Jack Tramiel: The Man Who Made Computers For The Masses Passes Away

On Sunday,8^th of April,2012, a path-finder in the field of computer technology, left us for heavenly abode. What he has left behind is the remarkable magnitude of contribution in computer industry.

Jack Tramiel, originally named Idel Tramieliski,was born in 1928, in Lodz,Poland. He was from a Jewish family and was a victim of the atrocities carried out by the Nazis, after they occupied Poland. He lost his father in this traumatic stage. After been transferred to various concentration camps,he was finally shown light by the U.S.Army.

Having moved to the U.S.,he became part of the army and was entitled to take care of the typewriters there.

After a few years, he shifted to being a taxi-driver. It was then when he ventured into mainstream business and bought a shop which would repair typewriters and had the name Commodore Portable Typewriter.The business started to grow with some deals signed and spread to Canada under the name of Commodore Business Machines.As he was closely associated with the army, the name Commodore was maintained.Apparently,Tramiel was sent to Japan,where he gathered the idea and the utility of digital calculators.

Returning to the U.S., with the help of Texas Instruments, Commodore launched digital calculators in the U.S. markets,though they faced stiff competition from former supplier of chips Texas Instruments which made digital calculators and sold in an unparalleled price. Canadian businessman Irving Gould aided Commodore with rock solid monetary assistance and it could acquire MOS Technology Inc. Tramiel's advisers suggested it was computers and not calculators that would reserve place in the field of technology in future. He gave them the task to exemplify their suggestion.

The lead designer Charles Ingerham Peddle, developed Commodore PET, the basis being MOS Technology 6502 processor. The procedure was exhibited in Chicago Consumer Electronics Show in 1977 and hence the market began to overload with demand for this device.

Now, Commodore PET was facing cut throat competition from machines which had upgraded technology and the market showed altered inclination. This time Commodore came up withVIC-20 and later with Commodore 64. Thus the goal of manufacturing "the best selling computer of all time".

In 1984, Tramiel took some time off from the computer industry, after resigning from Commodore and started another venture under the name of Tramel Technology. In th next few months , Tramiel purchased the Consumer Division of Atari Inc. from Time Warner Communications. Tramel Technology was renamed as Atari Corporation.

In1996, Tramiel sold Atari to Jugi Tandon Storage as it wasn't flourishing to the fullest and was renamed as JTS Corporation and Tramiel joined the board.

Among his other contributions, was being the co-founder of United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

He is survived by his wife and three sons.

Let us all pray for him and his family and may his soul rest in peace.

Sources: 1 and 2

interesting... never heard of the guy, but he was quite successful with his businesses