RIP

From the Mac News Wire:
IGM: Jef Raskin dead at 61:

“The Digibarn Computer Museum reports that Jef Raskin died on Saturday, Feb 26 of cancer. Hired as employee No 31 in 1978, he was the early driving force behind the Macintosh.”

From MercuryNews.com today:
Macintosh computer creator Raskin dead at 61:

“Raskin joined Apple in 1978 - employee No. 31 - to start the young company’s publications department. At the time, computers were primarily text based and users had to remember a series of arcane commands to perform the simplest tasks.

“In 1979, Raskin had a different idea: A computer that’s priced affordably, targeted at consumers and extremely easy to use. A small team, under his command, was put together at Apple to pursue his concept that would eventually become the Macintosh.

““His role on the Macintosh was the initiator of the project, so it wouldn't be here if it weren’t for him,” said Andy Hertzfeld, an early Mac team member.

“Raskin also named the Macintosh after his favorite apple, though the name was slightly changed because of a trademark issue with another company.

“Raskin led the project until the summer of 1981, when he had a falling out with Steve Jobs, Apple's co-founder. He left the company entirely the following year.

““One of the biggest things I give Jef credit for was putting together the very beginnings of the Mac team with some extraordinary people who didn’t necessarily have the credentials, but had everything else to do something great,” Hertzfeld said Sunday.”