MyMac Publisher Tim Robertson Dies at Age 55

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Originally published at: MyMac Publisher Tim Robertson Dies at Age 55 - TidBITS

[I appreciate longtime MyMac contributor John “Nemo” Nemerovski volunteering to commemorate this sad event—his last byline here dates all the way back to 1997. I met Tim only a few times at Macworld Expo, but he was a familiar name in the Apple media ecosystem. –Adam]

It is with a heavy heart that I must share the news that Tim Robertson has died after a recent illness. Tim was a foundational online Mac and Apple content creator, getting his start with MyMac Magazine as a standalone DocMaker publication in 1995 when he was only 25. Soon after, he moved it to the Web as MyMac.com, which has been in continuous publication ever since, making it one of the longest-standing Web publications. Tim was also an early podcaster, launching the MyMac Podcast in 2004.

Tim recruited, inspired, and nurtured the writing of dozens of regular and guest contributors to MyMac.com, publishing thousands of articles over the course of three decades. His MyMac Podcasting Network has also hosted thousands of episodes of shows such as Tech Fan, GeeksPub, Geekiest Show Ever, and The Essential Apple Podcast.

He accomplished it all as a dedicated Apple aficionado, with very little advertising or sponsorship, while working a day job as a car salesman. MyMac contributors, like Tim, have always been unpaid volunteers who create content at a professional level.

Tim had a hands-off style of leadership that allowed “anything goes,” within reason. As longtime reviewer Mark Sealey said, “His support was generous, unambiguous, and inspiring, and his criticisms (few) were always constructive. The entire MyMac enterprise was shot through with positivity, accuracy, and every eye on what was known would be the most useful to the readership.”

Vicki Stokes added: “As the only female African American reviewer for MyMac, I immediately felt at home in the company of Tim and the other writers. He complimented and supported our Three Geeky Ladies podcast when we felt no one would listen to three middle-aged women talking about our tech experience. In his words, we were relevant and exactly what he wanted on the MyMac platform.”

Owen Rubin, a well-known game developer, said, “I got a cold call from Tim because of his love of video games, especially Major Havoc. The moment we started talking, it was as if we had been friends for years. I wrote and did podcasts for MyMac and loved interacting with him on the topics. My biggest disappointment is that he did not live close by. If that had been the case, he definitely would have been my favorite friend. His passing has left a big hole in my heart. I miss him dearly.”

Elisa Pacelli wrote that she “met Tim about 15 years ago when I won a prize from the MyMac.com podcast. He liked to call the winners live during the episode recording. I was asked to be a writer for the website. A few years later, I joined two other writers, Suzé Gilbert and Vicki Stokes, to create the Three Geeky Ladies podcast that lasted for eight years. I was a guest and then a co-host of the Geekiest Show Ever podcast, which ended its run earlier this year. Tim gave us free rein to talk about whatever we wanted and was 100% there for us with whatever support we needed.”

Another early recruit, Guy Serle, wrote: “I wrote a reply to an article at MyMac.com, which led to a lengthy back and forth. I wrote for the website for a number of years before the podcasting bug bit me. Eventually, I became a co-host of the MyMac show along with David Cohen and then for 15 years with Gary ‘GazMaz’ Malpas.”

The MyMac crew were regulars at Macworld Expo in San Francisco and the Macstock Conference in Illinois. At those events, we met our colleagues from other publications in person, including many of the staff of TidBITS at the Ink-Stained Wretches dinners that Adam and Tonya Engst organized.

Tim was a one-of-a-kind, fearless leader. We extend our deepest sympathies to his family in Michigan and encourage anyone who knew him to share their stories on his official obituary.

Farewell, Tim. You gave us so much. You will always be with us.

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I, like so many others, won a contest at MyMac.
When Tim called me to tell me, we got to talking and after that I was writing reviews and articles for MyMac.com.
That went on for several years with both Tim and John nurturing me along.
I enjoyed every minute of that time of my life.

Tim encouraged many others to get involved and he was a driving force in the Mac space for all of the time I knew him.

RIP my friend…

Rich Lefko

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I was saddened to read about Tim’s passing in the most recent Tidbits.

Your inclusion of so many kind (and accurate) observations on Tim’s style and influence was much appreciated though. When we worked together on the ‘Buying Used Macs’ book many years ago, it was clear to me that I’d found a kindred spirit. He was a patient but effective editor, and as a publisher, someone who was driven with a desire to create great content that Mac fans would engage with and enjoy.

Looking back at my emails, one stands out. Tim thanking his regular writers (and some distinctly less than regular, like me) for their contributions, remarking on the quality of writing at MyMac being as good as it had ever been. I can’t think of a single editor that I have ever worked for, even after some 30 years of sporadic freelancing, who took the time to write a message like that. Life moves on, but moments like that remain and they’re what motivate us to be the best versions of ourselves we can be.

Rest well, Tim.

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Additional remembrances from two MyMac contributors.

Donny Yankellow:

I started writing for MyMac.com just shy of twenty years ago. During that time I not only wrote for MyMac and participated in podcasts with Tim several times, I also made numerous friends and contacts around the world thanks to Tim and MyMac. I am regularly in touch with many of them today.

Even though I only met Tim once in person during the past twenty years I considered him a friend. This past year we talked cars and he gave me advice when I was shopping for a new car.

He was always available and willing to chat and help. Last year he found the time to be a guest on my school’s podcast and my students interviewed him about tech and podcasting.

Michael Breed:

I first heard Tim in the early days of the MyMac Podcast, back when podcasting was a fairly new medium and there was no such thing as an iPhone. I had just become an avid user of all things Apple, and I had to get my head around the OS X operating system. I listened to a bunch of tech podcasts back then, but Tim’s vibe really connected with me.

As time went by, I reached out to Tim and we discussed the possibility of becoming a writer for the website. Over the years, I contributed to the podcast occasionally and wrote a number of reviews under the guidance and tutelage of Tim and John Nemo.

This may seem strange, but I’ve always listened to the podcasts Tim produced while mowing the lawn and doing yard work. It was something I looked forward to each week and it made Tim, David, Guy, Owen, Gaz, and everyone else in the MyMac family like part of my own close circle of family and friends. I still have to mow the lawn, but I’ll miss hearing Tim talking about life and tech. He was always friendly and respectful, no matter how badly I messed up a posting, lol.

I’ll truly miss Tim and everyone else on the podcasts and I can only hope and pray that someone can in some way continue Tim’s legacy.

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Two long time MyMac contributors continue the fond tributes.

Beth Lock:

Tim and I became acquainted in 1998 when he put out a call for new writers for MyMac Magazine. I sent in a frivolous piece about the screen saver Flying Toasters. In Tim’s inimitable way, his warmth and friendliness bonded us instantly after this first contact.

I became a monthly contributor to the online magazine, and once the magazine became digital as mymac.com I contributed a column called Babes in Boyland, along with the occasional product review.

We met up at MacWorld 2000 in San Francisco along with a core group of writers and other Internet friends, and it’s a memory I hold with great fondness. That was the year OS X was introduced - Just One More Thing.

Tim always treated me like I was his best friend, and it was genuine. I imagine a lot of people believe they are Tim’s best friend too. That is who he was.

Russ Walkowich

My time with Tim goes back to the spring of 1995. Being online at that time was nothing like it is today. Connection to the Internet was via Modem connected over your telephone line, and it was a slow 9,600 baud unit. There were not that many sites particularly those dealing with Mac issues. I happened to come across a MyMac Magazine which drew me in. The next thing I knew, I was emailing Tim concerning some issues with the magazine that I thought could be easily corrected before being posted online. The next thing I knew I was writing reviews and interviews for My Mac and I became the Editor of MyMac.

In the fall of that year, I was in Detroit on an assignment and having a few hours of down time, I was able to drive to Battle Creek and meet up with Tim. That was the beginning of a friendship that continued for 30 years up to the present. MyMac went from being a downloadable magazine to having its own website. Tim continued to expand the website, bringing in more writers and new features, including podcasts. Tim was one of the first to push podcasts as a means to reach more people.

Tim was a force to be reckoned with when it came to technology especially dealing with Macs, Apple products and other sources of fun technology. Tim was a mentor for new writers and for coming up with different ways to improve the way of doing things. He was easy to talk to and for being a good friend.

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Melissa Davis adds:

Where to start. I’ve been friends with Tim for, well, I have teenagers as old as our friendship. Maybe even some underwear, too. I feel like that’s the kind of answer that would make Tim smile. We were goofy like that. Tim was the kind of guy you could be yourself around. He was always so very chill and easy to hang out with. He was always one to help you figure something out. I’m going to miss that so much.

My husband drives a Toyota Corolla and it has an annoying habit of playing audio when it starts up. I’ve been wanting to ask Tim how to fix it. I really had a lot of hope that I would get the chance to ask him when he got better. I even knew to expect that he might tell me it was a feature and not a bug. I’ll always be grateful for his encouragement, honesty, knowledge, and humor. He shared so much with so many. What a way to leave a legacy.

Make sure you watch this 20 year old video of Tim as a newbie podcaster!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nF7wugZYrw8

From David Acklam:

As a newcomer to the MyMac team, I didn’t have many interactions with Tim. The few reviews I submitted were always carefully reviewed by Tim before being published. I also want to thank Nemo for his great editorial support before Tim could review them. Tim really impressed me as a talented and professional leader of the MyMac team. I’m sure he was a great dad, reviewer, inspiration, friend, person, you name it.