:: Deepquest ::

Jef Raskin, a computer interface expert who conceived Apple Computer’s groundbreaking Macintosh computer but left the company before it came to market, has died. He was 61.
Not even a word on Apple website…

Raskin died Saturday night at his home in Pacifica, his family said in a statement. 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. At the time, computers were primarily text-based and users had to remember a series of arcane commands to perform the simplest tasks.

In 1979, Raskin had a different idea: A computer that’s priced affordably, targeted at consumers and extremely easy to use. A small team, under his command, was put together at Apple to pursue his concept that would eventually become the Macintosh.

more from [url=http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2005-02-27-raskin-obit_x.htm]USA today[/url]