My first meeting with Bill Atkinson was unforgettable. It was November 1983, and reporting for Rolling Stone, I had gained access to the team building the Macintosh computer, scheduled to launch early the next year.

Bill Atkinson, an engineer who played a key role in the development of the Macintosh and other landmark Apple products, has died of pancreatic cancer.

Bill Atkinson, renowned software pioneer and Apple Computer designer, passed away at 74 due to pancreatic cancer at his California home.