Nathan Anderson

With sadness, Mark Stephens known to everyone as Robert X. Cringley passed away last week. Bob wrote “Accidental Empires” that chronicled SV and the tech industry of the PC era, 1970s-90s. It led to the highly regarded PBS series “Triumph of the Nerds” a definitive series of interviews of the era. Through that time he authored the “gossip” column” in _InfoWorld_ on the latest goings on at OG PC companies. Everyone read it in print religiously. The following from his wife was shared on his public FB page. m.facebook.com/story.php?sto… Hello, this is Mary Alyce, Bob’s wife. I am coming to you with immense sadness to let you know that Bob passed away. His obituary follows. His family is not requesting anything, however, if you would like to make a donation in his honor, please consider The American Heart Association or The American SIDS Institute. sids.org/ heart.org/ Mark Stephens, known to much of the world as Robert X. Cringely, passed away on October 3, 2026. He was 73. Mark was a gifted writer, journalist, storyteller, husband, father, brother, and friend. To millions of readers and viewers, he was Robert X. Cringely, the witty and sometimes irreverent observer of the technology world. But to those of us fortunate enough to love him, he was simply Mark—and losing him leaves an emptiness that is difficult to put into words. Born January 28, 1953, in Cleveland, Ohio, Mark was never destined to lead an ordinary life. From an early age, he was intensely curious, independent, and determined to see the world in his own way. He attended the College of Wooster and later Stanford University in the 1970s, arriving in Silicon Valley at an extraordinary moment in its history. He became captivated by the people, ideas, energy, and possibilities surrounding the emerging computer industry, and that fascination would help shape the rest of his life. Writing as Robert X. Cringely, Mark became a distinctive voice in technology journalism. He had an unusual ability to understand not only technology but also the human beings behind it—the dreamers, inventors, entrepreneurs, eccentrics, and risk-takers who were changing the world. He could take a complicated subject and make it understandable, entertaining, funny, and deeply human. He was skeptical when skepticism was warranted, irreverent when others were overly serious, and never particularly interested in following conventional wisdom. That independence was not simply part of his writing. It was Mark. He followed the beat of his own drummer throughout his life. He was brilliant, funny, opinionated, curious, generous, exasperating, and unforgettable—sometimes all within the same conversation. He loved a good story and knew how to tell one. He could make you laugh, make you think, make you argue with him, and occasionally drive you crazy. Life with Mark was rarely dull. Mark's life also included heartbreaking loss. He was preceded in death by his beloved sons, Chase and Cole Stephens, as well as his parents, Ray and Lois Stephens and father-in-law Jim Neader. I could also add brother-in-law Jimmy Neader and niece Ericka Neader, but they were a thorn in our side. Mark is survived by his wife, Mary Alyce; his sons, Channing and Fallon Stephens; his brother, Paul Stephens; his sister, Ann Stephens; his mother-in-law, Alice; and his brothers-in-law, Mike and Brian Neader. Mark was never quite like anyone else. He was complicated and original, extraordinarily intelligent and wonderfully unconventional. He lived life on his own terms and left an impression on nearly everyone who knew him. We will miss him more than words can say.