Remembering Richard [A. Richard Newton]

A. Richard Newton was larger than life in the eyes of the ones who had the fortune of meeting him. His outlook on life was so different, innovative, and refreshing that one could not avoid being enthralled by his ideas long after parting ways. In this paper, I remember him both as a wonderful human being and as an old and dearest friend. It is not easy for me to do justice to the great contributions that he made to the EDA community and to the world in general. I begin with my own rendition of his accomplishments and his biography decorated with comments from students and colleagues. The body of the paper is about his most significant speeches, which are the best witnesses of his vision and legacy. His own words are so eloquent and convincing that any editing would dilute the message. I will first quote excerpts from his DAC key note address of 1995 and conclude with his unabridged presentation in Berkeley about “the future of the future.”