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Time of India
08-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Bill Atkinson, engeineer who helped Apple co-founder Steve Jobs create Lisa and Macintosh computers, dies at 74: Read CEO Tim Cook's post
Bill Atkinson , the Apple Computer designer instrumental in creating the graphical user interfaces that made the Lisa and Macintosh computers accessible to millions, has died. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now He was 74. His family confirmed the cause as pancreatic cancer in a Facebook post. He had a close relationship with co-founder during the early 1980s when they worked on the Macintosh. Apple CEO Tim Cook has extended his condolences with a post on X (formerly Twitter). "We are deeply saddened by the passing of Bill Atkinson. He was a true visionary whose creativity, heart, and groundbreaking work on the Mac will forever inspire us. Our thoughts are with his loved ones," Cook said in a post. Bill Atkinson: The brain behind QuickDraw and HyperCard project Atkinson was the programmer behind QuickDraw, a foundational software layer for both the Lisa and Macintosh computers. This library of small programmes efficiently displayed shapes, text and images on screen. Embedded in the computers' hardware, QuickDraw provided the distinctive graphical interface that presented a simulated "desktop" with icons for folders, files, and applications. Atkinson is widely credited with inventing key elements of graphical computing, including "pull-down" menus and the "double-click" gesture, which allowed users to open files and applications simply by clicking a mouse button twice. Before the Macintosh debuted in January 1984, most personal computers were text-based, requiring users to type complex commands. Graphics were not an integrated function, and mouse pointing devices were not common. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now QuickDraw was initially developed for Apple's Lisa computer, launched in January 1983. Though the Lisa offered early easy-to-use features for business users, its high price of $10,000 (nearly $33,000 today) led to its commercial failure. QuickDraw soon became the basis for the Macintosh's successful graphical interface. This approach to computing originated from the "Dynabook" project led by computer scientist Alan Kay at Xerox's Palo Alto Research Center in the 1970s. In 1979, Xerox provided Jobs and a small team, including Atkinson, a private demonstration of Kay's work. Since they could not examine the software code, the Apple engineers made assumptions about the technology, leading to fundamental technical advancements and new capabilities. After the Macintosh's release, Atkinson conceived HyperCard, a programme that wove together text, images and video in a simple database. This software became a significant precursor to the World Wide Web. Atkinson was convinced by Jobs to become 51st team member of Apple Atkinson was pursuing a Ph.D. in neurobiology at the University of Washington when Jobs convinced him to become Apple's 51st employee. Their relationship was close during the early 1980s as they worked on the Macintosh. However, when Jobs was forced out of Apple in 1985 to found Next, Atkinson declined to leave, citing his commitment to the HyperCard project.
Indian Express
08-06-2025
- Indian Express
Apple designer Bill Atkinson, who made computers easier to use, dies at 74
Bill Atkinson, an Apple Computer designer who created the software that enabled the transformative visual approach pioneered by the company's Lisa and Macintosh computers, making the machines accessible to millions of users without specialized skills, died Thursday night at his home in Portola Valley, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. He was 74. In a Facebook post, his family said the cause was pancreatic cancer. Atkinson programmed QuickDraw, a foundational software layer used for both the Lisa and Macintosh computers. Composed of a library of small programs, it made it possible to display shapes, text and images on the screen efficiently. The QuickDraw programs were embedded in the computers' hardware, providing a distinctive graphical user interface that presented a simulated 'desktop,' displaying icons of folders, files and application programs. Atkinson is credited with inventing many of the key aspects of graphical computing, such as 'pull-down' menus and the 'double-click' gesture, which allows users to open files, folders and applications by clicking a mouse button twice in succession. Before the Macintosh was introduced in January 1984, most personal computers were text-oriented; graphics were not yet an integrated function of the machines. And computer mice pointing devices were not widely available; software programs were instead controlled by typing arcane commands. The QuickDraw library had originally been designed for Apple's Lisa computer, which was introduced in January 1983. Intended for business users, the Lisa predated many of the Macintosh's easy-to-use features, but priced at $10,000 (almost $33,000 in today's money), it was a commercial failure. A year later, however, QuickDraw paved the way for the Macintosh graphical interface. It was based on an approach to computing that had been pioneered during the 1970s at Xerox's Palo Alto Research Center by a group led by computer scientist Alan Kay. Kay was trying to create a computer system that he described as a Dynabook, a portable educational computer that would become a guiding light for Silicon Valley computer designers for decades. Xerox kept the project secret, but Dynabook nevertheless ultimately informed the design of the Lisa and the Macintosh. In an unusual agreement, Xerox gave Apple co-founder Steve Jobs and a small group of Apple engineers, including Atkinson, a private demonstration of Kay's project in 1979. The group, however, was not permitted to examine the software code. As a result, the Apple engineers had to make assumptions about the Xerox technology, leading them to make fundamental technical advances and design new capabilities. In 'Insanely Great,' a book about the development of the Macintosh, Steven Levy wrote of Atkinson, 'He had set out to reinvent the wheel; actually he wound up inventing it.' Atkinson's programming feats were renowned in Silicon Valley. 'Looking at his code was like looking at the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel,' recalled Steve Perlman, who as a young Apple hardware engineer took advantage of Atkinson's software to design the first color Macintosh. 'His code was remarkable. It is what made the Macintosh possible.' In an early Apple commercial for the Macintosh, Atkinson described himself 'as a cross between an artist and an inventor.' He was also the author of two of the most significant early programs written for the Macintosh. One of them, MacPaint, was a digital drawing program that came with the original Macintosh. It made it possible for a user to create and manipulate images on the screen, controlling everything down to the level of the individual display pixel. Ordinary users without specialized skills could now create drawings, illustrations and designs directly on a computer screen. The program introduced the concept of a 'tool palette,' a set of clickable icons to select simulated paintbrushes, pens and pencils. MacPaint had a significant impact in helping to transform computers from business and hobbyist systems into consumer products that could be marketed as tools to enable individual creativity.
AU Financial Review
07-06-2025
- AU Financial Review
Bill Atkinson, who made computers easier to use, dies at 74
Bill Atkinson, an Apple Computer designer who created the software that enabled the transformative visual approach pioneered by the company's Lisa and Macintosh computers, making the machines accessible to millions of users without specialised skills, died on Thursday night at his home in Portola Valley, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. He was 74. In a Facebook post, his family said the cause was pancreatic cancer.
Japan Today
28-05-2025
- Business
- Japan Today
A nostalgic look back at the half-decade when Japan was No. 1, sort of
In 2023, Japan's nominal GDP (gross domestic product) dropped one notch, to fourth place in the world, as Germany moved up to occupy the third slot. Japan's GDP had exceeded Germany's for nearly half a century up to then. "The figures have been influenced to some degree by the yen-dollar exchange rate," points out history researcher Ban Atobe, "But considering that Germany's population (and working population in particular) is two-thirds that of Japan's, the drop has serious implications." "Japan's nominal GDP had been surpassed by China in 2010. While this should not be surprising considering China's population is about 10 times greater than Japan's. And Japan still leads China on a per capita basis. But the drop overall from third to fourth place can be seen as indicative of the country's economic decline," is how Atobe sees it. The news wasn't always bad, however. "The members of Gen Z might not be aware of it," says Atobe, "but there was a time when Japan's economic power led the world." He's not exaggerating. In 1987, Japan's per capita GDP reached $21,248, surpassing the $20,001 of the U.S. by a significant margin. "What would have been no more than a pipe dream by the heroic mid-19th century figures who brought feudal Japan into the modern era became a reality," Atobe observed. In terms of the value of their common shares, around 30 companies out of the world's top 50 were Japanese, with Japan's NTT holding the top position. The Nikkei-Dow average reached 38,915 yen -- with the total value of shares roughly 15 times that of Wall Street's. By one metric, the assessed property values of the 23 central wards of Tokyo were said to have surpassed that of the entire continental United States. There was even talk of Sony acquiring Apple Computer. "I wish we'd done it," a former Sony executive was quoted as saying. During the 1970s through the 1980s, an obscure Kyoto-based company named Nintendo emerged from nowhere to dominate the game market. By 2016 its Pocket Monsters had eclipsed Disney's Mickey Mouse and ranked world's first, with revenues of $92.1 billion. Remember the 1985 hit film "Back to the Future"? There's a scene in which time traveler Michael J Fox tells people back in 1955, "All the good stuff comes from Japan now." The "good stuff" Fox was referring to included items like Casio wristwatches, Aiwa personal stereo players and JVC video camcorders. Then there was the Honda Civic, whose lean-burn engine easily met the tough new emissions standards while U.S. manufacturers were still struggling. Japan also impacted significantly on the world's diet. Along with sweet, sour, salty and bitter, Japanese discovered a fifth flavor category called umami (savoriness). Described as a brothy or meaty quality, it adds depth and complexity to flavors. The Ajinomoto Group, which pioneered monosodium glutamate seasoning that imparts umami, now operates subsidies around the world. Then there's Nissin's cup noodles, which have taken the world by storm. In February 1972, shortly after its introduction, TV viewers watched news coverage of the siege of the Asama-Sanso, a violent weeklong hostage stand-off between the riot police and armed student radicals at a villa in Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture. While the contents of boxed meals froze in Karuizawa's subzero outdoor temperatures, the policemen on site could be seen consuming hot meals thanks to the Nissin noodles. Not long afterwards, the noodles were dispensed from vending machines, which also supplied boiling water. They appealed in particular to the youth market and were sold packaged with plastic forks instead of chopsticks. "It became fashionable for guys to be seen eating walkaway noodles," entertainer LaSalle Ishii recalls. Unfortunately, Shukan Taishu notes, the myopic trend of paying short shrift to academia and science continues, with the House of Representatives on May 9 passing a bill that will privatize the Science Council of Japan. Will the sun, Shukan Taishu wonders, ever rise again? Let's keep hoping that the Japanese people, who achieved a miraculous recovery from the ashes of war, will once again demonstrate their latent strengths. © Japan Today
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
OpenAI to acquire AI device startup io for $6.5bn
AI company OpenAI has announced plans to acquire io, an AI device startup co-founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive, in an all-stock deal valued at nearly $6.5bn, Bloomberg reported. The acquisition, said to be the largest in OpenAI's history, will establish a dedicated unit within the company focused on developing AI-powered devices. Io was founded by Ive alongside Scott Cannon, Evans Hankey, and Tang Tan. The acquisition secures the expertise of Ive and his team, known for their work on the iPod, MacBook, iPad, and Apple Watch. In a blog post, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said: 'AI is an incredible technology, but great tools require work at the intersection of technology, design, and understanding people and the world. No one can do this like Jony and his team; the amount of care they put into every aspect of the process is extraordinary.' He added: 'What it means to use technology can change in a profound way. I hope we can bring some of the delight, wonder and creative spirit that I first felt using an Apple Computer 30 years ago.' Ive left Apple in 2019 after shaping the modern smartphone and other landmark products. At the time of his departure, Apple CEO Tim Cook suggested the two would continue to collaborate, though no joint products materialised. Ive said: 'I have a growing sense that everything I have learned over the last 30 years has led me to this moment. 'While I am both anxious and excited about the responsibility of the substantial work ahead, I am so grateful for the opportunity to be part of such an important collaboration. The values and vision of Sam and the teams at OpenAI and io are a rare inspiration.' The acquisition includes $5bn in OpenAI equity for io, with the remaining value tied to a partnership formed in the fourth quarter of last year, when OpenAI acquired a 23% stake in the startup. OpenAI's startup fund also invested in io during that period. The latest deal, subject to regulatory approval, is expected to close this summer. The takeover will bring approximately 55 hardware engineers, software developers, and manufacturing experts to OpenAI. Ive and Altman, who have been exploring device concepts for two years, aim to create a family of innovative AI-driven products, with the first products from this collaboration expected to launch next year. Earlier in May 2025, OpenAI and Microsoft engaged in negotiations to redefine their multibillion-dollar partnership. "OpenAI to acquire AI device startup io for $6.5bn" was originally created and published by Verdict, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
