OT:Jack Schofield R.I.P

[michael adams]

The title is self explanatory for those who've ever heard of him.

Obituary

A column from the good old days

<quote>

The maximum resolution of the graphics is another selling point fraught with problems for the unwary. For example, the BBC Model B has a maximum resolution of 640 by 256 pixels. However, this mode restricts you to two colours, it requires 20K of precious RAM (which means there is hardly any room for the program) and a normal TV receiver can't display it properly anyway.

</quote>

michael adams

...

[newshound]

Sad news. I remember reading him in PC User (or one of the others) before he wrote for the Guardian. I wonder what happened to Dr Solomon.

[michael adams]

Oh Dear! . I've just looked up the obituary of Guy Kewney who was a mainstay of Personal Computer World for years.

He was unknown to most people except for the fact that he was due to appear on a some News programme to be interviewed about some IT story, but at the reception desk a Nigerian minicab driver was mistaken for Kewney and was actually interviewed live on TV instead. It may be on Youtube.

The obituary by Jack Schofield was dated 27th April 2010. Doesn't time fly!

to wiki Dr Solomon ended up being taken over by McAfee. `

michael adams

...

[mechanic]

He'll be missed.

[Pamela]

Very sad. He was a good writer.

[Theo]

I was always impressed how he managed to answer the questions in a practical way, thinking about what people might actually want. For instance, most newspapers answering 'what laptop should I buy' would tout the latest models from Apple, HP, Dell, etc. While his answer might provide a number of options including buying a refurbished ex-corporate machine for £200. He was always very good at keeping up with the latest while explaining the tradeoffs that people might face in real life. I'll miss those kinds of articles.

I had no idea he was 72.

Theo

[newshound]

Yes, I remember Guy's demise. Like Solomon, he was more of a techie than Schofield. I missed the interview story though. But Schofield was a great practical explainer for the more ordinary user.

[newshound]

I thought we were all about 72 on this NG, apart from Adam.

[michael adams]

A heart attack as well. I always had the impression of him being pretty laid back.

What I didn't really appreciate were some of the BTL comments some of his blog pieces attracted; from people who apparently thought he'd only been writing the column for a few months at most.

michael adams

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[RJH]

Yes, very sad, a good journalist and by all accounts a decent bloke.

[mechanic]

I don't suppose there are many Guardian readers on this group, but the best parts of his articles were usually to be found in the comments to them.

[Peter Johnson]

I am, and I got a name check in one of his columns but I can't remember why.

[Murmansk]

A heart attack is caused by a blockage in a coronary artery - stress may be a contributory factor to some but plenty of people who are laid back have heart attacks. Me included!

[Theo]

Oi! Barely half that :)

Theo

[Roger Hayter]

Yes, The idea that heart attacks were a disease of stressed executives (probably an artefact of private medicine in the USA) was abandoned more than half a century ago. Clearly the theory still lingers In reality, heart disease affects the poor, smokers and obese diabetics preferentially.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Threr are three primary causes of Ischemic heart dises. Stress which releases adrenaline and glucose that is not burnt, too many carbs in the diet leading to again extra glucose in the bloodstream and lack of exercise which doesn't extract the glucose. Glucose in the bloodstream interferes with lipid transport causing plaque to form blocking the arteries.

Smoking makes it worse.

So whilst stressed executives tick those boxes, they are not the only ones. Lorry drivers too...

[John_j]

Then go to your room, boy.