Many who know me likely also know Gordon Bell. Even if you didn’t have a chance to join me in learning from and laughing with Gordon at a Vanguard or Exchange meeting, you’ve been touched by his work. Take, or example, the bits forming these words. They travelled across an Ethernet, which Gordon made into a de facto standard, a network computer, the architecture of which Gordon shaped, and the Internet, which Gordon helped to commercialize.
By the time I met Gordon, about 30 years before his recent passing at age 89, he was already a technology industry legend. But in the ensuing years and then decades of our friendship and collaborations, what struck me as much as his achievements was his curiosity, humility, and kindness. The most important lesson Gordon taught me—by example—was that wisdom should always dovetail with humanity.
Gordon’s family and friends recently held a celebration of him at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA, which Gordon was instrumental in creating (along with Gwen Bell). Here’s the recording of that event:
And, here’s the video tribute that I contributed to the celebration at the Computer History Museum.
Rest in Peace, Gordon. You truly made a dent in the universe. We may not yet have the Total Recall that you strived to give us, but your Lifebits will live on in all of us.
