Thursday 8 April 2010

Guy Kewney, premier computer journalist dies

Even though he warned us on CIX some time ago that he was terminally ill, it still comes as a shock that Guy has died. He was posting only last week.

More when I can collect my thoughts. In the meantime, there are these links.

http://hunkymouse.livejournal.com/62840.html

http://teblog.typepad.com/guy/

Also see Guy's IRC chat room(s) - irc://hunkymouse.co.uk #kewney & #hunky

[Later]

I used the word "premier" advisedly. He was not only at the top of the tree up until the end (see the tributes on David Tebbutt's teblog, above) but Guy was also in at the beginning of the personal computer revolution. He was writing like an angel (to quote Scott Fitzgerald)  even then. I reckon there were only two or three people in the field at the turn of the 1980s, on both sides of the Atlantic, who came close to him. He wrote good SF, too.

What may not be well known, except by those of his generation, is that Guy came into computer journalism with.a solid technical background. He had worked for Leo Computers, a UK company whose claim to fame was that it had produced the world's first business computer, at a time when we were still serious contenders in the world computer market.

He had a foot in so many worlds. Where mine and his intersected was on CIX, the computer conferencing system which he championed from its beginnings in the 1980s. He continued to contribute, when many of his colleagues moved on to glitzier sites on the Web, because I think he liked the unique atmosphere.  We sometimes crossed swords, in the most gentlemanly way, in cix:cricket,for he was a great cricket enthusiast.

I feel bereft.

1 comment:

Frank Little said...

Some more links to Guy (thanks to Richard Clausen on CIX):

Guy's Wikipedia page (put up by a friend) with many links off it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Kewney

Guy's LiveJournal (posted by daughter Lucy) with nearly 100 comments:
http://hunkymouse.livejournal.com/62840.html

Guy's Twitter feed where many have posted tributes flagged with @gkewney:
http://twitter.com/gkewney


Here are some further tributes to Guy:

http://bigtin.wordpress.com/2010/04/08/guy-kewney-rip/

http://thefrontline.v3.co.uk/2010/04/rip-guy-kewney.html

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/blogs/2010/04/08/gracious-infuriating-and-funny-goodbye-guy-and-thanks/

http://www.daniweb.com/news/story274258.html

http://meetmeforacoffee.com/group/46

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/04/08/goodbye_guy/

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/04/08/guy_kewney/

http://www.geeknewscentral.com/2010/04/08/guy-kewney-rip/

http://carons-musings.blogspot.com/2010/04/rip-guy-kewney.html

http://www.bruceongames.com/2010/04/08/guy-kewney-a-legend/

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/blogs/2010/04/08/without-guy-kewney-would-i-be-here/

http://www.techeye.net/software/guy-kewney-is-dead

by CRN Staff (with reference to V3 obituary)
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/16/20100408/ttc-industry-bids-farewell-to-guy-kewney
-6315470.html

http://www.accmanpro.com/2010/04/08/guy-kewney-rip/

http://weblog.tomgraves.org/index.php/tag/guy-kewney/


There are many more too many to mention, and this Google search highlights
them:
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=Guy+Kewney&btnG=Google+Searc
h&meta=


Guy's funeral details - http://hunkymouse.livejournal.com/63103.html

This blog posting, by Guy's daughter, says:

------------------------- (quote) -------------------------
*Funeral Details*

Hi all,

Before I get to the details I must thank everyone for the kind words and messages of support over the last few days. It has been very sad but wonderful to be able to page through all your messages and memories of my dad.

Guy's funeral will be held at the Islington and St. Pancras cemetery (which is in East Finchley, obviously...) on April 22nd. The service will be in the chapel and will start at 1pm. All are welcome to come to the service and say
goodbye to Guy. It will be family only at the graveside.

Flowers are welcome, or donations to Marie Curie, St. Joseph's Hospice, Mare Street E8, or Macmillans.

Thanks again, from all of us.

Lucy
------------------------- (end) -------------------------

As at 18:00 tonight there are 7 comments to this LiveJournal posting.

The original posting http://hunkymouse.livejournal.com/62840.html now has an
amazing 107 comments/tributes to Guy, including this (Anonymous) posting from "wrong" Guy:

------------------------- (quote) -------------------------
*Thank you for everything.*

I am sorry for stealing your spotlight on that show. I know it upset you at the time, but I know there are no bad feelings in heaven. You have made my life bright and extraordinary, and that is the reason for living. Be at
peace.

Always,
Guy Goma
------------------------- (end) -------------------------