Peter Norton

Peter Norton (born 14 November 1943) is an American programmer, software publisher, author and philanthropist, best known for the computer programs and books that carry his name and portrait. Born in Aberdeen, Washington, and raised in Seattle, he attended Reed College and worked on mainframes and minicomputers for companies including Boeing and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He founded Peter Norton Computing in 1982, a pioneer of utilities software for IBM PC compatibles, and published his first book, Inside the IBM PC, in 1983. By 1988 the firm had 15 million dollars in revenue and 38 employees, and in 1990 he sold it to Symantec for 70 million dollars. He later chaired Acorn Technologies and eChinaCash, built a significant personal art collection, and supports philanthropy through the Peter Norton Family Foundation.