The technology world is saddened to announce the passing of John Walker, one of the pioneers of CAD and co-creator of the legendary AutoCAD program. Walker, 74, died on February 2, leaving behind a rich legacy that forever changed the industry. Ferra.ru writes about this with reference to Scanalyst.
Walker, born in Maryland to doctors, initially followed in his parents' footsteps, but the emerging computer revolution captured his imagination and he switched to studying computer science and electrical engineering. This fateful decision predetermined his life path and career.
In 1972, he met his wife, Roxy, and together they moved to California, where John began to pursue his ideas in technology. 1976 was a turning point: he developed his own printed circuit board based on the Texas Instruments TMS9900 microprocessor, which became the catalyst for the creation of Marinchip Systems.
And already in 1982, Autodesk was born, whose name is now known throughout the world.
In addition to his entrepreneurial accomplishments, Walker was a prolific writer and an outspoken advocate for a free internet. John Walker's personal website, Fourmilab, is a treasure trove of information and insightful essays illustrating his breadth of knowledge and unquenchable thirst for sharing his knowledge.