Posted on 09/07/2011 6:48:39 PM PDT by zeugma
Michael Stern Hart was born in Tacoma, Washington on March 8, 1947. He died on September 6, 2011 in his home in Urbana, Illinois, at the age of 64. His is survived by his mother, Alice, and brother, Bennett. Michael was an Eagle Scout (Urbana Troop 6 and Explorer Post 12), and served in the Army in Korea during the Vietnam era.
Hart was best known for his 1971 invention of electronic books, or eBooks. He founded Project Gutenberg, which is recognized as one of the earliest and longest-lasting online literary projects. He often told this story of how he had the idea for eBooks. He had been granted access to significant computing power at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. On July 4 1971, after being inspired by a free printed copy of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, he decided to type the text into a computer, and to transmit it to other users on the computer network. From this beginning, the digitization and distribution of literature was to be Hart's life's work, spanning over 40 years.
Hart was an ardent technologist and futurist. A lifetime tinkerer, he acquired hands-on expertise with the technologies of the day: radio, hi-fi stereo, video equipment, and of course computers. He constantly looked into the future, to anticipate technological advances. One of his favorite speculations was that someday, everyone would be able to have their own copy of the Project Gutenberg collection or whatever subset desired. This vision came true, thanks to the advent of large inexpensive computer disk drives, and to the ubiquity of portable mobile devices, such as cell phones.
Hart also predicted the enhancement of automatic translation, which would provide all of the world's literature in over a hundred languages. While this goal has not yet been reached, by the time of his death Project Gutenberg hosted eBooks in 60 different languages, and was frequently highlighted as one of the best Internet-based resources.
A lifetime intellectual, Hart was inspired by his parents, both professors at the University of Illinois, to seek truth and to question authority. One of his favorite recent quotes, credited to George Bernard Shaw, is characteristic of his approach to life:
"Reasonable people adapt themselves to the world. Unreasonable people attempt to adapt the world to themselves. All progress, therefore, depends on unreasonable people."
Michael prided himself on being unreasonable, and only in the later years of life did he mellow sufficiently to occasionally refrain from debate. Yet, his passion for life, and all the things in it, never abated.
Frugal to a fault, Michael glided through life with many possessions and friends, but very few expenses. He used home remedies rather than seeing doctors. He fixed his own house and car. He built many computers, stereos, and other gear, often from discarded components.
Michael S. Hart left a major mark on the world. The invention of eBooks was not simply a technological innovation or precursor to the modern information environment. A more correct understanding is that eBooks are an efficient and effective way of unlimited free distribution of literature. Access to eBooks can thus provide opportunity for increased literacy. Literacy, the ideas contained in literature, creates opportunity.
In July 2011, Michael wrote these words, which summarize his goals and his lasting legacy: “One thing about eBooks that most people haven't thought much is that eBooks are the very first thing that we're all able to have as much as we want other than air. Think about that for a moment and you realize we are in the right job." He had this advice for those seeking to make literature available to all people, especially children:
"Learning is its own reward. Nothing I can say is better than that."
Michael is remembered as a dear friend, who sacrificed personal luxury to fight for literacy, and for preservation of public domain rights and resources, towards the greater good.
This obituary is granted to the public domain by its author, Dr. Gregory B. Newby.
bump
My life has been greatly enriched by Mr. Hart’s work. RIP.
God rest.
Project Gutenberg was worthy work.
As has mine.
Here's an excerpt from "True Christianity" by Johann Arndt, a book that I assisted proofreading:
Now he who is sincerely disposed to deny himself, must follow, not his own will, but the will of Christ, who has declared, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.” John 14:6. As though he had said: “Without the way, no man walketh; without the truth, nothing is known; and without life, no man liveth: therefore, look upon me, who am the way in which it is thy duty to walk, the truth in which thou art called to believe, and the life in which thou art bound to live. I am the unerring way, the infallible truth, and the everlasting life: the way to immortality is through my merit; the truth itself is in my word; and life is through the efficacy of my death; and, therefore, if thou continuest in the way, the truth will guide thee unto eternal life. If thou desirest not to go astray, follow me; if thou wilt know the truth, believe in me; and if thou wouldst possess life everlasting, put thy whole trust in me, who for thy sake have endured the death of the cross.”
Well said Mr Arndt! I've made this book a part of my daily bible reading. I read one chapter a day, along with today's verses.
I am a recent comer to Project Gutenberg, but I already love the site. Michael S. Hart will indeed be missed.
We should all have such an impact on the world. Yet so few do. R.I.P.
[snicker] Well played, Dr. Newly
Anyway, I'm sure I dig this:
"Reasonable people adapt themselves to the world. Unreasonable people attempt to adapt the world to themselves. All progress, therefore, depends on unreasonable people."
God bless Mr. Hart, and congratulations on his promotion to the higher planes.
I love Project Gutenberg...I live on a sailboat and I have browsed the online books from A to Z I don’t know how many times...what a treasure of knowledge and enjoyment he left to the world.
I have quite a few books on my iPad thanks to his project. Thank you Mr. Hart.
RIP
I’m sorry to hear of his passing. Project Gutenberg has been such a blessing to so many people. I can only imagine the number of lives he touched with his work.
RIP.
I’m sorry to hear this, having enjoyed Project Gutenberg from the early days. RIP Michael.
[snicker] Well played, Dr. Newly
Pretty much. The first news article I saw on google news about this was a story on the LA Times. It was practically a word-for-word copy of this obiturary, yet no credit to Dr. Newly was given. Also FR only allows excerpts from there, so I went to the PG site to see what that had, and saw this obituary linked.
Seems the LA Times didn't play well at all. Typical of the MSM, not giving credit where it is due, and I might add, asserting copyright where they had no right to do so.
I agree.
And I can't state it any better than that.
Who proofs the proofreaders?
Each page is proofread once, then sent to another,person, who proofreads it again.
So, each page is proofread twice. From the FAQs at the site.
“And the Truth will make you free”
Here’s to Mr. Hart and those like him. Damn few left.
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