Editing John Walker (programmer)

{{Short description|Computer programmer and founder of Autodesk (1949–2024)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{infobox person
|name = John Walker
|birth_name = John Wallace Walker
|birth_date = {{birth date|1949|5|16}}
|birth_place = [[Baltimore, Maryland]], U.S.
|death_date = {{death date and age|2024|2|2|1949|2|16}}
|death_place = [[Neuchâtel]], Switzerland
|occupation = {{hlist|Programmer|businessman|author}}
|alma_mater = [[Case Western Reserve University]] ([[Bachelor of Science|BS]])
|spouse = {{marriage|Roxie Smail|1973}}
|known_for = [[Autodesk]], [[AutoCAD]]
| website =  [https://fourmilab.ch/ fourmilab.ch]
}}
'''John Wallace Walker''' (May 16, 1949 – February 2, 2024) was an American [[programmer|computer programmer]], author and co-founder of the [[computer-aided design]] software company [[Autodesk]]. He was later recognized for his writing on his website Fourmilab.

== Early projects ==
Walker was born in [[Baltimore, Maryland]] on May 16, 1949.<ref name="obit" /> He studied electrical engineering at [[Case Western Reserve University]].<ref name = obit/> In 1974/1975, Walker wrote the [[Timeline of computer viruses and worms#1975|ANIMAL]] [[software]], which self-replicated on [[UNIVAC 1100/2200 series#UNIVAC 1100 compatible series|UNIVAC 1100]] machines. It is considered one of the first computer viruses.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fourmilab.ch/documents/univac/animal.html|title=The Animal Episode|last=Walker|first=John|date=August 21, 1996|website=Fourmilab|access-date=March 20, 2012|archive-date=May 3, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120503084525/http://www.fourmilab.ch/documents/univac/animal.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yhe0w_j1iiQC|title=Digital Contagions: A Media Archaeology of Computer Viruses|last=Parikka|first=Jussi|date=2007|publisher=Peter Lang|isbn=9780820488370|pages=41, 239–40|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QwIAAAAAMBAJ&q=Walker&pg=PA70|title=White Paper: The Evolution of Viruses|last=Stern|first=Zack|date=May 2008|work=Maximum PC|access-date=March 20, 2012}}</ref>

Walker also founded the hardware integration manufacturing company '''Marinchip'''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/01/17/business/saying-goodbye-good-riddance-to-silicon-valley.html|title=Saying Goodbye, Good Riddance To Silicon Valley|last=Markoff|first=John|date=1999|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=March 20, 2018|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=November 22, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221122124724/https://www.nytimes.com/1999/01/17/business/saying-goodbye-good-riddance-to-silicon-valley.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Among other things, Marinchip pioneered the translation of numerous computer language compilers to [[Intel]] platforms.{{Citation needed|date=August 2014}}

== Autodesk ==
In 1982, John Walker and 12 other programmers pooled US$59,000 to start Autodesk, and began working on several computer applications.<ref name=mark>{{Cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/04/28/business/company-news-autodesk-founder-saddles-up-and-leaves.html| title=Autodesk Founder Saddles Up and Leaves| last=Markoff| first=John| date=April 28, 1994| work=[[The New York Times]]| access-date=August 22, 2017| language=en-US| issn=0362-4331| archive-date=June 19, 2018| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180619214216/https://www.nytimes.com/1994/04/28/business/company-news-autodesk-founder-saddles-up-and-leaves.html| url-status=live}}</ref> The first completed was [[AutoCAD]],<ref name="MM">{{Cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=E3MdAAAAIBAJ&pg=3877,8593585&dq=john+walker+autodesk&hl=en|title=Micro-miracle: Autodesk has 'image' of success|last=McCarty|first=John R.|date=May 30, 1986|work=The Pittsburgh Press|access-date=March 20, 2018|archive-date=February 12, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220212132238/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=E3MdAAAAIBAJ&pg=3877%2C8593585&dq=john%20walker%20autodesk&hl=en|url-status=live}}</ref> a software application for [[computer-aided design]] (CAD) and drafting.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB123187573419078157|title='Theocracy of Hackers' Rules Autodesk Inc., A Strangely Run Firm|last=Zachary|first=G. Pascal|date=May 29, 1992|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|access-date=March 20, 2018|language=en-US|issn=0099-9660}}</ref> AutoCAD had begun life as ''Interact'',<ref name="3dcadworld/ancestor">{{cite web |last1=Yares |first1=Evan |title=AutoCAD's ancestor |url=http://www.3dcadworld.com/autocads-ancestor/ |website=3D CAD World |publisher=WTWH Media, LLC |access-date=November 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201201736/http://www.3dcadworld.com/autocads-ancestor/ |archive-date=February 1, 2014 |location=AutoCAD's ancestor |date=February 17, 2012}}</ref><ref name="michaelriddle/myself">{{cite web |last1=Riddle |first1=Michael |title=Let me introduce myself |url=https://www.michaelriddle.com/?p=17 |website=[[Michael Riddle (programmer)|Michael Riddle]] |access-date=November 21, 2022 |date=October 1, 2009}}</ref> a CAD program, written by programmer [[Michael Riddle (programmer)|Michael Riddle]]<ref name="digibarn/Riddle">{{cite web |title=Mike Riddle & the Story of AutoCAD, EasyCAD, FastCAD & more |url=https://www.digibarn.com/stories/mike-riddle/index.html |website=[[DigiBarn]] |access-date=November 21, 2022 |archive-date=November 22, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211122142726/https://www.digibarn.com/stories/mike-riddle/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> in a proprietary language. Walker and Riddle rewrote the program, and established a profit-sharing agreement for any product derived from InteractCAD. Walker subsequently paid Riddle US$10 million for all the rights.{{Citation needed|date=March 2018}}

The company [[Initial public offering|went public]] in 1985. By mid-1986, the company had grown to 255 employees with annual sales of over $40 million.<ref name="MM" /> That year, Walker resigned as chairman and president of the company, continuing to work as a programmer.<ref name=mark /> In 1989, Walker's book, ''The Autodesk File'', was published.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bqpUAAAAIBAJ&pg=3454,490477&dq=john+walker+autodesk+file+book&hl=en|title=Telling the Story Behind Autodesk|date=November 2, 1989|work=New Straits Times|access-date=March 20, 2012|archive-date=April 10, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220410112345/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bqpUAAAAIBAJ&pg=3454,490477&dq=john+walker+autodesk+file+book&hl=en|url-status=live}}</ref> It describes his experiences at Autodesk, based around internal documents (particularly email) of the company.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Autodesk File: Bits of History, Words of Experience|last=Walker|first=John|date=1989|publisher=New Riders Pub.|isbn=9780934035637|language=en}}</ref>

Walker moved to Switzerland in 1991. By 1994, when he resigned from the company, it was the sixth-largest personal computer software company in the world, primarily from the sales of AutoCAD. Walker owned more than 850,000 shares of Autodesk at the time of his departure, worth about $45.8 million at the time (${{Inflation|index=USD|value=45800000|start_year=1994|fmt=c}} adjusted for inflation).<ref name=mark />

== Fourmilab ==
He published on his personal domain, "Fourmi Lab", designed to be a play on [[Fermilab]] and {{lang|fr|Fourmi}}, French for “ant”, one of his early interests.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.fourmilab.ch/nav/topics/faq.html |title=Frequently asked questions |author=John Walker |access-date=January 29, 2019 |archive-date=January 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190121121907/http://www.fourmilab.ch/nav/topics/faq.html |url-status=live }}</ref> On his Web site, Walker published about his personal projects, including a [[hardware random number generator]] called HotBits, along with software that he wrote and freely distributed, such as his Earth and Moon viewer.<ref>{{Cite web| url=https://www.fourmilab.ch/hotbits/| title=HotBits: Genuine random numbers, generated by radioactive decay| author=Walker, John| publisher=fourmilab.ch| access-date=March 30, 2006| archive-date=February 20, 2006| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060220220917/http://www.fourmilab.ch/hotbits/| url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| url=https://www.fourmilab.ch/earthview/| title=Earth and Moon Viewer| author=Walker, John| publisher=fourmilab.ch| access-date=March 30, 2006| archive-date=March 3, 2006| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060303094757/http://www.fourmilab.ch/earthview/| url-status=live}}</ref> Another notable book was called [[The Hacker's Diet]].

==The digital imprimatur==
Among other things, he is noted for a frequently cited article entitled ''The Digital Imprimatur: How big brother and big media can put the Internet genie back in the bottle'', an article about [[Internet censorship]] written in 2003.<ref>[https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2004/04/digital-imprimatur-nutshell "Digital Imprimatur in a Nutshell"], Donna Wentworth and Fred von Lohmann, Electronic Frontier Foundation. Retrieved April 7, 2004.</ref><ref name=Milberry-2008>[http://geeksandglobaljustice.com/?p=17 "The digital imprimatur and the right to read"], M. Kathleen Milberry, Geeks & Global Justice, April 23, 2008. Retrieved August 12, 2014.</ref> It was published in the magazine ''Knowledge, Technology & Policy''.<ref name=DI>John Walker (2003), [http://www.fourmilab.ch/documents/digital-imprimatur/ "The Digital Imprimatur: How big brother and big media can put the Internet genie back in the bottle"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111105014841/http://www.fourmilab.ch/documents/digital-imprimatur/ |date=November 5, 2011 }}, ''Knowledge, Technology & Policy'', Volume 16, Issue 3 (Fall 2003), Springer, pages 24-77, {{ISSN |0897-1986}} (print), {{ISSN |1874-6314}} (online), {{doi | 10.1007/s12130-003-1032-6}}. Retrieved August 11, 2014.</ref> In the article, Walker argues that there is increasing pressure limiting the ability for Internet users to voice their ideas, as well as predicting further Internet censorship. Walker said that the most likely candidate to usher what he calls "the digital [[imprimatur]]" is [[digital rights management]], or DRM.<ref name=DI />

==Personal life and death==
Walker married Roxie Smail in 1973.<ref name="obit" /> They moved to Switzerland in 1991.<ref name="obit" /> He died of head injuries sustained after a fall on February 2, 2024, in [[Neuchâtel]], Switzerland, at the age of 74.<ref name="obit">{{cite web|title=John Walker, Tech Executive Who Popularized AutoCAD, Dies at 74|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/06/technology/john-walker-dead.html|date=March 6, 2024|last=Williams|first=Alex|work=The New York Times|access-date=March 6, 2024|archive-date=March 6, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240306202431/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/06/technology/john-walker-dead.html/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=February 7, 2024 |title=John Walker (1949 – 2024) |url=https://scanalyst.fourmilab.ch/t/john-walker-1949-2024/4305 |access-date=February 8, 2024 |website=Scanalyst |language=en-GB |archive-date=February 8, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240208024153/https://scanalyst.fourmilab.ch/t/john-walker-1949-2024/4305 |url-status=live }}</ref>

== In popular culture ==
[[File:Evil_empires_bumper_sticker.png|thumb|A famous "Evil Empires" ([[Soviet Union |USSR]] and [[United States|US]]) bumper sticker made by J. Walker. It was first published in July 1990.]]
Walker's interest in [[artificial life]] prompted him to hire [[Rudy Rucker]], a mathematician and science fiction author, for work on [[Cellular automaton|cellular automata]] software. Rucker later drew from his experience at Autodesk in Silicon Valley for his novel ''[[The Hacker and the Ants]]'', in which one of the characters is loosely based on John Walker.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fourmilab.ch/nav/topics/faq.html|title=Frequently Asked Questions|access-date=January 29, 2019|archive-date=January 21, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190121121907/http://www.fourmilab.ch/nav/topics/faq.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

== See also ==
* ''[[The Right to Read]]''
* [[Amazon_Kindle#Criticism|Amazon Kindle remote deletion controversy]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*{{Official website|https://fourmilab.ch/}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Walker, John}}
[[Category:1949 births]]
[[Category:2024 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century American businesspeople]]
[[Category:21st-century American male writers]]
[[Category:Accidental deaths from falls]]
[[Category:Accidental deaths in Switzerland]]
[[Category:American emigrants to Switzerland]]
[[Category:American technology company founders]]
[[Category:American technology writers]]
[[Category:Autodesk people]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Baltimore]]
[[Category:Computer programmers]]
[[Category:Deaths from head injury]]
[[Category:Digital rights management]]
[[Category:Internet censorship]]
[[Category:Writers from Baltimore]]