Jay "Padre" Miner, better known as the Father of Amiga, passed away at
El Camino Hospital in Mountain View California on June 20, 1994, after
a long period of failing health. Touching memories from Amiga users have
flooded the online networks, each relating a personal tribute to this
humorous, soft-spoken genuis.
Who can forget the risk-taker who abandoned prosperous Atari development in 1982 to start a small computer company that later became the Amiga corporation? Miner saved not only as the inspirational leader for the original Amiga team (which included RJ Mical and Dale Luke), but also as a resident watchdog for "Project Amiga"þ. Miner fought to ensure that the original Amiga shipped with 512K instead of the 256K Commodore insisted upon, and that the architecture moved graphics fast--so fast that the rest of the industry is still playing catch-up. His legendary contribution to the personal-computing industry is not only legacy. Miner is also credited with improving the lives of millions with his revolutionary work in the development of microchips for pacemakers.
Until healt problems interfered with his travel plans, Miner made many
personal appearances at trade shows, sharing with numerous owners the
same enthusiasm and commitment that fueled the birth of the platform.
A message that appeared in the Amiga area of GEnie from longtime Amiga
fixture Peggy Herrington summaarizes it all quite well: "Adios, Jay.
We'll never forget you--or your Amiga."
--TW
Source: Amiga World Sep 94, page 6
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