0/+1I thought for sure just by the title he would be on the list.

    For those unfamiliar, I'll quote his wikipedia entry.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Kildall
    * Introduction of operating systems with preemptive multitasking and windowing capabilities and menu-driven user interfaces.
    * Creation of the first diskette track buffering schemes, read-ahead algorithms, file directory caches, and RAM disk emulators.
    * Introduction of a binary recompiler in the 1980s.
    * The first programming language and first compiler specifically for microprocessors.
    * The first microprocessor disk operating system, which eventually sold a quarter of a million copies.
    * The first computer interface for video disks to allow automatic nonlinear playback, presaging today's interactive multimedia.
    * The file system and data structures for the first consumer CD-ROM.
    * The first successful open system architecture by segregating system-specific hardware interfaces in a set of BIOS routines, making the whole third-party software industry possible.

    And generally known for being a nice guy.
  • inactive, on 11/22/2007, -0/+1Hayes is a nobody? I assume you have used a computer before?
  • nirvaorg, on 11/22/2007, -0/+1f*ing pages again..
  • iamsocruel, on 11/22/2007, -0/+1really quite boring, i'm dissapointed
  • wedgemartin, on 11/22/2007, -0/+1Ok. The founder of Micromuse belongs on this list. His story is way more interesting:
    http://www.theregister.co.uk/1999/03/22/micromuse_ ...
    If you're going to go out in flames, do it in a McLaren F1.
  • pinchduck, on 11/22/2007, -1/+1Maybe I'm showing my age, but no one who founded a .com qualifies as a tech pioneer, in my book. The Altair guy or the Hayes modem guy? Sure, absolutely. They invented items or had a game-changing innovation. Pets.com? Give me a break.
  • BoneheadFarker, on 11/22/2007, -0/+0Ok, that makes me feel a little better. In the summer of 2000 after I graduated college, I had an interview and a job offer from Zim. But seeing how much Zim was hated by everyone in my class since that was the only database software we had, even though I was very good with using it, I turned the job down. I didn't want to get stuck working at a failing database company in a different city, especially one I'd get called down for by all my friends. Instead, it took me another 3 months to find a job working at a crappy insurance company doing RPG. Still kinda kicking myself for not taking the Zim job though...that looks likes some cool technology...
  • drlloyd11, on 11/22/2007, -6/+1Aside from Ed Roberts..a completely forgettable bunch of posers and nobodies
  • supertones, on 11/22/2007, -8/+1Notice we don't need to worry about where the open source guys went, considering most, like Linus Torvalds, keep contributing.
  • kalleanka, on 11/22/2007, -16/+8This list is retarded. Half the names you have never ever heard of.
    Only a few of the names are the "big names" in the industry.

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