Thanks, Scotty..

Sad news today that James Doohan has passed away..

If you're of a particular age, Star Trek was at the least a presence in your life; for many of us, it was an influence. What my mother called "claptrap" when it premiered shortly after my sixth birthday was, in many ways, a window into the future.

My fascination with computers started with Star Trek. In some small way, I owe my career to the embers that were fanned by what was certainly intended as "mere" entertainment. As well, I'd like to think that some part of my world view was influenced by the sight of a diverse group of humans working together towards a common goal. This was something of a rare sight in 1966, and is, happily, much more common now.

(and, to answer the question that's probably burning in your mind right now.. no, I've never been to a Star Trek convention)

The Seattle Times has a nice guestbook page for Mr. Doohan if you'd care to share your thoughts with his family (Mr. Doohan lived here in Redmond for many years).

Give it all you've got..