[FADCA] Victor Poor, W5SMM

[Wayne Burkett Sr]

Group,
Below is a copy of an email message sent by Steve, k4cjx/aaa9ac concerning
Victor Poor, W5SMM, who became a silent key
On August 17th, 2012. I met Victor a few times and did have some
conversations over the past few year concerning
The packet networks and Lans along the Space Coast. Victor supplied the main
link to the packet LAN at the Twin Towers
In Melbourne and he had work closely with Bob Anderson, K2BJG, (who became a
silent key earlier in the year) with the
Brevard County LAN. As Steve mentions below, Victor is best know for his
work with the Winlink projects, especially with
MARS and also the mariners at sea. Victor will be deeply missed. Thank you
Victor for your dedication in communications 
throughout the world.
Regards,
Wayne Burkett Sr.
KA1VRF
District 3 FADCA Coordinator
 
 
- -------- Original Message --------
Subject: [MARS_Winlink] Victor D. Poor passed away August 17, 2012

All,

It is with much sorrow that I announce the passing of the founder of the
Winlink 2000 radio e-mail system. As a 99.9 percent CW operator in the
early 80's, I met Vic Poor during a presentation of his pre-windows, DOS
version "ApLink" (Amtor/Packet Link) that he used to bridge local VHF
Packet
communities while sailing on the high Seas. A year later, it was all over
the ham bands and from that moment on, was instrumental in assisting the
maritime Amateur, and as some may recall, our own Military in the first
Kuwait War (three part, 30 minute CBS Documentary is on the Winlink WEB
site.) His most recent creation, Winlink 2000, has saved many lives and
much property, and is still in the enhancement stage as it moves to
meet the
demands of its users, both on the ham bands and elsewhere. See
 <http://www.winlink.org/node/1> http://www.winlink.org/node/1

Vic was a self-educated genius, who was responsible for the generation of
the single chip microprocessor, RTTY advancements, and many other
aspects of
digital communication well beyond what we do in Amateur radio. He was
involved with the beginning of "over-the-phone lines, non-IBM, networking
with the first Point-of-sale inventory replenishment system for a major
International multiple unit wholesaler, involved with the first Cell phone
technology and much more. With the advancement from DOS to Windows,
Vic was
one of the first to come up with Winlink Classic, which ran on the new
Windows 3.1 operating system, and I can still remember seeing that first
demonstration at Dayton years ago.

I worked with Vic just about every day, as did many of us on the Winlink
Development Team, and after a very short period, understood the power
of his
ability to create. He was a very practical visionary and with every
conversation, well ahead of the current technology curve. Much of his
work
is contained in his interview with the Computer History Museum,
articles in
Business Week, and other such publications
( <http://www.winlink.org/node/1> http://www.winlink.org/node/1).

Vic did not actively participate with our more recent developments,
but was
always there to provide encouragement and advice. We will all miss our
mentor,

Steve, k4cjx, aaa9ac
For the Winlink Development Team
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