LaFarr Stuart
LaFarr Stuart | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 6, 1934 |
| Died | July 26, 2021 (aged 87) |
| Occupation(s) | Computer engineer, computer programmer |
| Known for | Early computer-generated music, LaFORTH programming language, integration of battery-powered real-time clocks in computers |
LaFarr Stuart (July 6, 1934 – July 26, 2021) was a pioneer in early computer-generated music, a skilled computer engineer, and an active participant in the Homebrew Computer Club.
Career
In 1961, Stuart programmed the Cyclone computer at Iowa State University—a machine based on the ILLIAC architecture—to produce basic melodies through an amplified speaker initially designed for diagnostic purposes. This innovative effort was highlighted on NBC Radio Network's Monitor program in 1962.
Navel Hunsaker, who led the mathematics department at Utah State University, referred to Stuart as "exceptionally skilled with calculators." Beginning in the late 1970s, Stuart served as a mentor to John Carlsen, who subsequently played a role in advancing PC sound-card companies such as Media Vision and SigmaTel.
During the late 1960s and early 1970s, Stuart was employed at Control Data Corporation (CDC), where Seymour Cray engineered the CDC 6600—the first commercially available supercomputer.
Throughout the 1970s, he created LaFORTH, a distinctive variant of the Forth programming language recognized for its operation without relying on an input buffer.
In the 1980s, Stuart contributed to Zytrex, a company specializing in CMOS Programmable Array Logic (PAL) components.
He was also among the first to integrate battery-powered real-time clocks into computers, a development that generated royalty income for him until almost the year 2000. Stuart wittily referenced this achievement in connection with the Y2K issue.
Preserving computer history
Stuart possessed California’s inaugural Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) PDP-11 and was a regular visitor to the Computer History Museum located in Mountain View, California.