I’ve been writing about technology full-time since I helped launch InfoWorld back in 1981. I co-wrote the seminal history of the personal computer, Fire in the Valley (it was the basis for the movie Pirates of Silicon Valley). I was editor-in-chief and then editor-at-large of Dr. Dobb’s Journal forlikeever. I have been a columnist or editor for a bunch of computer magazines. Four different columns for MacUser alone. Model and scripter for an Italian comic strip. Co-wrote the Computer History entry in the online Encyclopedia Britannica. For ten years edited and published a programmer’s magazine called PragPub. I continue writing at my blog and elsewhere, and edit books for the Pragmatic Programmers. My partner Nancy Groth and I live on a wild and scenic river in Oregon.
Where I Live
I live in Southern Oregon, on a wild and scenic river.
Most of Southern Oregon’s nearly 300,000 residents live near Medford, Ashland, Grants Pass, and Jacksonville, in the folds of land along the I-5 corridor and the valleys of the wild Rogue River and its tributaries. Here a series of sheltering ridges slice the region into distinct communities and microclimates. A banner across the main street in Grants Pass declares, “It’s the Climate,” and the locals know that’s true—the climate, the access to nature, and the pace of life.
Tourists come here for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, the Britt Festival’s music in the historic gold-mining town of Jacksonville, or to raft the Rogue out of Grants Pass.
To the west lie the coastal communities of Bandon, Gold Beach, Brookings, picturesque towns framed by high bluffs and sea caves and broad balmy beaches that justify this area’s nickname as Oregon’s Banana Belt.
Where I now live, in between the valley and the coast, there’s pretty much nothing but a million acres of wilderness, with breathtaking canyons, wild rivers, and hidden resorts inaccessible by car.
It’s beautiful and rich country, where you can navigate class V rapids in the morning and attend a world-class performance of Twelfth Night in the evening.
A Few Solicited Testimonials
“Mike’s a wonderful person and writer. He’s funny and insightful, and he writes about complex subjects with great clarity. His Dr. Dobb’s column “Swaine’s Flames” has delivered software industry insight with wit for over two decades. His book Fire in the Valley is the real source for most of the articles you’ll ever read on the early days of the personal computer revolution. He’s one of the few technology writers who is universally respected by programmers.”
Rich Seidner, President, Silicon Valley Virtual, Inc.
“Michael is a brilliant thinker and witty writer about issues related to application development, the IT market, and life in general. His insights as the long-time columnist for the legendary Dr. Dobb’s Journal are a major reason Dr. Dobb’s will remain a legend.”
Mark Hall, Editor in Chief, Miller Freeman
“Michael has in-depth knowledge of all aspects of the high-technology industry, gained through decades of covering that industry. He is the consummate writer and would be a great asset to any employer.”
Eva Langfeldt, Chief Copy Editor, Infoworld
“Michael Swaine is a long time friend and associate, dating from the point when he joined the editorial staff of Doctor Dobbs Journal and wrote Fire in the Valley, the quintessential history of the Silicon Valley. Michael is one of the best technical journalists: knowledgeable, perceptive, articulate, personable, and possessed of a charming sardonic sense of humor. He is one of the best.”
Dennis Allison, Co-Founder, Board Chair, Peoples Computer Company
“I’ve known Michael for over a decade now, and I knew of him well before that. He’s an excellent and very knowledgeable writer. He also runs a great restaurant!”
Alan Oppenheimer, President, Open Door Networks
“I’ve been reading Mike Swaine’s work—magazines, books, and on-line—for longer than I can remember. He manages to be both thought-provoking and smile-provoking at the same time, and I learn something every time I read his work.”
Mike Morton
“I had read Mr. Swaine’s work for many years before I met him, and so felt honored when he contacted me for an interview. I was even more impressed with the way he conducted the interview. The technology I work on is abstruse and difficult to understand, and all too often I have to patiently handle some, shall we say, introductory-level questions, but Mr. Swaine quickly grasped the thrust and substance of my work, asking questions that were at times uncomfortably penetrating. The interview did not feel like the typical questions-and-answers routine; it felt more like a discussion of the problems and potential of a radically different technology.”
Chris Crawford, Legendary Game Developer and Owner, Storytron
“Michael is an icon in the computer publishing business and I was lucky enough to encounter him early in my writing career. I learned a lot from him about many aspects of writing and publishing—both from personal contact and just from following his writing over the years. Perhaps the thing I envy him most for is his writing style. It’s witty without being condescending or corny. Yet he can still drill down into the most technical material with ease. His writing is entertaining, but it isn’t just entertainment. There’s a lot to envy with Michael. His work for Dr. Dobb’s is, of course, well known. Fire in the Valley remains a fascinating peek behind the scenes of the golden age of silicon valley. The breadth of his personal network of people in the computer and publishing world is astounding. I can unreservedly give Michael the highest possible recommendation as a writer and an editor.”
Al Williams, Contributing Editor, Dr. Dobb’s Journal
“In addition to Michael’s many editorial talents, he has real vision about the tech industry. He’s also an extreme pleasure to work with.”
Lissy Abraham, Apple Computer
Résumé
This should be up to date as of 2019.
Magazine Writing, Editing, & Management
Editor, PragPub, Pragmatic Bookshelf software developer magazine, 2009-2019.
Book Development Editor, Pragmatic Bookshelf, 2010-.
Editor-at-large, Dr. Dobb’s Journal, 1988-2008.
Editor, Southern Exposure Magazine, food/wine/tourism magazine, 2003-2008.
Editor, Unix Review, software industry magazine, 2000-2001.
Editor-in-chief/Associate Publisher, Dr. Dobb’s Journal, 1984-1988.
Senior Editor and member of launch team, InfoWorld, 1981-1984.
Co-author of the 20,000-word entry “History of Computing” in Encyclopedia Britannica.
Columnist/contributing writer/editor/editorial consultant, various publications in the United States, Germany, and Italy, including San Francisco Examiner, Upside, Farmer’s Almanac, MacUser, UnixReview, PC Magazin, Business Software, Whole Earth Catalog, Southern Oregon Magazine. Helped launch a book line and a number of magazines and newsletters. 30 years of magazine editing and writing with more than a jillion published articles.
Books
Fire in the Valley: the Making of the Personal Computer, McGraw-Hill, 1984; 2nd Edition 2000; 3rd Edition from The Pragmatic Bookshelf, imminent; selected by Business 2.0 magazine as one of the 100 best business books of all time, made into a movie.
Visual Quickstart Guide: RealBasic for Mac, Peachpit Press, 2003.
Dr. Dobb’s HyperTalk Handbook, McGraw-Hill, 1988.
Other Media and Ventures
Co-author of book for movie Pirates of Silicon Valley, TNT, movie nominated for 5 Emmys, 1999.
Writer and model for comic strip character Max Netroom, Investigatore Virtuale, published by the Italian company WebEgg, 1998-2002.
Co-owner, Summer Jo’s Organic Farm, Restaurant, and Bakery, Grants Pass, Oregon, 1999-2013.
Academic
MA, Computer Science, Indiana University.
BA, Psychology, Indiana University.