Tech Journalist Robert X Cringely has Died

Robert X. Cringely, the renowned tech journalist, passed away last week at the age of 73. Cringely, known by the pen name Mark Stephens, chronicled the tech industry during the late 1980s and early 1990s, a time marked by the rise of Bill Gates, the passing of Steve Jobs, and the emergence of the worldwide web. He penned the popular documentary "Triumph of the Nerds," which was based on his bestselling book "Accidental Empires."

Despite not being the first InfoWorld columnist to write under the Cringely name, he was instrumental in establishing the persona's identity and successfully maintained it after leaving the magazine in 1995. Cringely's contributions to the tech world were widely appreciated, as evidenced by the heartfelt tributes from readers and colleagues.

One such tribute comes from Darth Technoid, a Slashdot reader who met Cringely in the 1990s while he was still working at InfoWorld. The two quickly became friends, and Cringely was always brimming with innovative and creative ideas. Cringely's life was indeed an interesting one, as highlighted in a 2020 story on Slashdot titled "Robert Cringely Attempts an Air-Launching Space Startup."

Despite facing numerous challenges, including going blind, losing his home and business in a fire, and battling with insurance companies, Cringely remained determined. He even sought venture capital to fund his Kickstarter-funded project, MineServer, and simultaneously started a satellite launch company to finance his eventual retirement.