Father of network computing dead at 82

Ray Noorda, who founded Novell Inc., died of complications from Alzheimer's disease at his home in Orem, Utah, on October 9. Noorda served as a Naval Electronics Technician in World War II, and after earning a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering from the University of Utah, went to work for General Electric for 21 years. He became the CEO of Novell in 1983, making it the leader in software for corporate networks and personal computers until Microsoft caught up in the mid-1990s. Microsoft chair Bill Gates described his chief competitor as the "grumpy grandfather" of technology. Novell attempted to remain competitive by investing in the Unix OS, WordPerfect, and other products with limited success. Noorda left Novell in 1995 to form a capital venture firm. He was 82.

Sources: The Canopy Group, Associated Press