Bill Atkinson, a legendary Apple programmer, let the world know Tuesday he’s in treatment for pancreatic cancer, the same disease that killed his boss, Steve Jobs, in 2011. Atkinson published a post on Facebook asking for prayers.
Recruited by Jobs and Macintosh developer and user interface guru Jef Raskin, Atkinson became employee number 51 at Apple. He’s a primary architect of the original Mac. You can see some of his considerable accomplishments and his Facebook post below.
Apple legend Bill Atkinson in treatment for same disease that killed his boss, Steve Jobs
Atkinson worked at Apple from 1978 to 1990, lured at first by Raskin to visit and convinced by Jobs to leave a PhD program in neurochemistry at the University of Washington. He’s immortalized on Wikipedia as the guy behind Macintosh QuickDraw and Lisa LisaGraf (having discovered the midpoint circle algorithm), Marching ants, the double-click, Menu bar, the selection lasso, MacPaint (FatBits), HyperCard, Atkinson dithering and the app PhotoCard, which he demo’d at MacWorld in 2010, his first time back there in 23 years.
Here’s more about what Atkinson did at Apple:
- Principal designer and developer of the graphical user interface (GUI) of Apple Lisa.
- Became one of the first 30 members of the original Macintosh development team and served as primary designer of its UI.
- Created MacPaint.
- Designed and implemented QuickDraw, the toolbox Lisa and Macintosh used for graphics.
- Conceived, designed and implemented HyperCard, an early and influential hypermedia system. HyperCard enabled nonprogrammers to program as well as design databases.
- In 1994, Atkinson received the EFF Pioneer Award for his contributions.
After working at Apple, Atkinson cofounded software and electronics company General Magic, which contributed to USB development, among other innovations. In 2007, he worked as a contract developer for computer-intelligence startup Numenta. And later he became known for his extreme-close-up nature photography using a digital printing process he helped create.
Photo: Flickr
Atkinson’s November 12 Facebook post
Here’s the full content of Atkinson’s Facebook post:
I am asking friends and well-wishers to pray for me.
I believe that group intention can actually make a difference.
On October first, I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Because of vascular involvement, surgery is not possible. I am taking weekly chemo treatments to shrink the tumor before surgical resection. I am tolerating the chemo pretty well, and I am in good spirits. Every day I make a point of getting out in the sun and walking with Cai and Poppy.
I am receiving excellent care for my physical body from a team of doctors and nurses at Stanford and UCSF. I am also receiving several different modalities of holistic treatments for my emotional and spiritual health. The treatments are helping, and I am feeling much less pain now. I am even regaining a little of the weight that I lost.
From my Iboga experience seven years ago, I know for certain that my consciousness and memories will continue after I leave my physical body. I have no existential fear of death. Actually more anticipation and curiosity.
At 73 years, I have already lived an amazing and wonderful life. I have loved and been loved, beginning with my remarkable mother who believed in me. With my work at Apple and General Magic I am grateful that I could make positive contributions to the lives of many millions of people, and even affect the course of human evolution.
But I want more quality time to share life and experiences with Cai and with my friends and family. My bucket list is not filled with places to travel, but instead with quality time with those I love and those who love me.
I am living my life filled with gratitude. Each day is a special gift to be unwrapped, enjoyed, and cherished.
Thank you for praying for me.
Bill Atkinson
