The sad and, to this writer, surprising news that conservative thinker, author, broadcaster and wordsmith-without-peer William F. Buckley Jr. has passed from the scene at age 82 recalls his seemingly unusual involvement with high-tech.
Long before many of us, if memory serves correctly, Mr. Buckley took to "portable" computing, lugging either a Kaypro II or Osborne 1 and thus wrestling with one of the first word-processing programs for the "mass market," WordStar.
Sometime thereafter, Mr. Buckley moved to Toshiba laptops and discovered XyWrite, a program first created for MS-DOS and later for Microsoft Windows. It was a clean, elegant and useful solution adopted by a number of publications and, for a time, by this writer.
In 1988, "XyWrite Made Easier" appeared in print, written by David H. Rothman of Alexandria, Va. Though it seems to me that Mr. Rothman and Mr. Buckley had little in common politically, Mr. Rothman's work found favor with the founder of National Review, who graced one edition of the Rothman book with an introduction written in the usual witty, erudite Buckley style.
Mr. Buckley's last book, whose title contains a word not normally used in a family newspaper, comprises items from "Notes & Asides," a feature Mr. Buckley compiled for his magazine since pretty close to its inception. That feature was described as a forerunner of today's blogs, and perhaps it was.
— Mark Kellner, The Washington Times
Comments (10)
A huge loss of a larger than life figure, a clear thinker, able to articulate a principled view point to varying audiences, huge integrity, christain, trans atlantic sailor, the personification of the term 'renaissance man'.
His opponents always left the intellectual arena diminished.
God bless. R.I.P.
Posted by Bob | February 27, 2008 12:50 PM
I became a conservative because of Bill Buckley.
Through "Firing Line and National Review," I learned that so-called "liberalism" offered false hopes and played on the worst fears of Man.
Mr Buckley, Rest In Peace.
Jim Pyle
Austin, Texas
Posted by Jim | February 27, 2008 1:06 PM
Buckley's Firing Line debates were as good as television has ever been. His wit and insight will never be replicated. He was a treasure both to conservatives and the nation. If there is justice in the universe, his stature will only increase. Rest in peace Bill and Priscilla.
Posted by P.S. Ruckman, Jr. | February 27, 2008 1:08 PM
My sincere condolences to William F. Buckley's family as well as the ones' at the National Review.
I didn't always agree with Bill's opinions, but there's no denying that he was perhaps the most entertaining, quick witted, intelligent, and discerning, editor and writer of the Conservative genre.
I used to take great pleasure watching the way he dissected liberal opponents in debates. He would use his rapier intellect to bat them around as a cat would a ball of yarn, for amusement.
He was a delight. He will be missed.
RIP, Bill.
Posted by SFC Cheryl McElroy US ARMY (RET) | February 27, 2008 1:51 PM
I worked for NR and Mr. Buckley from 2001 until 2005. Although it wasn't in my job description, I became Bill's go-to guy for technology questions -- even the occasional television problem. He was far ahead of most people half his age in adopting new technology. Even so, he'd still occasionally call to ask me to walk him through something more complicated. One Christmas Eve, he had someone track me down because he had an email problem. At the time I was a bit irked that he interrupted my holiday, but my entire family was impressed that Mr. William F. Buckley Jr. would call me.
Mr. Buckley, you'll be missed. "Thanks a million!"
Posted by Aaron Bailey | February 27, 2008 2:50 PM
Bill Buckley did have a "seemingly unusual involvement with high-tech". In the mid-1980s, he was one of the earliest users and supporters of MCI Mail, the first public electronic mail system. His feedback to the developers was a valued part of system improvement. He will be missed for so many reasons.
Posted by Anne Allen | February 27, 2008 3:41 PM
Yeah, Rest in peace WFB. Your tireless crusade against the less fortunate is over, as is your life of womb to tomb privilege. Billionaires everywhere are weeping
Posted by Ron B | February 27, 2008 4:13 PM
He was a great inspiration to me
Posted by John Campbell | February 27, 2008 4:36 PM
William F. Buckley, Jr. became a part of my intellectual life during my "second tour" at Harvard, after taking four years to go and save the world in North and South Carolinas, Georgia, Mississippi and Alabama.
Those four years as a student and community organizer had deeply taught me to extend myself, mentally and emotionally, to touch the lives - and to begin to understand the experiences, beliefs and feelings - of others.
This is the behavioural key to being an effective organizer, and we are watching this attribute play out in the person and the presidential candidacy of Barack Obama. But my first radical exercise of this facility came after my organizing days, with my weekly interactions with Bill Buckley, on Firing Line, back in Cambridge.
It was radical because I instinctively disagreed with just about everything that Buckley seemed to believe. It was exercise because his erudition and his humanity engaged me when I might have been repelled.
It is one of my life's happier ironies that my weekly engagements with Buckley helped to prepare me, decades later, to better understand and appreciate what Barack Obama - and we - are doing now.
I actually think that Buckley would have enjoyed knowing the effect that he is having on this Democrat in 2008.
Thank you, Bill.
Rest in peace.
Posted by Victor Bond | February 27, 2008 8:12 PM
I was first exposed to WFB as a young teen when he spoke at an university where my father taught economics. I was bored to tears. As I grew older, WFB became one on my heroes. For his intellect, grace, humility, and joy of life. Whether you agreed with his politics or not, he was always respectful to his guests and fellow man. WFB, was living proof that one man CAN make a difference.
What a man, what a life! One of the great intellectuals of the last century. He was an American treasure that will be missed as much as his influence is immeasurable.
Well done Bill! You were (and will continue to be through your words) an inspiration for civil discourse and a shining example of how to enjoy the life we are given.
RIP
Posted by Robert Fowler | February 27, 2008 9:41 PM