:John Carmack

Carmack was born in Shawnee Mission, Kansas, the son of local television news reporter Stan Carmack. He grew up in the Kansas City metropolitan area, where he became interested in computers at an early age. He attended Shawnee Mission East High School in Prairie Village, Kansas and Raytown South High School in nearby Raytown, Missouri.{{sfn|Kushner|2003|pp=20–22}}

Carmack was introduced to video games with the 1978 shoot 'em up game Space Invaders in the arcades during a summer vacation as a child. The 1980 maze chase arcade game Pac-Man also left a strong impression on him. He cited Nintendo designer Shigeru Miyamoto as the game developer he most admired.{{cite web | url = http://www.bethblog.com/2011/01/26/all-the-rage-john-carmack/ |title= All the RAGE: John Carmack | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170320052321/http://www.bethblog.com/2011/01/26/all-the-rage-john-carmack/ |archive-date= March 20, 2017 |website= Bethesda Softworks }}

As reported in David Kushner's Masters of Doom, when Carmack was 14, he broke into a school with other children to steal Apple II computers. To gain entry to the building, Carmack concocted a sticky substance of thermite mixed with Vaseline that melted through the windows. However, an overweight accomplice struggled to get through the hole and instead opened the window, setting off a silent alarm and alerting police. Carmack was arrested and sent for psychiatric evaluation. He was sentenced to a year in a juvenile home.{{cite web |url=https://games.slashdot.org/story/99/10/15/1012230/john-carmack-answers |title=John Carmack Answers |date=October 15, 1999 |website=Slashdot |access-date=November 27, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121005165414/https://games.slashdot.org/story/99/10/15/1012230/john-carmack-answers |archive-date=October 5, 2012}}{{sfn|Kushner|2003|p=21}} He attended the University of Missouri–Kansas City for two semesters before withdrawing to work as a freelance programmer.{{cite book|last1 =Jones |first1=Steve|title=Encyclopedia of New Media: An Essential Reference to Communication and Technology Encyclopedia Of New Media|publisher =SAGE Publications |isbn=0-7619-2382-9 |url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofne00jone|url-access =registration |page =[https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofne00jone/page/53 53] |quote =University of Missouri–Kansas City john carmack. |date=December 10, 2002}}

Softdisk, a computer company in Shreveport, Louisiana, hired Carmack to work on Softdisk G-S (an Apple IIGS publication), introducing him to John Romero and other future key members of id Software such as Adrian Carmack (no relation). Later, Softdisk would place this team in charge of a new, but short-lived, bi-monthly game subscription product called Gamer's Edge for the IBM PC (DOS) platform. In 1990, while still at Softdisk, Carmack, Romero, and others created the first of the Commander Keen games, a series that was published by Apogee Software, under the shareware distribution model, from 1991 onwards.{{sfn|Kushner|2003|pp=63–66}} Afterwards, Carmack left Softdisk to co-found id Software.{{sfn|Kushner|2003|p=74}}

Carmack has pioneered or popularized the use of many techniques in computer graphics, including "adaptive tile refresh" for Commander Keen,{{sfn|Kushner|2003|p=50}} ray casting for Hovertank 3D, Catacomb 3-D, and Wolfenstein 3D, binary space partitioning which Doom became the first game to use,{{sfn|Kushner|2003|p=142}} surface caching which he invented for Quake, Carmack's Reverse (formally known as z-fail stencil shadows) which he devised for Doom 3, and MegaTexture technology, first used in Enemy Territory: Quake Wars.{{cite web |url=http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/enemy-territory-quake-wars/681231p1.html |title=GameSpy: Enemy Territory: Quake Wars – Page 1 |last=Accardo |first=Sal 'Sluggo' |date=January 13, 2006 |website=GameSpy |access-date=May 25, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160511012233/http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/enemy-territory-quake-wars/681231p1.html |archive-date=May 11, 2016}} Quake 3 popularized the fast inverse square root algorithm.{{Cite web|title=Beyond3D – Origin of Quake3's Fast InvSqrt() – Part Two|url=https://www.beyond3d.com/content/articles/15|access-date=September 17, 2021|website=www.beyond3d.com}}

Carmack's engines have also been licensed for use in other influential first-person shooters such as Half-Life, Call of Duty and Medal of Honor: Allied Assault. In 2007, when Carmack was on vacation with his wife, he ended up playing some games on his cellphone, and decided he was going to make a "good" mobile game.{{Cite web|first=Anna |last=Kang |date=October 18, 2007 |title=Q&A: Fountainhead's Kang Talks Orcs & Elves DS, Wii Possibilities |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=15909 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117020714/http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=15909 |archive-date=January 17, 2013 }}{{Cite news|first=Mike |last=Snider |title=Q&A with id Software's Kevin Cloud and Steve Nix |newspaper=USA Today |date=July 18, 2007 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/tech/bonus/2007-07-16-q&a-id_N.htm?csp=34 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080523230030/http://www.usatoday.com/tech/bonus/2007-07-16-q%26a-id_N.htm?csp=34 |archive-date=May 23, 2008}}

File:John Carmack GDC 2010.jpg ceremony on March 11, 2010]]

On August 7, 2013, Carmack joined Oculus VR as their CTO.{{cite news|first1=Keith|last1=Stuart|access-date=July 30, 2019|title=Press Start: John Carmack joins Oculus Rift, Xbox One video recorder is for Gold members only, and more|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/gamesblog/2013/aug/08/game-links-press-start|newspaper=The Guardian|date=August 8, 2013|issn=0261-3077|via=www.theguardian.com}} On November 22, 2013, he resigned from id Software to work full-time at Oculus VR.{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2013/11/22/dooms-john-carmack-leaves-id-software-to-focus-on-the-oculus-virtual-reality-headset/|title=Doom's John Carmack Leaves id Software To Focus On The Oculus Virtual Reality Headset|first=Alex|last=Wilhelm|date=November 22, 2013 }} Carmack's reason for leaving was that id's parent company ZeniMax Media did not want to support Oculus Rift.{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-02-05-why-john-carmack-quit-id-software |title=Why John Carmack quit id Software |last=Yin-Poole |first=Wesley |date=February 5, 2014 |work=Eurogamer |publisher=Gamer Network |access-date=February 5, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222202220/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-02-05-why-john-carmack-quit-id-software |archive-date=February 22, 2014}} Carmack's role at both companies later became central to a ZeniMax lawsuit against Oculus' parent company, Meta (then known as Facebook), claiming that Oculus stole ZeniMax's virtual reality intellectual property.{{cite web|last1=Orland |first1=Kyle |title=Oculus accused of destroying evidence, Zuckerberg to testify in VR theft trial |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2017/01/oculus-accused-of-destroying-evidence-zuckerberg-to-testify-in-vr-theft-trial/ |access-date=January 16, 2017 |website=Ars Technica |date=January 16, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170116211622/http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2017/01/oculus-accused-of-destroying-evidence-zuckerberg-to-testify-in-vr-theft-trial/ |archive-date=January 16, 2017}}{{cite news|first1=Alex|last1=Hern|access-date=July 30, 2019|title=Facebook in row with games firm over Oculus Rift purchase|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/may/02/facebook-row-games-firm-oculus-rift-john-carmack-id-software|newspaper=The Guardian|date=May 2, 2014|issn=0261-3077|via=www.theguardian.com}}{{cite news|first1=Sam|last1=Thielman|access-date=July 30, 2019|title=Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg testifies in Oculus Rift lawsuit|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jan/17/facebook-mark-zuckerberg-testifies-oculus-rift-lawsuit|newspaper=The Guardian|date=January 17, 2017|issn=0261-3077|via=www.theguardian.com}} The trial jury absolved Carmack of liability, though Oculus and other corporate officers were held liable for trademark, copyright, and contract violations.{{cite web|last1=Orland |first1=Kyle |title=Oculus, execs liable for $500 million in ZeniMax VR trial |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2017/02/oculus-execs-liable-for-500-million-in-zenimax-vr-trial/ |access-date=February 1, 2017 |website=Ars Technica |date=February 1, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170201225128/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2017/02/oculus-execs-liable-for-500-million-in-zenimax-vr-trial/ |archive-date=February 1, 2017}}

File:John Carmack - The Dawn of Mobile VR - Game Developer Conference 2015 - cropped.jpg 2015]]

In February 2017, Carmack sued ZeniMax, claiming the company had refused to pay him the remaining $22.5 million (~${{Format price|{{Inflation|index=US-GDP|value=22500000|start_year=2017}}}} in {{Inflation/year|US-GDP}}) owed to him from their purchase of id Software.{{cite news|last1=Manion |first1=Wayne |title=John Carmack sues ZeniMax for $22.5 million |url=https://techreport.com/news/31570/john-carmack-sues-zenimax-for-22-5-million |access-date=March 13, 2017 |publisher=Tech Report |date=March 10, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170314063835/https://techreport.com/news/31570/john-carmack-sues-zenimax-for-22-5-million |archive-date=March 14, 2017}} In October 2018, Carmack stated that he and ZeniMax had reached an agreement and that "Zenimax has fully satisfied their obligations to me", ending the suit.{{cite web | url = https://www.engadget.com/2018/10/12/john-carmack-zenimax-lawsuits/ | title = 'Doom' co-creator John Carmack ends legal fight with ZeniMax | first = Daniel | last = Cooper | date = October 12, 2018 | access-date = October 12, 2018 | work = Engadget }}

On November 13, 2019, Carmack stepped down from the Oculus CTO role to become a "Consulting CTO" in order to allocate more time to his work on artificial general intelligence (AGI).{{Cite web|first=Richard|last=Lawler|url=https://www.engadget.com/2019/11/13/john-carmack-agi/?guccounter=1|title=John Carmack takes a step back at Oculus to work on human-like AI|website=Engadget.com|date=November 14, 2019 |language=en|access-date=November 14, 2019}} On August 19, 2022, Carmack announced that he has raised $20M for Keen Technologies, his new AGI company.{{Cite web|first=John|last=Carmack|url= https://twitter.com/ID_AA_Carmack/status/1560728042959507457|title=John Carmack on Twitter|website=Twitter.com|language=en|access-date=August 23, 2022| date=August 19, 2022}} On December 16, 2022, Carmack left Oculus to focus on Keen.

In September 2023 John partnered with computer scientist Richard S. Sutton from the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute{{Cite web |title=Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute {{!}} AI for good and for all |url=https://www.amii.ca/ |access-date=2025-02-24 |website=Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute |language=en}} to help further AI research efforts.{{Cite web |title=John Carmack & Rich Sutton Partner to Accelerate AGI Development {{!}} Amii |url=https://www.amii.ca/updates-insights/john-carmack-and-rich-sutton-agi |access-date=2025-02-24 |website=Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute |language=en}}

Carmack claims to have maintained a sixty-hour work week, working a 10-hour day, six days a week, throughout his career.{{cite podcast |host=Lex Fridman |title=#309 – John Carmack: Doom, Quake, VR, AGI, Programming, Video Games, and Rockets |website=Lexfridman.com |publisher=Lex Fridman |date=15 January 2023 |url=https://lexfridman.com/john-carmack/ |access-date=15 January 2023}} He has spoken publicly about the importance of long hours of uninterrupted focus in his work. Not only does high intensity allow him to make progress more quickly, but long hours are also critical to maintaining a focused mindset over time. Despite working such a demanding schedule, he has never experienced burnout.

Carmack is also known for taking week-long programming retreats. These retreats involve a solitary, uninterrupted period away from his normal routine often sequestered in a random city and hotel.{{sfn|Kushner|2003|pp=252}} The goal of these retreats is to allow Carmack to operate at full cognitive capacity, tackling a specific, difficult problem or learning a new skill.{{Cite tweet |last=Carmack |first=John |user=@ID_AA_Carmack |number=1218526548627804161 |date=January 18, 2020 |access-date=January 15, 2023 |link=https://twitter.com/ID_AA_Carmack/status/1218526548627804161?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw |title=I was doing a remote study/think time this week, and I tried a "no screen time day" as an experiment, restricting myself to printed books and papers. It was inconclusive. I missed finding instant answers and chasing references at least a dozen times during the day. I was ...}} The solitude and physical isolation of these retreats offer the perfect environment for deep focus and reflection, making them an essential part of Carmack's creative process.

Carmack was vocal about his frustration with the bureaucratic inefficiencies he encountered during his time at Meta.{{Cite tweet |last=Carmack |first=John |user=@ID_AA_Carmack |number=1603931901491908610 |date=December 16, 2022 |access-date=January 15, 2023 |link=https://twitter.com/ID_AA_Carmack/status/1218526548627804161?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw |title=I have always been pretty frustrated with how things get done at FB/Meta. Everything necessary for spectacular success is right there, but it doesn't get put together effectively.}} In his departure memo, he stated, "We have a ridiculous amount of people and resources, but we constantly self-sabotage and squander effort," he wrote. "I have never been able to kill stupid things before they cause damage, or set a direction and have a team actually stick to it."{{cite web |url=https://www.engadget.com/john-carmack-leaves-meta-043202664.html |title=John Carmack leaves Meta with a memo criticizing the company's efficiency |last=Moon |first=Mariella |date=December 16, 2022 |website=Engadget |publisher=Yahoo |access-date=January 15, 2023}}

Carmack subscribes to the philosophy that small, incremental steps are the fastest route to meaningful and disruptive innovation. He compares this approach to the "magic of gradient descent" where small steps using local information result in the best outcomes. According to Carmack, this principle is proven by his own experience, and he has observed this in many of the smartest people in the world. He states, "Little tiny steps using local information winds up leading to all the best answers."

{{Main|Armadillo Aerospace}}

Image:John Carmack during the X-Prize Cup 2005 in Las Cruces and Alamogordo, New Mexico -- October 6-9, 2005.jpg Cup in Las Cruces and Alamogordo, New Mexico]]

Around 2000, Carmack became interested in rocketry, a hobby of his youth. Reviewing how much money he was spending on customizing Ferraris,{{citation needed|date=December 2012}} he began by giving financial support to a few local amateur engineers. Carmack funded the company, called Armadillo Aerospace, out of his own pocket, for "something north of a million dollars a year." The company of hobbyists made steady progress toward their goals of suborbital space flight and eventual orbital vehicles. In October 2008, Armadillo Aerospace competed in a NASA contest known as the Lunar Lander Challenge, winning first place in the Level 1 competition along with $350,000 (~${{Format price|{{Inflation|index=US-GDP|value=350000|start_year=2008}}}} in {{Inflation/year|US-GDP}}).{{cite web |url=https://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2008/dec/HQ_M08241_XPRIZE_Ceremony.html#.YK0HON1Oncs |title=NASA To Recognize Winner of Lunar Lander Challenge |date=December 1, 2008 |website=NASA |access-date=November 27, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121119085732/https://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2008/dec/HQ_M08241_XPRIZE_Ceremony.html |archive-date=November 19, 2012}} In September 2009, they completed Level 2 and were awarded $500,000 (~${{Format price|{{Inflation|index=US-GDP|value=500000|start_year=2009}}}} in {{Inflation/year|US-GDP}}).{{cite news|first=Patrick |last=Michaels |work=Dallas Observer |title=Rocket Men From Mesquite's Armadillo Aerospace Are in Line For $1 Million X Prize |url=http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2009/09/a_three-minute_hover_over_cadd.php |access-date=September 14, 2009 |date=September 14, 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090918194500/http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2009/09/a_three-minute_hover_over_cadd.php |archive-date=September 18, 2009}}{{cite web|url=http://spacefellowship.com/2009/09/13/armadillo-aerospace-claim-level-2-ngllc-prize/comment-page-1/ |title=International Space Fellowship |publisher=Spacefellowship.com |access-date=November 27, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130624093733/http://spacefellowship.com/2009/09/13/armadillo-aerospace-claim-level-2-ngllc-prize/comment-page-1/ |archive-date=June 24, 2013}}{{cite web|url=http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/09/11/2064885.aspx/ |title=Lunar lander qualifies for prize – Cosmic Log |publisher=MSNBC |access-date=November 27, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090915173132/http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/09/11/2064885.aspx |archive-date=September 15, 2009}} The company went into "hibernation mode" in 2013.{{cite news|last=Foust |first=Jeff |title=Carmack: Armadillo Aerospace in "hibernation mode" |url=http://www.newspacejournal.com/2013/08/01/carmack-armadillo-aerospace-in-hibernation-mode/ |access-date=August 6, 2013 |newspaper=NewSpace Journal |date=August 1, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130805222751/http://www.newspacejournal.com/2013/08/01/carmack-armadillo-aerospace-in-hibernation-mode/ |archive-date=August 5, 2013}}

According to Carmack, the work in the aerospace industry is "simple" compared to the work he does in video games.{{cite web |last1=XPRIZE |title=John Carmack (Armadillo Aerospace) at NASA HQ |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcWRc1wK3gM |website=YouTube |date=December 5, 2008 |access-date=January 30, 2023}}

Carmack is an advocate of open-source software, and has repeatedly voiced his opposition to software patents, equating them to robbery.{{cite web|url=http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=151312&cid=12701745 |title=Are Video Game Patents Next? |publisher=Slashdot |date=June 1, 2005 |access-date=November 27, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131207201122/http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=151312&cid=12701745 |archive-date=December 7, 2013}} He has also contributed to open-source projects, such as starting the initial port of the X Window System to Mac OS X Server and working to improve the OpenGL drivers for Linux through the Utah GLX project.{{cite web |url=https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Carmack-OpenBSD-Programming |title=John Carmack Goes On Coding Retreat With OpenBSD |last=Larabel |first=Michael |date=March 5, 2018 |website=Phoronix |access-date=March 5, 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180707131043/https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Carmack-OpenBSD-Programming |archive-date=July 7, 2018}}

Carmack released the source code for Wolfenstein 3D in 1995 and the Doom source code in 1997, first under a custom license and then under the GNU General Public License (GPL) in 1999. When the source code to Quake was leaked and circulated among the Quake community underground in 1997 after licensee Crack dot Com was hacked,{{cite magazine|first=Annaliza|last=Savage|title=Hackers Hack Crack, Steal Quake|url=https://www.wired.com/1997/01/hackers-hack-crack-steal-quake/|magazine=Wired|date=January 10, 1997|access-date=February 14, 2023}} a programmer unaffiliated with id Software named Greg Alexander used it to port Quake to Linux using SVGALib. As this was more feature rich than Dave Taylor's earlier X11 port, he sent the patches to Carmack.{{cite web |last=Wilson |first=Hamish | date=February 27, 2023 | title=Building a Retro Linux Gaming Computer – Part 27: Lost Souls | url=https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2023/02/building-a-retro-linux-gaming-computer-part-27-lost-souls/ | website=GamingOnLinux | accessdate=February 27, 2023}} Instead of pursuing legal action, id Software used the patches as the foundation for a company-sanctioned Linux port maintained by new hire Zoid Kirsch, who later ported Quakeworld and Quake II to Linux as well.{{cite web|title=An interview with Dave "Zoid" Kirsch of linux quake fame|url=http://linuxpower.org/display_item.phtml?id=105|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990910231358/http://linuxpower.org/display_item.phtml?id=105|website=Linux Power|first1=Barath|last1=Raghavan|first2=Jeremy|last2=Katz|first3=Jack|last3=Moffitt|archive-date=September 10, 1999|date=February 19, 1999|access-date=February 27, 2023}}

id Software has since publicly released the source code to Quake in 1999, Quake 2 in 2001, Quake 3 in 2005 and lastly Doom 3 in 2011 (and later the BFG Edition in 2012). The source code for Hovertank 3D and Catacomb 3D (as well as Carmack's earlier Catacomb) was released in June 2014 by Flat Rock Software with Carmack's blessing.{{cite web|website=Twitter|last=Carmack |first=John |title=@ID_AA_Carmack: Thanks to Flat Rock... |url=https://twitter.com/ID_AA_Carmack/status/474615324436750336 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714152752/https://twitter.com/ID_AA_Carmack/status/474615324436750336 |archive-date=July 14, 2014}}{{cite web|website=bit-gamer|last=Halfacree |first=Gareth |title=Early id Software game engines open-sourced |url=https://www.bit-tech.net/news/gaming/pc/early-id-engines/1/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180106204457/https://www.bit-tech.net/news/gaming/pc/early-id-engines/1/ |archive-date=January 6, 2018 |date=June 9, 2014 |access-date=April 7, 2018}} He has since expressed regret on using the copyleft GPL over the more permissive BSD license.{{cite web|website=Twitter|title=@ID_AA_Carmack|url=https://twitter.com/ID_AA_Carmack/status/1412271091393994754|first=John|last=Carmack|date=July 5, 2021|access-date=February 27, 2023|quote=The recent discussions around copilot are a good opportunity to say this: I wish I could have licensed the Id source code releases as BSD. The GPL virality wound up being a net negative, and more value would have come from BSD. My partners would never have gone for it, though... I touched on that recently with the comment about open source culture and game dev; the best aspects of GPL work didn't manifest, but tons of opportunities to just copy-paste-modify were lost due to license concerns. It is possible that some of the source ports wouldn't have been as open, but I'm pretty sure there would have been more total users of the code, likely making the amount shared in the open still greater. I'm still supportive of lots of GPL work, but I don't think the restrictions helped in this particular case.}}

The release of id Tech 4 occurred despite patent concerns from Creative Labs over Carmack's reverse,{{cite web|last=Kepley |first=Travis |date=February 11, 2014|title=How we almost lost Doom 3 and id for good | url=https://opensource.com/life/11/11/we-almost-lost-doom-3-id-for-good |website=Opensource.com|access-date=November 30, 2011}} while the original Doom source release shipped without music due to complications with the Cygnus Studios developed DMX library (which lead to the Linux version being selected for release).{{cite web |last=Wilson |first=Hamish | date=March 14, 2022 | title=Building a Retro Linux Gaming Computer – Part 16: We Are All Doomed | url=https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2022/03/building-a-retro-linux-gaming-computer-part-16-we-are-all-doomed/ | website=GamingOnLinux | access-date=February 2, 2023}} Carmack has since advised developers to be careful when utilizing middleware, noting how it can limit the possibilities of later releasing source code.{{cite web |last=Plunkett |first=Luke | date=February 12, 2023 | title=As More Games Disappear Forever, John Carmack Has Some Great Advice About Preservation | url=https://kotaku.com/vr-meta-facebook-carmack-shutdown-failure-close-echo-1850076140 | website=Kotaku | access-date=February 10, 2023}} Tim Sweeney has implied this issue has hindered potential releases of older Unreal Engine source code.{{cite web |last=Papadopoulos |first=John | date=January 19, 2015 | title=Epic's Tim Sweeney Says That Unreal Engine 1 May One Day Go Open Source | url=https://www.dsogaming.com/news/epics-tim-sweeney-says-that-unreal-engine-1-may-one-day-go-open-source/ | website=DSOGaming | access-date=February 10, 2023}}

On the other hand, despite his technical admiration for the system,{{cite web|first=John|last=Carmack|url=https://rmitz.org/carmack.on.operating.systems.html|title=Operating systems|website=John Carmack's .plan|date=March 18, 1997|quote=I consider linux the second most important platform after win32 for id. From a biz standpoint it would be ludicrous to place it even on par with mac or os/2, but for our types of games that are designed to be hacked, linux has a big plus: the highest hacker to user ratio of any os. I don't personally develop on linux, because I do my unixy things with NEXTSTEP, but I have a lot of technical respect for it.|access-date=February 19, 2023}} Carmack has several times over the years voiced a skeptical opinion about Linux as a gaming platform.[http://games.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=9265&cid=573583 "id on Linux: "disappointing" and "support nightmare"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150428203133/http://games.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=9265&cid=573583 |date=April 28, 2015}} from Slashdot (John Carmack, December 8, 2000){{cite web|url=https://www.phoronix.com/news/MTE1NDA|title=id Software: Linux Hasn't Produced Positive Results|first=Michael|last=Larabel|website=Phoronix|date=August 4, 2012|access-date=February 13, 2023}} In 2013, he argued for emulation as the "proper technical direction for gaming on Linux",{{cite magazine|url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/121945-John-Carmack-Argues-Against-Native-Linux-Games |quote=He reiterated his support for improving emulation as the "proper technical direction for gaming on Linux," noting that native ports don't do much that a good emulator wouldn't be able to handle. |title=John Carmack Argues Against Native Linux Games |first=Andy |last=Chalk |date=February 6, 2013 |access-date=September 29, 2013 |magazine=The Escapist |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140113172607/http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/121945-John-Carmack-Argues-Against-Native-Linux-Games |archive-date=January 13, 2014}} and in 2014 he voiced the opinion that Linux might be the biggest problem for the success of the Steam Machine.{{cite web|url=http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/169021-john-carmack-thinks-the-steam-machines-biggest-problem-is-linux |title=John Carmack thinks the Steam Machine's biggest problem is Linux |first=James |last=Plafke |date=October 21, 2013 |access-date=August 22, 2014 |publisher=extremetech.com |quote=Carmack specifically noted, Linux might be the Steam Machine's downfall |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140826115534/http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/169021-john-carmack-thinks-the-steam-machines-biggest-problem-is-linux |archive-date=August 26, 2014}}

Carmack contributes to charities and gaming communities. Some of the recipients of Carmack's charitable contributions include his former high school, promoters of open-source software, opponents of software patents, and game enthusiasts.{{cite web |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/programming/id-software-co-founder-john-carmack-to-receive-bafta-fellowship |title=id Software co-founder John Carmack to receive BAFTA Fellowship |last=Kerr |first=Chris |date=March 24, 2016 |website=Gamasutra |access-date=March 24, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160328200650/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/268878/id_Software_cofounder_John_Carmack_to_receive_BAFTA_Fellowship.php |archive-date=March 28, 2016}}

Carmack was so successful at id that by mid-1994 he had purchased two Ferraris: a Ferrari 328 and a Ferrari Testarossa.{{Cite magazine|last=Lombardi|first=Chris|date=July 1994|title=To Hell and Back Again|url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1994&pub=2&id=120|magazine=Computer Gaming World|pages=20–24}} In 1997, he gave away the Ferrari 328 as a prize to Dennis Fong, the winner of the Quake tournament "Red Annihilation".{{cite magazine |last1=Davison |first1=John |title=How 'Quake' Changed Video Games Forever |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/how-quake-changed-video-games-forever-187984/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=June 22, 2016 |access-date=July 21, 2017}}

He met his now ex-wife Katherine Anna Kang, at the 1997 QuakeCon when she visited id's offices. As a bet, Kang challenged Carmack to sponsor the first all-female Quake tournament if she was able to produce a significant number of participants. Carmack predicted a maximum of 25 participants, but there were 1,500.{{sfn|Kushner|2003|p=281}} Carmack and Kang married on January 1, 2000, and planned a ceremony in Hawaii. Steve Jobs requested that they would postpone the ceremony so Carmack could attend the MacWorld Expo on January 5, 2000. Carmack declined and suggested making a video instead.{{cite web |first=John |last=Carmack |title=Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=2146412825593223&id=100006735798590 |website=Facebook |access-date=March 18, 2020}} Carmack and Kang had a son Christopher Ryan in August 2004.{{cite web|url=http://armadilloaerospace.com/n.x/Armadillo/Home/News?news_id=273 |title=Rebuilding, New team member |publisher=Armadillo Aerospace News Archive |date= August 16, 2004 |first=John |last=Carmack |access-date=September 30, 2023 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040817044247/http://armadilloaerospace.com/n.x/Armadillo/Home/News?news_id=273 |archive-date=August 17, 2004}} Their second son was born in November 2009.

Carmack is divorced as of 2021. On May 26, 2022, he announced his divorce and how he met his partner Trista through the VR Beat Saber games he would host via Twitter.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/ID_AA_Carmack/status/1530022920130543630|title=Relationship related post|publisher=Twitter|date=May 27, 2022|access-date=August 8, 2022}}

As a game developer, Carmack differed from many of his contemporaries by avoiding commitment to a final release date for any game he was developing. Instead, when asked for a release date on a new game, Carmack would usually reply that the game would be released "when it's done".{{cite web|url=http://pc.gamespy.com/articles/896/896763p6.html |title=GameSpy: John Carmack: QuakeCon 2008 Keynote Highlights – Page 6 |publisher=Pc.gamespy.com |access-date=November 27, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210193443/http://pc.gamespy.com/articles/896/896763p6.html |archive-date=February 10, 2012}} Employees at Apogee, in their past years the publishers of games by id Software, adopted this business practice as well.{{cite web|url=http://forums.3drealms.com/vb/showthread.php?p=654680#post654680 |title=DNF Dallas Business Journal Article, 2008, and stuff – Page 4 – 3D Realms Forums |publisher=Forums.3drealms.com |access-date=November 27, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018112949/http://forums.3drealms.com/vb/showthread.php?p=654680 |archive-date=October 18, 2012}} In 2019, as a guest on The Joe Rogan Experience, Carmack stated that his beliefs have changed over time: "I largely recant from that now." On Rage{{'s}} six-year development time he says: "I think we should have done whatever it would have taken to ship that two years earlier." Carmack also reflected on the internal development of Quake in this regard and described it as "traumatic" and says id Software could have split the game into two parts and shipped it earlier.{{cite podcast |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znJPn3FSFmM |title=John Carmack: What Went Wrong With "Rage" |website=The Joe Rogan Experience |publisher=YouTube |host=Rogan, Joe |date=August 28, 2019 |time=0:43 |access-date=September 2, 2021 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210902180419/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znJPn3FSFmM |archive-date=September 2, 2021 }}

Carmack has a blog last updated in 2006 (previously a .plan, which could be accessed by making a finger request for an active Twitter account), and also occasionally posts comments to Slashdot.

Carmack supported the 2012 presidential campaign of Libertarian Ron Paul,{{cite web|title=Page by Page Report Display (Page 5052 of 7433) |url=http://images.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/fecimg/?12951516414 |publisher=Federal Election Commission |access-date=March 13, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150428203357/http://images.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/fecimg/?12951516414 |archive-date=April 28, 2015 }} and also persuaded the Libertarian Party of Texas to accept bitcoin as an alternative to donations.{{Cite news |title=VR Legend John Carmack Persuaded the Libertarian Party of Texas to Accept Bitcoin Donations |last=Prisco |first=Giulio |date=2021-03-04 |url=https://www.ccn.com/vr-legend-john-carmack-persuaded-libertarian-party-texas-accept-bitcoin-donations/ |access-date=2024-12-05 |work=CCN.com}} He is an atheist.{{cite tweet |user=ID_AA_Carmack |number=18382634732224512 |date=December 23, 2010 |title=@eastwood333 I don't believe in god, but I don't see any correlation between religiosity and human virtues. Merry Xmas everyone!}}"Having a reasonable grounding in statistics and probability and no belief in luck, fate, karma, or god(s), the only casino game that interests me is blackjack," he wrote in a .plan file." — John Carmack, David Kushner, as quoted in Masters of Doom: How two guys created an Empire and transformed pop culture (2003). During a conversation with Joe Rogan, Carmack revealed that he had trained in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Judo for several years as a hobby.{{Cite web|last=BjjTribes|date=August 1, 2021|title=John Carmack details his BJJ and Judo experience|url=https://bjjtribes.com/john-carmack-details-his-bjj-and-judo-experience/|access-date=August 1, 2021|website=BjjTribes|language=en-US}}

During his time at id Software, a medium pepperoni pizza would arrive for Carmack from Domino's Pizza almost every day,"The pizza, it's one of those things that's actually true. For a long time that I did software, I had a pizza delivered every single day. You know, the delivery guy, he knew me by name and I didn't find out until years later that apparently I was such a good customer that they just never raised the price on me and I was using this 6-year-old price for the pizza that they were still kind of sending my way every day." "So you were eating once a day or were you—" "It would be spread out. You know, you have a few pieces of pizza, you have some more later on and I maybe have some at home." —John Carmack, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I845O57ZSy4&t=3300s 2022-08-04 Lex Fridman interview] (starting 54m) carried by the same delivery person for more than 15 years. Carmack had been such a regular customer that they continued to charge him 1995 prices.{{cite magazine|last1=Thomsen|first1=Michael|title=The Deathmatch Daydreams of Tim Willits|magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly|date=June 2011|issue=248|pages=23–24|url=https://archive.org/details/electronic-gaming-monthly-issue-248-june-2011}}

On occasion he has commended the efforts of similarly focused programmers – first Ken Silverman, who wrote the Build engine for 3D Realms, and later with Tim Sweeney of Epic Games, who wrote the Unreal Engine.

{{Incomplete list|date=August 2008}}

{{noteslist}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

• {{cite book |last=Kushner |first=David |date=2003 |title=Masters of Doom: How Two Guys Created an Empire and Transformed Pop Culture |location=New York |publisher=Random House |isbn=0-375-50524-5}}

{{wikiquote|John D. Carmack}}

{{commons category}}

• {{Twitter}}
• {{moby developer |id=682}}
• {{IMDb name|0138316}}

{{Softdisk}}

{{id Software}}

{{BAFTA Academy Fellowship Award}}

{{Facebook navbox}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Carmack, John}}

Category:1970 births

Category:Living people

Category:20th-century American businesspeople

Category:20th-century atheists

Category:21st-century American businesspeople

Category:21st-century atheists

Category:Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame inductees

Category:American aerospace businesspeople

Category:American aerospace designers

Category:American aerospace engineers

Category:American atheists

Category:American computer businesspeople

Category:American male bloggers

Category:American bloggers

Category:American software engineers

Category:American technology chief executives

Category:American technology company founders

Category:American video game designers

Category:American video game programmers

Category:Businesspeople from Kansas

Category:Businesspeople from Texas

Category:BAFTA fellows

Category:Emmy Award winners

Category:Facebook employees

Category:Free software programmers

Category:Game Developers Conference Lifetime Achievement Award recipients

Category:Id Software people

Category:People from Heath, Texas

Category:People from Johnson County, Kansas

Category:Texas Libertarians

Category:Virtual reality pioneers