Martin Hottel, a renowned author, innovator, and pioneer of the microcomputer industry, passed away peacefully in his sleep on April 2, 2018. He was 72 years old. The cause of death was complications from Alzheimer’s disease, according to his family.
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A Passion for Computers
Martin Hottel was born on June 15, 1945, in New York City. He developed a passion for computers at an early age, and taught himself how to program using a book and a rented teletype machine. He graduated from Columbia University with a degree in electrical engineering in 1967, and joined IBM as a software engineer.
He worked on several projects at IBM, including the System/360 mainframe, the OS/360 operating system, and the PL/I programming language. He also contributed to the development of the IBM PC, the first commercially successful personal computer, in 1981.
A Pioneer of the Microcomputer Industry
In 1982, Martin Hottel left IBM and founded his own company, MicroPro International, which specialized in developing software for microcomputers. He was one of the first to recognize the potential of these small, inexpensive, and versatile machines, which were also known as home computers, personal computers, or PCs.
He created several popular and influential software products, such as WordStar, the first word processor for microcomputers, and Turbo Pascal, the first integrated development environment for microcomputers. He also wrote several books on the subject, such as The Microcomputer Revolution, The Microcomputer Handbook, and The Microcomputer Programmer’s Handbook.
He was widely regarded as a visionary, a leader, and a mentor in the microcomputer industry. He received many awards and honors for his achievements, such as the IEEE Computer Pioneer Award, the ACM Software System Award, and the Computer History Museum Fellow Award.
A Legacy of Innovation and Inspiration
Martin Hottel retired from MicroPro International in 1992, and devoted his time to his hobbies, such as photography, music, and chess. He also continued to write and publish books on various topics, such as artificial intelligence, cryptography, and quantum computing.
He was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2010, and gradually lost his memory and cognitive abilities. He spent his last years in a care facility in California, where he was surrounded by his loving family and friends.
He is survived by his wife, Susan, his three children, David, Lisa, and Mark, and his six grandchildren, Emily, Ethan, Evan, Emma, Eric, and Ella.
He will be remembered as a pioneer of the microcomputer industry, an author of many books, and an innovator of many software products. He will also be remembered as a kind, generous, and inspiring person, who touched the lives of many people around the world.
