Bill Atkinson Dies From Cancer at 74

Bill Atkinson, a renowned computer programmer, passed away on June 5th, 2025, due to pancreatic cancer, surrounded by his family at his home in Portola Valley. He will be greatly missed by many, leaving behind a legacy as a remarkable person who made the world a different place. Atkinson was fascinated by consciousness and has now passed on to a different level. He is survived by his wife, children, stepchildren, siblings, and dog, Poppy. Atkinson was a hero in Apple and computer history, and his code and algorithms are considered the most efficient and elegant. He was essential in making the original Macintosh team successful under technical limitations. Atkinson created MacPaint, which is still the model for bitmap image editors, and HyperCard, which had a profound influence. He may well have been the greatest computer programmer who ever lived, leaving behind incredible gifts to the world.