Professions of a Silicon Valley Double-E
Monday, June 13, 2011
  Jim Williams: Self Taught, passionate about analog, freely shared his knowledge
The url arrived by twitter, with only the hash tag #Analog.
The Shocking headline, Analog guru Jim Williams dies after stroke.

Now this is not normally the place for an obituary, but this is career related.

Jim changed my career trajectory. In the article, you can read how Jim dropped out of college, and how he wound up at MIT, not as a student, but as a lab technician, and eventually found his way to silicon valley and to his signature role working for Linear Technology as an Applications Engineer. As a young engineer working on analog (board) designs, I often read his Tech Notes in preparation for working on a design. Then I started seeing his column in EDN. When I finally took the time to map out my skills, I finally saw, modeled by Jim, a role to set my aspirations on: Part Technical Expert, part Social, working with many customers, part Educator. I wanted to be an Applications Engineer, not a designer.
As a result of this insight, when the opportunity presented itself, I moved home to California, and went to work for Cadence design systems as an Analog design software Applications Engineer.

It was barely a year after my move that I actually got to meet Jim in person. Since I had started an IEEE chapter, and desparately needed (good) speakers, I reached out to Jim, who came and gave an excellent talk about Bill Hewlett's Audio Oscillator (showing off his own that he had restored to original condition. He explained Bill's genius (synthesis more than "invention), how the Oscillator worked, reviewed the business plan, and then, because he was paid by Linear, showed how to redesign the Oscillator, using LT opamps. For a device that had ONE active gain element, it was surprising how many Opamps were needed to get something close to meeting the same specs for linearity and distortion. But there we really see two lessons, 1. adjust your specifications to meet the new technology regime, and 2. Silicon might be more complicated, but since the transistors are nearly free, you can add features (digital connectivity) reduce size and cost all at the same time (assuming there is demand for the volume needed at the price point).

I last saw Jim in February at the Dinosaur's (strike that) Analog Affictionados party (promoted by Paul Rako). I'm really glad I took the time to go.
Life is just too short.

Rest in peace, Jim!
 
IEEE
Ruminations about the Electrical Engineering profession as practiced in Silicon Valley by an IEEE Senior Member. Disclaimer: All Posts here are official IEEE business in that they are messages about IEEE activities from an IEEE volunteer. These messages do not constitute official records of R6-PACE activities, nor official IEEE or IEEE-USA policy statements. Website: http://www.ieee.org/scv/pace

My Photo
Name:
Location: San Jose, California, United States

When he is not working on IEEE stuff, Jonathan does Mixed Signal Design Verification at Qualcomm. Senior Member IEEE. Founder IEEE-SCV-SSC (the first Solid State Circuits chapter). Past Section Chair, Santa Clara Valley Section - the Largest Section. Co-founder IEEE-SCV-CAS. IEEE-SSCS Membership chair 2001-2003. IEEE SSCS chapters Committee member. IEEE-SCV-PACE committee member 2001- IEEE-SCV-PACE Chair 2006-2007. IEEE R6 PACE coordinator.

Subscribing

 Subscribe to Professions of a Silicon Valley Double-E

Add to Google Subscribe in NewsGator Online

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

ARCHIVES

September 2006 / October 2006 / November 2006 / January 2007 / February 2007 / March 2007 / May 2007 / June 2007 / July 2007 / August 2007 / September 2007 / October 2007 / November 2007 / December 2007 / February 2008 / March 2008 / April 2008 / May 2008 / June 2008 / January 2009 / May 2009 / June 2009 / March 2010 / October 2010 / June 2011 /


Powered by FeedBurner

Powered by Blogger