<p>PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (AP) -- Randy Pausch, a Carnegie Mellon University computer scientist whose "last lecture" about facing terminal cancer became an Internet sensation and a best-selling book, has died. He was 47.</p>
<p>Randy Pausch emphasized the joy of life in his "last lecture," originally given in September 2007....</p>
<p>Pausch was diagnosed with incurable pancreatic cancer in September 2006. His popular last lecture at Carnegie Mellon in September 2007 garnered international attention and was viewed by millions on the Internet.</p>
<p>In it, Pausch celebrated living the life he had always dreamed of instead of concentrating on impending death.....</p>
<p>The book "The Last Lecture," written with Jeffrey Zaslow, leaped to the top of the nonfiction best-seller lists after its publication in April and remains there this week. ...</p>
<p>At Carnegie Mellon, he was a professor of computer science, human-computer interaction and design, and was recognized as a pioneer of virtual reality research. ...</p>
<p>Pausch often emphasized the need to have fun.</p>
<p>"I mean I don't know how to not have fun. I'm dying and I'm having fun. And I'm going to keep having fun every day I have left. Because there's no other way to play it," he said in his Carnegie Mellon lecture. "You just have to decide if you're a Tigger or an Eeyore. I think I'm clear where I stand on the great Tigger/Eeyore debate. Never lose the childlike wonder. It's just too important. It's what drives us." 'Last</a> Lecture' professor dies at 47 - CNN.com</p>
<p>This is an article about Pausch in the Brown Alumni Monthly some of you might enjoy reading. I love the story about the diploma and the last line of the article.</p>
<p>My former brother in law, a Carnegie Mellon undergrad (dropped out of his solid-state physics PhD program there years ago, however) also was working intensely on a new idea related to his government lab job in his hospital room before he succumbed to cancer. He said it kept his mind off his troubles, and besides, the task was absorbing. He was curious about everything -- always eager to discuss and ponder.</p>
<p>When I hear Carnegie-Mellon, I think 'lifelong learner'. So Mr. Pausch's attitude doesn't surprise me in the least. Bravo for him and my ex-BIL.</p>
<p>Sorry to hear he's passed away, but he left a great legacy for his kids.</p>
<p>If you ever get a chance to watch the "long version" of the speech, make sure to at least watch his students' first attempts at virtual reality. Really wild and funny stuff--and it puts to rest any doubt that students don't want to learn or aren't creative enough--once and for all.</p>
<p>Hopefully, he's motivated many others to follow their dreams.</p>
<p>Never heard of him. While it is honestly rather difficult to be really sad due to the death of someone you don't know, I sympathize with his family and hope everything goes well.</p>