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*** Note: a memorial "Celebration of Life" for Daniel will take place November 27 in Québec (see below) [posted Nov. 05, 2016] Tragically, the APL community has lost a favourite son and one of its most uplifting and wayward spirits. Daniel Baronet was killed in a vehicle accident on Nov. 1, 2016, poetically perhaps, while travelling down a desert highway in California, on yet another of his many profoundly inspiring adventures. Daniel learned computing, math and APL at Université Laval, in Québec, Canada. He developed a brilliant mind for programming, and was a true devotee to APL at his core and throughout his career. He happily spent hours with colleagues discussing the minutiae of any coding exercise or APL primitive. He worked in Toronto, Australia, Washington D.C., Montréal, Denmark, free-lancing or with companies including I.P.Sharp Associates, Reuters, Legi-Slate, Adaytum, SimCorp, and recently, Dyalog UK. Daniel went wherever APL or J was used and wherever he could explore his passion and creativity for these. He was a master of array languages on numerous platforms from the early 80’s onwards. He built the definitive utility set for APL conversions and many other useful tools, freely sharing his expertise and coding with the APL community. He gave days of his time to help organize and contribute to APL events, often travelling hours to attend far-flung APL meetings in other cities. He enthusiastically shared his APL experience through education, recently for example building a suite of online tutorials. Exploring and sharing the language was far more important to him than commercial realities or earning a living. His social sphere, and interests, extended well beyond APL, and his many friendships extended worldwide. To facilitate his adventures, Daniel was a recreational aircraft pilot and flew his own small plane which he parked in Montréal. He cycled, hiked, skated, skied and travelled extensively in all seasons and many countries, typically carrying nothing more than a small backpack. His favourite place was his Father’s cabin, a rustic wilderness retreat in the mountains north of Québec City. Daniel possessed the spirit of a child who loved to explore and play. He carried no mobile phone, but quickly embraced certain software and technology “toys” for fun, such as videography - well before many of us were aware of the use of such things. His restless soul found a home at Dyalog where he could play, solve problems, develop ideas, develop training materials, contribute to the community, and hone his craft, which was to simply explore and understand the endless possibilities for thought that array languages provide. His family and friends, and the entire APL community have suffered a tremendous loss with his passing. Many are shocked and without words, incredulous at losing someone who demonstrated so much life, and so much joy for it. He had so much more to give. At age 60, he leaves behind his parents, siblings and many close family members, his wife Linda, and daughters Tania and Myriam. Daniel Baronet - a Celebration of Life Family and friends are invited to gather in Québec City, Sunday, November 27th, between 11h00 and 15h00. Location: Domaine Cataraqui 2141, chemin Saint-Louis, Québec (Québec) G1T 1P9 Other Links |
