- Bob Wallace
Bob Wallace (
May 29 ,1949 -September 20 ,2002 ), was the ninthMicrosoft employee, first popular user of the termshareware [cite web|url=http://www.takeourword.com/TOW176/page2.html|title=Take Our Word For It|date=2002-11-14|work=Words to the Wise, Issue 176|publisher=The Institute for Etymological Research and Education|accessdate=2008-09-08] , creator of the word processing programPC-Write , founder of the software companyQuicksoft and an "online drug guru" who devoted much time and money into the research ofpsychedelic drug s. His home in Marin City,California , was the location of monthly invitation-only dinners ("Friday night dinners") that were attended by notable people involved in psychedelic drug research.Fact|date=May 2007 Bob was also noted for ending hisUsenet posts with the phrase, "Just my opinion."Biography
Bob Wallace was born in Arlington,
Virginia . His father, who later became Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, was a speechwriter forJohn F. Kennedy . Bob attendedBrown University and later received his Masters in computer science from theUniversity of Washington .Wallace worked at the Retail Computer Store in
Seattle , where he learned about Microsoft afterBill Gates put up a sign advertising for programmers. He joined Microsoft in 1978 as the 9th employee. His first project was to connect a computer to anIBM Selectric typewriter so the company could print software manuals. In the late 1970s, Wallace and Gates were known for their hijinks, and one incident involved breaking into a construction site and driving bulldozers, at one point almost running over Gates'sPorsche .In 1983, Wallace left Microsoft to form
Quicksoft and distribute PC-Write using the shareware concept, which he helped originate. In 1996, Wallace and his wife started Mind Books, a bookstore that offered publications about psychoactive plants and compounds. In 1998, they started the Promind Foundation, which helped support scientific research, public education, andharm reduction efforts related to psychedelics.Wallace also served on the Board of Directors for the
Heffter Research Institute and helped financially support the most important organizations in the field, including theMultidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), the Heffter Research Institute,Erowid (responsible for half of Erowid's funding from 2000-2002),DanceSafe , theCenter for Cognitive Liberty and Ethics , EcstasyData, Black Rock Arts Foundation, and a number of other projects.Bob died unexpectedly of
pneumonia inSan Rafael, California at age 53. On hearing of Wallace's death,Paul Allen was quoted as saying, "I remember Bob as a gentle soul who was soft-spoken, but creative, persistent and meticulous in his programming and thinking."Northwest Computer Society
The March 1976 issues of "Byte" magazine had a notice about a new computer club in Seattle. Bob Wallace was listed as a contact person. The Northwest Computer Club held meetings at the
Pacific Science Center (near Seattle'sSpace Needle .)Bob wrote a column for the newsletter called "Bob's Bits". From the February 1978 column:
"Microsoft is hiring systems programmer to work on APL, BASIC, COBOL, and FORTRAN for the 8080, Z-80, 6502, and 8086 as well as operating systems and other interesting projects. Applicants should have at least a bachelor's degree and a year of assembly language experience. Contact Paul Allen at (505) 262-1486, or write to them at 300 San Mateo NE, Albuquerque, NM 87108. Microsoft is the leader in microcomputer systems programming. I've applied myself, by the way."
One of Bob's club projects was to hold a Personal Computer Fair at the Pacific Science Center. The April 1978 show drew over 5000 people and had over 60 computers on display for visitors to use. Shortly after that show, Bob finished his degree and joined Microsoft inAlbuquerque, New Mexico . The Fair was repeated in March 1979 and drew over 6000 people.ee also
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List of programmers References
External links
* [http://www.erowid.org/culture/characters/wallace_bob/wallace_bob.shtml Bob Wallace Vault] ,
Erowid
* [http://www.maps.org/media/bobwallace9.24.02.html Seattle Times biography of Bob Wallace]
* [http://lazowska.cs.washington.edu/Wallace.pdf Bob Wallace biography (as a PDF file)]
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