C. Gordon Bell, Creator of a Personal Computer Prototype, Dies at 89

This document is an obituary for C. Gordon Bell (1934–2024), a key figure in the history of computing. Key points include:

• Career at DEC: Hired as Digital Equipment Corporation's second engineer in 1960, he was a pivotal designer of the minicomputer industry, most notably the PDP-8.
• Visionary Contributions: He championed interactive, affordable computing and networking, effectively bridging the gap between mainframe-era computers and the modern personal computer. He also worked on early high-speed network development that contributed to the modern internet.
• Later Career: After leaving DEC, he worked in academia, became a Silicon Valley angel investor, and spent roughly 20 years at Microsoft Research.
• Legacy: He was dubbed the "Frank Lloyd Wright of computers" for his architecture and received the National Medal of Technology and Innovation in 1991.