Education
- B.S. in Mathematics and B.A. in Philosophy — State University of New York at Stony Brook
- M.S. in Computer Science — Pennsylvania State University
- Graduate music studies at the Manhattan School of Music
Professional Career
Apple Computer (1978–1984)
Jef Raskin joined Apple Computer as employee #31 in 1978. He founded and led the Macintosh project beginning in 1979, envisioning an affordable, easy-to-use computer for everyday people. His original concept for the Macintosh emphasized simplicity, a small form factor, and a fixed price point of under $1,000.
Raskin served as Manager of the Publications Department, Manager of the Application Software Department, and Director of the Macintosh Division before departing Apple in 1982 (remaining as a consultant until 1984).
Canon Inc.
At Canon, Raskin designed the Canon Cat (1987), a dedicated computing appliance that embodied his interface design principles. The Cat featured a document-centric workflow, built-in text editing, and the innovative “Leap” keys for instant text searching as the primary navigation method.
Information Appliance Inc.
Raskin founded Information Appliance Inc., where he developed the Swyft software system and the SwyftCard for the Apple II. These products continued his vision of streamlined, task-focused computing.
Raskin Center for Humane Interfaces
Later in his career, Raskin established the Raskin Center for Humane Interfaces (RCHI) to advance research into interface design grounded in cognitive science. The center developed the Archy prototype and the ZoomWorld zoomable interface demonstration.
Academic Positions
Raskin held teaching positions at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), where he was an Assistant Professor in the Visual Arts department. He taught courses spanning computer science, art, music, and photography.
Publications
Raskin authored numerous articles and one major book:
- The Humane Interface: New Directions for Designing Interactive Systems (Addison-Wesley, 2000)
- Papers on interface design, cognitive science, the Coanda effect in aerodynamics, and various other topics spanning mathematics, music theory, and philosophy
Other Pursuits
Beyond computing, Raskin was an accomplished musician (conductor, recorder player, and organ builder), model aircraft designer, photographer, and visual artist. He built a pipe organ and a harpsichord, and was known for his Green Flash photography.