Vladimir Pokhilko

Vladimir Pokhilko (Russian: Владимир Похилко) (7 April 1954 in Moscow – 21 September 1998 in Palo Alto) was a Russian entrepreneur and academic who specialized in human–computer interaction.

A friend of the Tetris creator Alexey Pajitnov, he was the first clinical psychologist to conduct experiments using the game.[1] He played an important role in the subsequent development and marketing of the game, and a 1999 article in the Forbes magazine credited him for "co-inventing the seminal videogame Tetris".[2]

In 1989, he and Pajitnov founded the 3D software technology company AnimaTek in Moscow.[3] While attempting to create software for INTEC (a company that they started) that would be made for "people's souls", they developed the idea for El-Fish.

After suffering financial difficulties at his software company, AnimaTek, he murdered his wife Elena Fedotova (38) and their son Peter (12), then committed suicide.[4] Shortly before his death, Pokhilko penned a note. The police initially did not release the content of the note, saying that it was not a suicide note, and they didn't know who authored it.[5] The content of the note was released in 1999; it read:[6]

"I've been eaten alive. Vladimir. Just remember that I am exist. The davil."

References

  1. ↑ Mark J. P. Wolf (31 August 2012). Encyclopedia of Video Games: The Culture, Technology, and Art of Gaming. ABC-CLIO. p. 642. ISBN 978-0-313-37936-9. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  2. ↑ When startups become blowups by Jon Swartz. Forbes, 10 June 1999.
  3. ↑ Marc Saltzman, ed. (1 May 2002). Game Programming 5.0 Starter Kit. Pearson Education. p. 431. ISBN 978-1-57595-555-1. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  4. ↑ Stein, Loren (27 January 1999). "POLICE: Detail of Russian entreprenuer's note reveals a tormented man". Palo Alto Weekly. Retrieved 2013-02-05.
  5. ↑ Pushed past the brink by Matt Beer and Jacob. San Francisco Chronicle, 24 September 1998.
  6. ↑ Report names father as killer P.A. Police show revealing note. San Jose Mercury News (CA) – 22 January 1999 – 1B Local.

External links


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