I'm sure Paul is working on this, but we all need to recover from this sudden turn of events. I would also like to see Jim's incredible collection of analog art be accessible to a larger audience as a legacy.
Hi Scott,
... and yes.
Jim's work is available for the most part, but you have to do some digging. It's likely I haven't seen it all as well.
You know, you're right in that we need time to deal with all this. Jim's passing was bad enough, but compounded with Bob ... I had not met either man, but would have loved to. The closest I got was to read their material and get a sense from that. I did mature while reading their works, so it's a bit like a favourite professor passing away. For the people who actually knew these men, it must be much, much more difficult. I don't quite understand why I am affected so deeply compared to some other people, but I am.
You are a professional contemporary to these men. A closer link, so lead on in this. I'm pretty sure Paul Rako must be numb from all this.
Best, Chris
Yes
... and yes.
Jim's work is available for the most part, but you have to do some digging. It's likely I haven't seen it all as well.
You know, you're right in that we need time to deal with all this. Jim's passing was bad enough, but compounded with Bob ... I had not met either man, but would have loved to. The closest I got was to read their material and get a sense from that. I did mature while reading their works, so it's a bit like a favourite professor passing away. For the people who actually knew these men, it must be much, much more difficult. I don't quite understand why I am affected so deeply compared to some other people, but I am.
You are a professional contemporary to these men. A closer link, so lead on in this. I'm pretty sure Paul Rako must be numb from all this.
Best, Chris
National has (had?) much of what Bob Pease has written over the years on-line. Pretty sure most of his later "What's all this..." columns are on-line as well. What's harder to find are the materials given out when National did their big analog road shows. I went to several of those back in the day, and I remember Bob handing out info packs with all sorts of sources and contacts, including how to get a hold of him and the encouragement to contact him whenever some unsolvable problem came up. There were always small groups of people that hung around after the presentation to chat, and that was the only time I met Bob in person.
The amount of electronic ground Jim Williams covered is incredible. I think much of it is available on-line at the EDN site, and in the Linear Technology application notes. Because I still have paper data books, the app notes are much more accessible. I'd also copy things like "The Jim Williams Papers" when they came out in EDN. I often refer people here to his writings, but when you have to find and download the right app note on-line people are less apt to track it down. They're also less apt to "wander" and read all the similar and off topic stuff. If LT still sends out a CD of all their data sheets and app notes, that would be the thing to have. It would be great if EDN consolidated everything Jim wrote for them on one CD or web page.
The knowledge of both men comes through best in books and I'd strongly suggest getting copies. Jim edited many other authors in his books, but his books still have a lot of his own content.
It wold be really cool if there could be a single collection of all the writings of both men!
The amount of electronic ground Jim Williams covered is incredible. I think much of it is available on-line at the EDN site, and in the Linear Technology application notes. Because I still have paper data books, the app notes are much more accessible. I'd also copy things like "The Jim Williams Papers" when they came out in EDN. I often refer people here to his writings, but when you have to find and download the right app note on-line people are less apt to track it down. They're also less apt to "wander" and read all the similar and off topic stuff. If LT still sends out a CD of all their data sheets and app notes, that would be the thing to have. It would be great if EDN consolidated everything Jim wrote for them on one CD or web page.
The knowledge of both men comes through best in books and I'd strongly suggest getting copies. Jim edited many other authors in his books, but his books still have a lot of his own content.
It wold be really cool if there could be a single collection of all the writings of both men!
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I was just on National's site. No Bob Pease link. I requested one, let's see what they say about that.
For those of you who are curious, I did a search on National's site with their engine. This is what came back, so much of his work probably.
National Semiconductor Search Results
Linear Technology thankfully has a link for Jim. I think they also have packaged his works to some extend. The links are on Jim's tribute page.
I'll look at those links later on. Me toast now. Good night!
-Chris
For those of you who are curious, I did a search on National's site with their engine. This is what came back, so much of his work probably.
National Semiconductor Search Results
Linear Technology thankfully has a link for Jim. I think they also have packaged his works to some extend. The links are on Jim's tribute page.
I'll look at those links later on. Me toast now. Good night!
-Chris
From my first introduction to Bob Pease via his Electronic Design column, he always struck me as a "my kind of guy" guy. He'll remain on my short list of heroes. There was so much information, entertainment, and wisdom in his work. Like the time he got so mad at SPICE that he threw his computer off the NatSemi roof. A hundred stories like that. Thoughts and prayers to his family and all those whose lives he touched.
I also meant Jim's incredible collection of analog art objects, not just the rare instruments. Few here have seen his 3D sculptures of digital clocks, etc. made out of exotic components, you just can't comprehend the loss.
We will miss you Bob!
I only knew Bob well for 5 years but I am honored to call him my friend. Bob and I presented together at the AES show in San Francisco (2008) and I thought I was going to be able to just sit there and watch Bob give a presentation on analog power supplies for audio circuits using the LME series of parts. Well two days before the presentation Bob comes into my cube in Bldg. C and dumps a 6” high stack of “Analog Power Point Foils” on my desk and says “Here is your ½ of the presentation to edit!” He smiled and walked off. I stayed up most of the night editing my ½ of the foils. The day of the presentation (a Sat) no one showed up at the booth to help me out…except Bob. He worked the entire day in the booth with me and then we gave the presentation together. I will never forget my “AES Presentation with Robert A. Pease”.
It was great fun getting Bob into the Audio Groups sound room in building C to listen to the differences between the LME DIP and Metal Can (HA) opamps. We had identical D/A preamp demo units and I had him listen, single blind, to the two audio preamps. He said he was too old to hear the difference but he picked the metal can unit over the plastic DIP every time! I then saw the wheels turning behind that white beard…bigger bond wires, better thermals, shielding, and other thoughts. He later built one of his kludge circuits with 10 opamps in series which then switched over to just a single opamp in the signal path to prove I could not hear the difference. He then asked me to listen to the result in his lab. (Yes the one LME opamp was discernable from the 10 LME parts in series!) If you ever saw one of Bob’s hand-made proto circuits it was amazing that it actually worked at all…but they always did!
I let Bob drive my Shelby one day and it was great to see him have so much fun and he did quite well with the stiff clutch. I hoped he would enjoy it so much he would consider buying a better car but unfortunately there was no way to get him out of his “Iconic Beetle”! He gave my youngest son a signed copy of his “How to Drive into Accidents – And How Not to” book that he published after I told Bob he was 16 and just learning how to drive. Always thinking of others! That was Bob!
Bob, I already greatly miss our late night phone calls about “Everything Analog/Audio…and Stuff”.
Mark B – National Audio Applications Engineer / contractor
I only knew Bob well for 5 years but I am honored to call him my friend. Bob and I presented together at the AES show in San Francisco (2008) and I thought I was going to be able to just sit there and watch Bob give a presentation on analog power supplies for audio circuits using the LME series of parts. Well two days before the presentation Bob comes into my cube in Bldg. C and dumps a 6” high stack of “Analog Power Point Foils” on my desk and says “Here is your ½ of the presentation to edit!” He smiled and walked off. I stayed up most of the night editing my ½ of the foils. The day of the presentation (a Sat) no one showed up at the booth to help me out…except Bob. He worked the entire day in the booth with me and then we gave the presentation together. I will never forget my “AES Presentation with Robert A. Pease”.
It was great fun getting Bob into the Audio Groups sound room in building C to listen to the differences between the LME DIP and Metal Can (HA) opamps. We had identical D/A preamp demo units and I had him listen, single blind, to the two audio preamps. He said he was too old to hear the difference but he picked the metal can unit over the plastic DIP every time! I then saw the wheels turning behind that white beard…bigger bond wires, better thermals, shielding, and other thoughts. He later built one of his kludge circuits with 10 opamps in series which then switched over to just a single opamp in the signal path to prove I could not hear the difference. He then asked me to listen to the result in his lab. (Yes the one LME opamp was discernable from the 10 LME parts in series!) If you ever saw one of Bob’s hand-made proto circuits it was amazing that it actually worked at all…but they always did!
I let Bob drive my Shelby one day and it was great to see him have so much fun and he did quite well with the stiff clutch. I hoped he would enjoy it so much he would consider buying a better car but unfortunately there was no way to get him out of his “Iconic Beetle”! He gave my youngest son a signed copy of his “How to Drive into Accidents – And How Not to” book that he published after I told Bob he was 16 and just learning how to drive. Always thinking of others! That was Bob!
Bob, I already greatly miss our late night phone calls about “Everything Analog/Audio…and Stuff”.
Mark B – National Audio Applications Engineer / contractor
Hi Scott,
It is the man, both Bob and Jim, that is the true loss. Their work is how most of us know/knew them, not by actual contact that exposes the person behind.
-Chris
Oh! I was unaware that he doodled in 3-D. That must be soooo cool to look at.
It is the man, both Bob and Jim, that is the true loss. Their work is how most of us know/knew them, not by actual contact that exposes the person behind.
No, that isn't possible for anyone who did not interact with either man on a continual basis. Losing a friend has far more impact than losing someone you look up to but haven't met.
-Chris
National Semiconductor now have an obituary up... better late than never.. it's good 
Remembering Bob Pease | National Semiconductor
Remembering Bob Pease | National Semiconductor
I just heard this news, about the deaths of both Jim Williams and Bob Pease. What a terrible tragedy!
It's difficult or impossible to comprehend the magnitude of what has been lost, by them, by their families, by those who knew them well, and by the world.
For those who knew one of them well, my fervent hope is that they will always try to remember that Bob or Jim would want them to try to be happy and thrive.
It's difficult or impossible to comprehend the magnitude of what has been lost, by them, by their families, by those who knew them well, and by the world.
For those who knew one of them well, my fervent hope is that they will always try to remember that Bob or Jim would want them to try to be happy and thrive.
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