Editing John Warnock (section)

== Career ==
Warnock is known as the creative driving force behind Adobe System's initial software products: [[PostScript]], [[Adobe Illustrator]], and the [[PDF]], and he continued to be involved in new product development throughout his career. "The thing I really enjoy is the invention process. I enjoy figuring out how to do things other people don't know how to do."<ref name=NYT>{{cite news |title=John Warnock, Inventor of the PDF, Dies at 82 |author=Clay Risen |newspaper=New York Times |date=August 24, 2023 |location=New York City, New York |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/24/technology/john-warnock-dead.html |accessdate=August 25, 2023}}</ref>

Warnock's earliest publication and subject of his master's thesis was his 1964 proof of a theorem solving the [[Jacobson radical]] for row-finite matrices,<ref>{{cite journal |jstor=1995321 |author= Sexauer NE and |year= 1969 |title=The Radical of the Row-Finite Matrices over an Arbitrary Ring |journal= Transactions of the American Mathematical Society |volume=139 |pages=281–295 |author2=Warnock, J. E |publisher=American Mathematical Society | doi = 10.1090/s0002-9947-1969-0238889-9|doi-access=free }}</ref> which was originally posed by the American mathematician [[Nathan Jacobson]] in 1956.<ref>{{citation
 | last = Jacobson | first = Nathan | authorlink=Nathan Jacobson 
 | location = Providence, R.I.
 | mr = 0081264
 | page = 200
 | publisher = [[American Mathematical Society]]
 | series = American Mathematical Society, Colloquium Publications, vol. 37
 | title = Structure of rings
 | year = 1956| hdl = 2027/uc1.b4062890
 | hdl-access = free
 }}.</ref>

In his 1969 doctoral thesis, Warnock invented the [[Warnock algorithm]] for [[hidden surface determination]] in [[computer graphics]].<ref>{{cite thesis
|title=A hidden surface algorithm for computer generated halftone pictures
|last=Warnock
|first= John
|url=http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=905316&dl=ACM
|publisher=University of Utah
|format=PDF
|year=1969
|type=Ph.D.
|quote=The algorithm was Warnock's doctoral thesis.}} 32 pages.</ref> It works by [[recursive subdivision]] of a scene until areas are obtained that are trivial to compute. It solves the problem of rendering a complicated image by avoiding the problem. If the scene is simple enough to compute then it is rendered; otherwise it is divided into smaller parts and the process is repeated.<ref>{{cite book | last=Daintith | first=John |author2=Wright, Edmund | year=2009 | title=Oxford Dictionary of Computing | publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-923400-4}}, 608 pages</ref> Warnock noted that for this work he received "the dubious distinction of having written the shortest doctoral thesis in University of Utah history".<ref name=Innovator>{{cite magazine |title=The Innovator: University of Utah alum and Adobe pioneer John Warnock recollects his path to a publishing revolution. |author=Jason Matthew Smith |date=Spring 2013 |magazine=Continuum: The Magazine of the University of Utah |publisher=University of Utah |url=http://continuum.utah.edu/archives/Spring%2013%20Final.pdf |access-date=November 28, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130601151249/http://continuum.utah.edu/archives/Spring%2013%20Final.pdf |archive-date=June 1, 2013 }}</ref> The Warnock algorithm solving the hidden surface problem enabled computers to render solid objects at a time when most computer renderings were only line drawings and was featured on the cover of Scientific American in 1970 with accompanying article by [[Ivan Sutherland]].<ref>{{cite journal |title=Computer Displays |author=Ivan E. Sutherland |journal=Scientific American |date=June 1, 1970 |url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/issue/sa/1970/06-01/ |accessdate=August 11, 2023}}</ref>

In 1976, while Warnock worked at [[Evans & Sutherland]], a [[Salt Lake City]]–based computer graphics company, the concepts of the [[PostScript]] language were seeded.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://spectrum.ieee.org/adobe-postscript|access-date=August 23, 2023|title=Inventing Postscript, the Tech That Took the Pain out of Printing|last=Perry|first=Tekla S.|date=May 1, 1988|work=IEEE Spectrum}}</ref> Prior to co-founding Adobe with Geschke, Warnock worked with Geschke at [[Xerox]]'s Palo Alto Research Center ([[Xerox PARC]]), where he had started in 1978.<ref name="Register obit">{{cite news |last1=Proven |first1=Liam |title=RIP: Computer graphics pioneer John Warnock dies at 82 |url=https://www.theregister.com/2023/08/21/john_warnock_obituary/ |access-date=August 22, 2023 |work=The Register |date=August 21, 2023 |language=en}}</ref> Unable to convince Xerox management of the approach to commercialize the [[InterPress]] graphics language for controlling printing on ''any'' computer and printer,<ref>{{cite web |title=Charles Geschke and John Warnock {{!}} Lemelson |url=https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/charles-geschke-and-john-warnock |publisher=lemelson.mit.edu |access-date=August 22, 2023}}</ref> he and Geschke left Xerox<ref name="Register obit"/> to start Adobe in 1982, naming it after [[Adobe Creek (Santa Clara County)|Adobe Creek]], which ran behind both their homes.<ref name=WaPoObit/> They initially hired two computer scientists (Bill Paxton and Doug Brotz) and two electronics designers (Tom Boynton and Dan Putnam) from PARC.<ref>{{cite news |title=John Warnock, who helped invent the PDF, dies at 82 – CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/john-warnock-co-founder-adobe-systems-dies-82/ |access-date=August 22, 2023 |publisher=[[CBS News]] |date=August 21, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Founding and Growing Adobe Systems, Inc |url=https://gwern.net/doc/design/typography/2019-warnock.pdf |access-date=August 25, 2023 |publisher=[[IEEE]] |date=June 18, 2019}}</ref> At their new company, they developed from scratch a similar technology, PostScript, and brought it to market for Apple's [[LaserWriter]] in 1985.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kan |first1=Michael |title=John Warnock, Adobe Co-Founder Who Helped Invent the PDF, Dies at 82 |url=https://me.pcmag.com/en/news/18899/john-warnock-adobe-co-founder-who-helped-invent-the-pdf-dies-at-82 |access-date=August 22, 2023 |work=PCMag Middle East |date=August 21, 2023 |language=en-ae}}</ref> [[Apple, Inc.|Apple]] co-founder [[Steve Jobs]] said: "When that first page came out of the LaserWriter, I was blown away...No one had seen anything like this before. I held this page up in my hand and said, ‘Who will not want that?’ I knew then, as did John, that this was going to have a profound impact."<ref name=WaPoObit/> Adobe's PostScript technology made it possible to print high-resolution text and images from a computer, revolutionizing media and making desktop publishing feasible.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Diaz |first1=Jesus |title=The legendary John Warnock forever changed the way we communicate |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90942449/the-legendary-john-warnock-forever-changed-the-way-we-communicate |access-date=August 22, 2023 |work=[[Fast Company]] |date=August 21, 2023}}</ref>

In late 1986, Warnock invented [[Adobe Illustrator]], a computer drawing program that used lines and [[Bézier curve]]s to render infinitely scalable graphics. He initially developed it to automate many of the manual tasks utilized by his wife, Marva, a graphic designer.<ref>{{cite news |title=John Edward Warnock (Obituary) |publisher=Los Altos Town Crier |date=August 31, 2023 |location=Los Altos, California |url=https://www.losaltosonline.com/people/obituaries/john-edward-warnock/article_cf721fd0-475f-11ee-9bc4-7fabc3f3244c.html |accessdate=August 31, 2023}}</ref> Illustrator was released in early 1987.<ref>{{cite web |title=Adobe Explains It All: Adobe Illustrator |author=Anubhav Rohatgi |date=March 23, 2015 |publisher=Adobe Corporate Communications |url=https://blog.adobe.com/en/publish/2015/03/23/adobe-explains-it-all-illustrator |accessdate=August 11, 2023}}</ref>

In the spring of 1991, Warnock outlined a system called "Camelot", inventing the [[Portable Document Format]] (PDF) file-format.<ref name=NYT/> The goal of Camelot was to "effectively capture documents from any application, send electronic versions of these documents anywhere, and view and print these documents on any machines [sic]". Warnock's document contemplated:<ref>{{cite web |last=Warnock |first=John |year=1991 |title=The Camelot Project |url=http://www.planetpdf.com/planetpdf/pdfs/warnock_camelot.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304134754/http://www.planetpdf.com/planetpdf/pdfs/warnock_camelot.pdf |archive-date=March 4, 2009 |publisher=PlanetPDF |quote=This document describes the base technology and ideas behind the project named 'Camelot.' This project's goal is to solve a fundamental problem [...] there is no universal way to communicate and view ... printed information electronically.}}</ref>

{{Blockquote|text=Imagine if the IPS (Interchange PostScript) viewer is also equipped with text searching capabilities. In this case the user could find all documents that contain a certain word or phrase, and then view that word or phrase in context within the document. Entire libraries could be archived in electronic form...}}

The new PDF format, though, was slow to gain industry traction and Warnock noted that "the industry 'did not get it{{'"}}.<ref name="Eve">{{cite journal |last1=Eve |first1=Martin Paul |date=2022 |title=New Leaves: Riffling the History of Digital Pagination |url=https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/article/872063 |journal=Book History |volume=25 |issue=2 |pages=491 |doi=10.1353/bh.2022.0017 |s2cid=254221430 |access-date=August 25, 2023}}</ref>

One of Adobe's popular [[typeface]]s, [[Warnock (typeface)|Warnock]], is named after him.<ref>{{cite web |title=Warnock |url=https://fonts.adobe.com/fonts/warnock#about-section |publisher=Adobe Fonts |access-date=August 22, 2023}}</ref>

Warnock held twenty patents.<ref name=NYT/><ref>{{cite web |last1=Lovos |first1=Milagros |title=John Warnock |url=https://www.computer.org/profiles/john-warnock |publisher=IEEE Computer Society |access-date=August 22, 2023 |date=April 4, 2018}}</ref> In addition to Adobe Systems, he was or had been on the board of directors at [[ebrary]],<ref>{{cite news |title=Publishing start-up captures Adobe veteran |date=January 2, 2002 |newspaper=CNET |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/publishing-start-up-captures-adobe-veteran/ |accessdate=September 7, 2023}}</ref> Hiball,<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Your Valentine's Day Hotel Might Have This Buzzy AI Bed |author=Martine Paris |date=February 12, 2021 |magazine=Forbes |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/martineparis/2021/02/12/valentines-day-your-hotel-might-have-this-ai-bed-funded-by-adobe-founder-john-warnock/?sh=626ac550467b |accessdate=September 7, 2023}}</ref> [[Knight-Ridder]], [[Octavo (disambiguation)|Octavo Corporation]], [[Netscape Communications]], and [[Salon Media Group]].<ref name="Biancuzzi; Warden 2009">{{cite book |last1=Biancuzzi |first1=Federico |last2=Warden |first2=Shane |title=Masterminds of Programming: Conversations with the Creators of Major Programming Languages |date=March 28, 2009 |publisher=O'Reilly Media |isbn=978-0-596-51517-1 |page=456 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mrGDmAEACAAJ |access-date=August 22, 2023 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=Encyclo>{{cite web |title=Encyclopedia.com |publisher=[[Cengage|Cengage Group]] |location=Boston, Massachusetts |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/economics-magazines/warnock-john-edward |accessdate=August 29, 2023}}</ref> Warnock was a past chairman of the [[Tech Museum of Innovation]] in San Jose.<ref name="Biancuzzi; Warden 2009"/> He was on the board of trustees of the [[American Film Institute]], the [[Sundance Institute]] and the [[Folger Shakespeare Library]].<ref name="Biancuzzi; Warden 2009"/><ref name=Encyclo/>

His hobbies included photography, [[skiing]], [[web development]], painting, [[hiking]], [[curator|curation]] of rare scientific books, and historical [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native American]] objects.<ref>{{cite book  |vauthors=Nagy C, etal |editor=Warnock J and Warnock M |title=The Splendid Heritage: Perspectives on American Indian Art |year=2009|publisher= University of Utah Press |location= Salt Lake City |isbn= 978-0874809602 |oclc= 294998662 |page=223 }}</ref>