Ron Crane (engineer)
{{Short description|American electrical engineer (1950–2017)}}
{{Infobox scientist
| name = Ron Crane
| image = Ron in Aerospace Museum in 2012.png
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1950|06|01}}
| birth_place =
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2017|06|19|1950|06|01}}
| death_place =
| residence =
| citizenship = United States
| education = MIT (BS)
Stanford University (MS)
| doctoral_advisor =
| occupation = Electrical engineer
| known_for = {{Cslist|Invention of the EtherLink controller|3com co-founder|Ethernet co-inventor}}
| spouse = Rosanne Kermoian Crane (m. 2017)
| field = Computer networking
| work_institutions = Xerox PARC
3Com
LAN Media
| prizes =
}}
Ronald Cooper Crane (June 1, 1950 - June 19, 2017) was an American electrical engineer recognized for designing the EtherLink, the first network interface controller for the IBM PC.{{cite web|last1=Myslewski|first1=Rik|title=How God and übergeek Ron Crane saved 3Com's bacon|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/05/28/ron_crane_saves_3com/|website=The Register|access-date=28 August 2017|date=28 May 2013}} He was also a co-founder of 3Com and a co-inventor of Ethernet.{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/BobMetcalfe/status/877260718416039936|title=Ronald C. Crane passed away yesterday.... MIT '72, Ethernet co-inventor, 3Com co-founder, friend....Rest in peace.|last=Metcalfe|first=Bob|date=20 Jun 2017|website=Twitter|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2017-10-13}}
Biography
Crane graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1972 with a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering. He then attended Stanford University initially planning to pursue a doctorate degree in electrical engineering. In 1973, while pursuing his doctorate degree at Stanford, Crane joined the TCP/IP protocol research team, headed by Vint Cerf. In 2005, a "Birth of the Internet" plaque was installed on the Stanford grounds, and Crane's name, among others, is listed on the plaque as being a fundamental contributor to the birth of the Internet.
Crane left Stanford in 1974, accepting a Master of Science degree in electrical engineering instead of his planned doctorate degree, and began to work at the Xerox Systems Development Division, a spinoff of Xerox PARC, where he was responsible for enhancing the original Ethernet transmission system.{{cite web|last1=Karagianis|first1=Liz|title=Good Energy|url=http://spectrum.mit.edu/spring-2006/good-energy/|website=MIT Spectrum|access-date=28 August 2017|date=Spring 2006}} Crane joined Bob Metcalfe at 3Com as the fourth employee and co-founder in 1979.{{cite magazine|last1=Kirsner|first1=Scott|title=The Legend of Bob Metcalfe|url=https://www.wired.com/1998/11/metcalfe/|magazine=WIRED|access-date=28 August 2017}} It was at 3Com where Crane developed the 3C100, the first Thick Ethernet transceiver for the IBM PC, which went on to be the first major product offered by 3Com.{{Cite news|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20090624005754/en/3Com-Celebrates-30-Years-Innovation|title=3Com Celebrates 30 Years of Innovation|access-date=2018-10-25|language=en}}
Crane founded LAN Media Corporation in 1992. It was later acquired by SBE Incorporated in 2000, which was, in turn, acquired by Neonode in 2007.{{cite news |title= SBE Inc. Acquires LAN Media Corporation |date= July 14, 2000 |work= news release |location= San Ramon, California |url= http://www.elliottstewart.com/portfolio/sbesite1/071400.htm |access-date= April 6, 2011 }}{{cite news |title= SBE and Neonode Announce Execution of Merger Agreement |date= January 22, 2007 |work= news release |location= San Ramon, California |publisher= Business Wire |url= http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20070122005289/en/SBE-Neonode-Announce-Execution-Merger-Agreement |access-date= April 6, 2011 }}
In 2006, Crane endowed a professorship at MIT to support energy-related research.
Crane died on June 19, 2017, from complications of an aggressive form of prostate cancer. A memorial event was held at the Computer History Museum and attended by over 100 esteemed colleagues, friends and family. Bob Metcalfe gave the closing speech.{{Cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/mercurynews/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=186288045|title=Legacy Ron Crane|last=|first=|date=|website=Legacy.com|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}
In 2019, a book entitled "The 3Com story" was published, that, in part, documents Crane's contributions to networking and 3Com.
References
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Category:American electrical engineers
Category:MIT School of Engineering alumni
Category:Stanford University School of Engineering alumni
Category:Scientists at PARC (company)
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