2007 MacTech 25 (continued)
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David Pogue

It's difficult to find much to say that isn't already known about this ubiquitous personality on the Macintosh scene. More people have probably read his articles, books, or attended one of his lectures -- or should they be called performances -- than any other Mac apologist. Pogue wrote for Macworld magazine from 1988 till November 2000 when he moved to The NY Times. With his inimitable style of presentation, David has educated, persuaded, or cajoled millions of computer users into believing in the superiority of the Macintosh platform. David is a consummate speaker, interspersing his information with quick wit and appropriate sarcasm (Microsoft and Vista are particular punching bags, but Apple isn't safe from him either). He is the embodiment of the archetypical Macintosh user: humanistic, artistic -- a concert pianist, composer and magician, but also geeky, logical, and rational.

David Pogue is the weekly personal-technology columnist for the New York Times and an Emmy award-winning tech correspondent for CBS News. With 3 million books in print, he is also one of the world's bestselling how-to authors. He wrote or co-wrote seven books in the "...for Dummies" series (including Macs, Magic, Opera, and Classical Music).

In 2000, he incorporated Pogue Press. In collaboration with O'Reilly & Associates (the publisher of PalmPilot: The Ultimate Guide and Crossing Platforms), Pogue created the Missing Manual series: a line of wittily written, printed manuals for computer products that don't come with one -- in other words, "the book that should have been in the box". The series includes bestselling books on Mac OS X, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Dreamweaver, iMovie, iPhoto, Microsoft Office, AppleWorks 6, Mac OS 9, comprising 30 + titles. His web site is www.davidpogue.com. - jr

Leo Laporte

Leo is a fairly peripatetic sort of fellow in the Macintosh world. Leo Laporte has worked as an author, speaker, and broadcaster in New Haven, Monterey, San Jose, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, most recently focusing on technology coverage for radio, television, and the Internet. Laporte has authored a number of technology oriented books writings such as 101 Computer Answers You Need to Know, Leo Laporte's 2005 Gadget Guide, Leo Laporte's Guide to TiVo, Leo Laporte's Guide to OS X Tiger and Leo Laporte's PC Help Desk. Laporte has also published a yearly series of technology almanacs: Leo Laporte's Technology Almanac and Poor Leo's Computer Almanac. Laporte's latest and last book is Leo Laporte's 2006 Technology Almanac. Leo Laporte's 2003 Technology Almanac was Pearson Publishing's Book of the Year in 2003. Throughout his career, he has contributed to a number of periodicals such as BYTE, InfoWorld, and MacUser.

Laporte currently owns and operates a netcast network named "TWiT.tv". The name is derived from the network's flagship podcast this WEEK in TECH (aka TWiT), which is hosted by Laporte along with a rotating panel of guests, usually made up of several other former TechTV employees. This show remains one of the most popular podcasts on iTunes.

Currently Leo hosts a national radio technology talk show every Saturday and Sunday from 11a to 2p on the Premiere Radio Networks, and Call for Help, a daily hour-long television show produced in Vancouver, BC and aired in Canada on G4TechTV, and Australia on the HOW-TO Channel. He also appears regularly on many television and radio programs including "Live with Regis and Kelly". He lives in Northern California (Petaluma, which once was the chicken and egg capital of California -- about 40 miles north of S.F.) with his wife and two children. - jr

Merlin Mann

In the there's-always-something-new-to-learn category, you'll find Merlin Mann. If you 'know' Merlin from his work with the GTD inspired 42 Folders, you've got the right person, but miss a huge piece of his puzzle. In some ways, he may be best known for his other work, making him an interesting entry for the MacTech 25. The numerous votes that came in for him do so despite the fact that he doesn't have a Mac-only mission, but happens to use a Macintosh and touts it just about everywhere possible.

Those votes were present thanks to his speaking at O'Reilly's Mac OS X Conference in 2003, appearances with Leo Laporte on This Week in Tech and Mac Break and on NPR's Morning Edition, articles in WIRED and Mac Dev Center, and, of course, on his own sites (5ives.com and 43folders.com) and GTD podcasts. Whew! - erm

Schoun Regan

For everyone in the Mac community who knows Schoun Regan, there are probably three that don't. However, make no mistake: if he's not an influence on you directly, he's most likely an influence on those that influence you. Outside of running the technology training company "IT Instruction", Schoun puts together the curriculum for the IT Track at Macworld. All of those techies sitting in those sessions are listening to speakers chosen by him. Call it "influence by association".

Schoun is also the Editor of many books in the "Apple Training Guide" series, including the popular, Mac OS X System Administration Reference Vol 1 and Vol 2. Additionally, he is the author of, Mac OS X Server 10.4 Tiger: Visual QuickPro Guide and many others. - erm

About the authors...

Ed Marczak is Executive Editor for MacTech Magazine, and an independent consultant living in New York. He specializes in workflow automation and directory services. His place on the web is found at http://www.radiotope.com.

Jeff Rochin has been a very long time user of Apple computers starting with the Apple II+. His first Mac was a Mac Plus. Jeff taught science for 33 years in California and eventually became the SysAdmin and Network Coordinator in charge of all things computing and networking at the school. In that role, he worked closely with the school district IT department. He was the primary writer for the district and school's first State High School Technology Grant awarded in 1997. He is retired, ACTC certified and has a Mac consulting practice.