Barr, founding editor of CNET, dies at 64

Christopher Barr, the founding editor of tech news site CNET, has died at the age of 64 after a yearlong battle with cancer.

An obituary on The New York Times states, “Barr was a trailblazing leader of the ’90s Web boom. As the founding editor-in-chief of CNET.com, he marked the site’s launch in his inaugural column: ‘Some have said the Internet is the second most important invention ever. I suppose that means the wheel is the first. While the Net is undeniably important, I still believe in maintaining an appropriate perspective. As compelling as the Net is, it doesn’t replace family and friends-the essential elements of our lives.’

“His first career was in the flourishing music industry of 1970s Miami. In 1980s New York, he stepped into his second career, tech journalism. Barr launched what he later called ‘the most ambitious online effort of its time,’ PC Magazine’s PC MagNet. Two years before Tim Berners-Lee gave the public the World Wide Web, the PC MagNet bulletin board system became one of the biggest, most active online communities.

“In 1995 Barr seized the opportunity to join CNET. Under his vision and guidance, CNET.com became a highly respected group of sites for technology news and reviews. The network built an audience of millions and won numerous awards.

“Barr was an early fighter for Internet rights and digital-media standards. As co-chair of the Internet Content Coalition, he helped establish standards and ethics for online publishers. He was also a founding member of the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences.”

Read more here.