Dave Farber has died
Source: Hacker News
Announcement
We are heartbroken to report that our colleague—our mentor, friend, and conscience—David J. Farber passed away suddenly at his home in Roppongi, Tokyo. He left us on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, at the too‑young age of 91.
Family
- Survived by: son Manny Farber, daughter‑in‑law Mei Xu, daughter‑in‑law Carol Hagan, and grandsons Nate Farber and Sam Farber.
- Preceded in death by: his wife Gloria (G.G.) and son Joe Farber.
Biography
- Education: Stevens Institute of Technology (also served as a Trustee).
- Career highlights:
- Joined Bell Labs during its heyday.
- Worked at the Rand Corporation.
- Served as Chief Technologist of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission.
- Became an instrument‑rated pilot.
- Active board member of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital civil‑liberties organization.
His professional accomplishments are often captured by the moniker “grandfather of the Internet,” acknowledging the foundational contributions made by his many students at the University of California, Irvine; the University of Delaware; the University of Pennsylvania; and Carnegie Mellon University.
In 2018, at the age of 83, Dave moved to Japan to become Distinguished Professor at Keio University and Co‑Director of the Keio Cyber Civilization Research Center (CCRC). He loved teaching and delivered his final class on January 22, 2026.
Community Involvement
At CCRC, one of his most enjoyable activities was co‑hosting the IP‑Asia online gathering, which met every Monday for more than five years and addressed many aspects of the impact of technology on civilization.
Remembrance
The IP‑Asia community will gather for an online remembrance of Dave at the usual time and place, 2100 JST on Monday, February 9, 2026.
Contact
Manny can be reached at manny.farber@gmail.com.
With condolences to Manny and the rest of the family,
Jiro Kokuryo, Cherry Wong, Kaori Suzuki, Rodney Van Meter, Dan Gillmor