Macintosh creator dies

Jef Raskin, the computer interface expert who conceived Apple’s groundbreaking Macintosh computer, but left the company before it came to market, has died at his California home at the age of 61.

In December, he told friends he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Raskin joined Apple in 1978 – as its 31st employee – to start the young company’s publications department, when computers were primarily text-based and needed a series of arcane commands to perform the simplest tasks.

Raskin envisaged an user-friendly, affordable computer and in 1979 a small team, under his command, pursued his concept that would eventually become the Macintosh.