Philip Elmer-DeWitt
Encyclopedia
Philip Elmer-DeWitt is an American
writer and editor. He was Time
's first computer writer—producing much of the magazine's early coverage of personal computers and the Internet -- and for 12 years its science editor. He is currently a contributor to Fortune magazine, which publishes his online column about Apple Inc. (see Apple 2.0).
and raised on Moon Hill Rd. in Lexington, Massachusetts
. He graduated from Oberlin College
and studied English literature at the University of California, Berkeley
and journalism at Columbia University
. He worked as a computer programmer and technical writer for Bolt Beranek and Newman in the late '60s, wrote mathematical games for McGraw-Hill
in the early 1970s and copy-edited textbooks and scientific monographs for Academic Press
in the late '70s..
in 1979 and wrote nearly 500 stories for the magazine, including a dozen cover stories. He launched two sections—Computers and Technology—before being made a senior editor. As science editor he produced more than 150 cover stories, including the issues that named AIDS researcher David Ho Time's 1996 Man of the Year
and Albert Einstein
the Person of the Century. His interviews include Steve Jobs
, Bill Gates
, William Gibson
, Elmore Leonard
and Anita Roddick
. He was also the author of the controversial Cyberporn
cover story. In commenting on that episode, Declan McCullagh
excoriated Elmer-DeWitt for multiple "misrepresentations and errors," "logical fallacies," reporting in a "deceptive manner," and "[refusing] to acknowledge the many errors" in the story.
Elmer-DeWitt helped start TIME.com, and organized TIME
-sponsored scientific conferences on genetics
(2003), obesity
(2004) and global health
.
In January 2007, he joined Josh Quittner
at Business 2.0
, another Time Inc. publication, as that magazine's executive editor. In February, he launched a blog called Apple 2.0: Mac news from outside the reality distortion field. When Time Inc. folded Business 2.0 in September 2007, he worked briefly for Fortune magazine before retiring from Time Inc. in May 2008 to write full time for the Web.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
writer and editor. He was Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
's first computer writer—producing much of the magazine's early coverage of personal computers and the Internet -- and for 12 years its science editor. He is currently a contributor to Fortune magazine, which publishes his online column about Apple Inc. (see Apple 2.0).
Background
Elmer-DeWitt was born in BostonBoston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
and raised on Moon Hill Rd. in Lexington, Massachusetts
Lexington, Massachusetts
Lexington is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 31,399 at the 2010 census. This town is famous for being the site of the first shot of the American Revolution, in the Battle of Lexington on April 19, 1775.- History :...
. He graduated from Oberlin College
Oberlin College
Oberlin College is a private liberal arts college in Oberlin, Ohio, noteworthy for having been the first American institution of higher learning to regularly admit female and black students. Connected to the college is the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, the oldest continuously operating...
and studied English literature at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
and journalism at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. He worked as a computer programmer and technical writer for Bolt Beranek and Newman in the late '60s, wrote mathematical games for McGraw-Hill
McGraw-Hill
The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., is a publicly traded corporation headquartered in Rockefeller Center in New York City. Its primary areas of business are financial, education, publishing, broadcasting, and business services...
in the early 1970s and copy-edited textbooks and scientific monographs for Academic Press
Academic Press
Academic Press is an academic book publisher. Originally independent, it was acquired by Harcourt, Brace & World in 1969. Reed Elsevier bought Harcourt in 2000, and Academic Press is now an imprint of Elsevier....
in the late '70s..
Career highlights
Elmer-DeWitt joined TIMETime
Time is a part of the measuring system used to sequence events, to compare the durations of events and the intervals between them, and to quantify rates of change such as the motions of objects....
in 1979 and wrote nearly 500 stories for the magazine, including a dozen cover stories. He launched two sections—Computers and Technology—before being made a senior editor. As science editor he produced more than 150 cover stories, including the issues that named AIDS researcher David Ho Time's 1996 Man of the Year
Person of the Year
Person of the Year is an annual issue of the United States newsmagazine Time that features and profiles a person, couple, group, idea, place, or machine that "for better or for worse, ...has done the most to influence the events of the year."- History :The tradition of selecting a Man of the Year...
and Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity, effecting a revolution in physics. For this achievement, Einstein is often regarded as the father of modern physics and one of the most prolific intellects in human history...
the Person of the Century. His interviews include Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs
Steven Paul Jobs was an American businessman and inventor widely recognized as a charismatic pioneer of the personal computer revolution. He was co-founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of Apple Inc...
, Bill Gates
Bill Gates
William Henry "Bill" Gates III is an American business magnate, investor, philanthropist, and author. Gates is the former CEO and current chairman of Microsoft, the software company he founded with Paul Allen...
, William Gibson
William Gibson
William Gibson is an American-Canadian science fiction author.William Gibson may also refer to:-Association football:*Will Gibson , Scottish footballer...
, Elmore Leonard
Elmore Leonard
Elmore John Leonard Jr. , better known as Elmore Leonard, is an American novelist and screenwriter. His earliest published novels in the 1950s were westerns, but Leonard went on to specialize in crime fiction and suspense thrillers, many of which have been adapted into motion pictures.Among his...
and Anita Roddick
Anita Roddick
Dame Anita Roddick, DBE was a British businesswoman, human rights activist and environmental campaigner, best known as the founder of The Body Shop, a cosmetics company producing and retailing beauty products that shaped ethical consumerism...
. He was also the author of the controversial Cyberporn
Marty Rimm
Martin Rimm gained notoriety in 1995 while an undergraduate at Carnegie Mellon University. He wrote an article published in The Georgetown Law Journal titled "Marketing Pornography on the Information Superhighway: A Survey of 917,410 Images, Description, Short Stories and Animations Downloaded 8.5...
cover story. In commenting on that episode, Declan McCullagh
Declan McCullagh
Declan McCullagh is an American journalist and columnist for CBSNews.com. He specializes in computer security and privacy issues. He is notable, among other things, for his early involvement with the media interpretation of U.S...
excoriated Elmer-DeWitt for multiple "misrepresentations and errors," "logical fallacies," reporting in a "deceptive manner," and "[refusing] to acknowledge the many errors" in the story.
Elmer-DeWitt helped start TIME.com, and organized TIME
Time
Time is a part of the measuring system used to sequence events, to compare the durations of events and the intervals between them, and to quantify rates of change such as the motions of objects....
-sponsored scientific conferences on genetics
Genetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
(2003), obesity
Obesity
Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems...
(2004) and global health
Global health
Global health is the health of populations in a global context and transcends the perspectives and concerns of individual nations. Health problems that transcend national borders or have a global political and economic impact, are often emphasized...
.
In January 2007, he joined Josh Quittner
Josh Quittner
Josh Quittner is an American journalist.Born in Manhattan, Quittner grew up in Reading, Pennsylvania. He is a graduate of Grinnell College and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. He is married to Michelle Slatalla and has three daughters...
at Business 2.0
Business 2.0
Business 2.0 was a monthly magazine publication founded by magazine entrepreneur Chris Anderson, Mark Gross, and journalist James Daly in order to chronicle the rise of the "New Economy"...
, another Time Inc. publication, as that magazine's executive editor. In February, he launched a blog called Apple 2.0: Mac news from outside the reality distortion field. When Time Inc. folded Business 2.0 in September 2007, he worked briefly for Fortune magazine before retiring from Time Inc. in May 2008 to write full time for the Web.
Select works from Time
- The Rio Earth SummitEarth SummitThe United Nations Conference on Environment and Development , also known as the Rio Summit, Rio Conference, Earth Summit was a major United Nations conference held in Rio de Janeiro from 3 June to 14 June 1992.-Overview:...
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,975656,00.html - Sex in America http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,981624,00.html
- ObesityObesityObesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems...
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,982327,00.html - InfertilityInfertilityInfertility primarily refers to the biological inability of a person to contribute to conception. Infertility may also refer to the state of a woman who is unable to carry a pregnancy to full term...
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,973919,00.html - Bards of the Net http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,981013,00.html
- MicrosoftMicrosoftMicrosoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,982998,00.html - The InternetInternetThe Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
http://www.virtualschool.edu/mon/Internet/TimeInternetCoverStory.html, http://www.chemie.fu-berlin.de/outerspace/internet-article.html
External links
- Apple 2.0: Mac news from outside the reality distortion field
- Interview on The Pipeline with Dan Benjamin
- LinkedIn Profile
- The Navigator: Elmer-DeWitt at Business 2.0
- Official Business 2.0 Magazine Website
- Official Fortune Magazine Website
- Philip Elmer-DeWitt "Invasion of the Data Snatchers", Time Magazine, Sep. 26, 1988, pp. 62–67