SGML: Memory of Yuri Rubinsky (1952-1996)

SGML: Memory of Yuri Rubinsky (1952-1996)


From leafusa!avalanche.com!erics@ileaf.com Fri Jan 26 19:17:01 1996
Return-Path: <leafusa!avalanche.com!erics@ileaf.com>
Received: from sgml ([132.174.2.100]) by utafll.uta.edu (4.1/25-eef)
	id AA22748; Fri, 26 Jan 96 19:16:59 CST
Received: from ileaf.com (ileaf.prospect.com) by sgml (5.0/SMI-SVR4)
	id AA15812; Fri, 26 Jan 1996 17:27:18 +0500
Received: from leafusa.UUCP by ileaf.com (4.1/SMI-4.1)
	id AA24973; Fri, 26 Jan 96 17:34:53 EST
Received: from alaya.avalanche.com by HQ.Ileaf.COM (4.1/SMI-4.0-leafusa) for subscribers@sgmlopen.org
	id AA28155; Fri, 26 Jan 96 17:30:39 EST
Received: from vincent.avalanche.com (vincent.avalanche.com [198.51.45.107]) by alaya.avalanche.com (8.6.10/8.6.10) with ESMTP id PAA09390; Fri, 26 Jan 1996 15:30:04 -0700
From: Eric Severson <erics@avalanche.com>
Received: (erics@localhost) by vincent.avalanche.com (8.6.10/8.6.9) id PAA02698; Fri, 26 Jan 1996 15:30:06 -0700
Date: Fri, 26 Jan 1996 15:30:06 -0700
Message-Id: <199601262230.PAA02698@vincent.avalanche.com>
To: associates@sgmlopen.org, sponsors@sgmlopen.org, subscribers@sgmlopen.org
Subject: Yuri Rubinsky: A Personal Memorium
Cc: erics@avalanche.com
Content-Length: 1586


YURI RUBINSKY: A PERSONAL MEMORIUM

I have known Yuri Rubinsky for nearly ten years, about the same
length of time I have known SGML, about a quarter of my time on
earth.  I have known him in many ways: as the chief impressario
and father figure for SGML, as a close business associate, as an
innovative technologist and standards guru, as a conference leader
and engaging speaker, as a fellow small company founder.  I have
known him not just in the business world, but also as a favorite
author, delighting me with the unique and wonderful "Christopher
Columbus Answers All Charges."

Yet as wonderful as these memories are, they tend to obscure what
Yuri represented most of all: one of the most fundamentally decent
people I have ever met.  For Yuri was not just the person who
personified SGML, he was the person who insisted that SGML be used
to help the blind.  He was not just the person who brought SGML to
the Internet, he was the person who ensured the World Wide Web would
be ICADD accessible.  And he was not just a colleague or associate;
he was a friend... someone for whom personal issues could be mixed
in with business, who would always do the right thing when it came
to it, who would treat people with dignity and consciously reinforce
their humanity.

Yuri, in whatever greater plan governs our existence, it is now your
role to move on, and ours to tarry here a while longer.  But as we
reach into our hearts and souls to find a proper goodbye, there are
no words powerful enough to describe how much we shall miss you.

    Eric Severson
    President, SGML Open