Richard M. Shupak, 60, previously of Dresher, retired revolutionary analysis software program improvement engineer at Microsoft Corp., world traveler, and fervent foodie, died Sunday, Sept. 17, of accidents after an accident whereas vacationing in Puerto Escondido, Mexico.
Hailed by Microsoft founder Bill Gates and different executives as one the corporate’s most prolific software program engineers from 1988 to 2012, Mr. Shupak helped develop the revolutionary QuickBASIC pc programming language and different instruments that optimized pc code and associated software program. His expertise have been so extraordinary, his household said in a tribute, “that Bill Gates once described him as the ‘special sauce’ of Microsoft.”
Mr. Shupak was an professional programming troubleshooter, and Microsoft was awarded a number of patents on his innovations, together with one in 2011 referred to as “Safe and Efficient Allocation of Memory” that, in keeping with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, “inhibits malware from identifying the location of the executable image.”
In a profile he wrote in 2000 for Microsoft’s guide Inside Out, Mr. Shupak mentioned he earned an interview with the expertise large after sending “so many” solutions on to tips on how to enhance the OS/2 working system he had bought. Over the years, he grew to become one of many firm’s prime quality-control engineers and problem-solvers, and mentioned: “What’s important to me isn’t being the first guy to think of something. It’s more the charge I get from figuring it out in the first place. My ideas come mostly in response to a problem.”
He labored on MS-DOS, Visual Basic, and different programming language at Microsoft and, ever the prankster, would typically insert his initials right into a code when two of the bytes may very well be something. Not all of his colleagues appreciated his capability to uncover bugs of their work, he mentioned, however they often modified their attitudes when it “came back to haunt us” after they ignored him.
“Making a nuisance of myself is not officially part of my job description,” he mentioned. “It’s more like a hobby.”
Earlier, Mr. Shupak labored at Sperry Corp. and earned a bachelor’s diploma in pc engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. He grew to become a world traveler and enthusiastic foodie after retiring from Microsoft in 2012.
He visited not less than 90 international locations, usually with household and mates, and made it some extent to immerse himself within the tradition, language, and delicacies of wherever he went. “His untraditional goodness and his passion for excellent food and travel will outlive him in the many people he met all over the world,” a pal mentioned in an online tribute.
He researched the world’s top-rated eating places, sought their prime reservations, and infrequently deliberate his journey schedule round their availability. “He left behind his personality and wit that tour guides, merchants, and restaurateurs could not easily forget,” a pal mentioned.
Richard Mark Shupak was born Oct. 25, 1962, in Philadelphia. He lived in Mount Airy and Dresher, graduated from Germantown Academy in 1980 with a near-perfect rating within the SAT, and was a National Merit Scholarship semifinalist. He labored for years as a young man at Martin’s Aquarium in Jenkintown and graduated from Penn in 1984. He moved to Kirkland, Wash., after becoming a member of Microsoft.
“Sometimes I take on pet projects that are just interesting to me, and I make a nuisance of myself.”
Richard Shupak on how he reviewed and tried to enhance the work of his colleagues at Microsoft.
His household based the outstanding Shupak Pickle Products Co. within the early 1900s, and he was so all in favour of their family tree that he traced their roots again to their arrival within the United States from Russia and elsewhere.
Mr. Shupak was beneficiant, adventurous, and curious. He valued training and helped household and mates afford tuition and different bills related to self-improvement. “Richard was a unique and kind man who showed generosity in other people’s times of need without fail,” a friend said.
He conceded he was a procrastinator when it got here to responding to firm e-mails at Microsoft however remained so all in favour of pc programming that he felt obligated to alert different corporations with which he interacted later when he seen vulnerabilities of their software program techniques.
He appreciated to play pranks on his siblings when he was young, and he doted on his cats, Prince and Princess. “He would do anything for anybody in his life,” mentioned his sister Ellen. “He was one of a kind.”
In addition to his sister, Mr. Shupak is survived by his mom, Phyllis; a brother; and different kin.
Services have been Tuesday, Sept. 26.
Donations in his title could also be made to Mexico’s Mount Sinai Alliance Benevolent Society.
