Earlier this year we heard of the sad death of a colleague and friend, Professor Jon Bing of the University of Oslo, who died on 14 January 2014 at the age of 69. I was privileged at that time to write a short obituary of Jon's life. Given his close connection to the International Review of Computers & Technology it is only fitting that we devote this edition to him. Jon had a long connection with journal, he had been a member of the International Advisory Board for the International Review from its first edition in 1984 (then called the Yearbook of Law Computers and Technology)
I hope I will be forgiven for repeating some of that original obituary, although I have taken the opportunity to add some addition material on Jon, much provided by his many colleagues worldwide who have come forward over the past few months to express both their sadness and gratitude to the man who could truly be called the father of legal informatics.
Jon Bing was born 30 April 1944, in the town of Tønsberg, and moved to Oslo in the mid-1960s to pursue academic studies. Among his posts he was visiting professor at King's College in London and held honorary doctorates from the universities of Copenhagen and Stockholm. He was chairman of the Norwegian integrity council, which handles complaints against the decisions of the Norwegian Data Protection Authority; he was also a past chairman of the Norwegian Film Council and of the European Council Committee on Legal Data Processing, where I was honoured to serve with him. He was a Knight of St. Olav and in 2002 Jon was awarded the Nordic Lawyers prize.
Jon was a truly talented individual who led the field. Some 40 years ago when he founded the Norwegian Research Center for Computers and Law (NRCCL), he highlighted three probable research areas: the processing of personal data and privacy; lawyers’ use of technology to identify legal texts and judgments; and, thirdly, contracts and other legal issues related to the development and use of technology. These areas still provide the backbone to much research in this field. Jon's main academic work continued in these areas, in particular in data protection and legal information retrieval. This was the area in which Jon was to become world renowned. His work both on data protection and on the theoretical underpinning of legal information retrieval systems remain key works today. He continued to publish in this area and so it was only he who, in 2010, could write the definitive history of the field in Let there be lite: A brief history of legal information retrieval in the special issue of the European Journal of Law and Technology (vol. 1, no. 1, 2010) on ‘A history of legal informatics’.
His truly innovative approach to research areas at the Center were not however the only things where Jon was seen as a forerunner. Many generations of information technology lawyers have learnt their craft in Jon's Center but they also speak of his many extra-curricular activities. Most famous was his ‘Club Monday’, where the first Monday of the month was open house at Jon's home. Beer and pizza were available and all were welcome to come along and discuss whatever they wished. Club Monday became an institution that developed a life of his own. Many have told me how they would still go to his house on the first Monday of the month even when Jon was away! They were made welcome and could continue their discussions in the convivial surroundings of his home.
Yet legal informatics was only part of this complex and talented man. He straddled many disciplines and interests and he was constantly in demand to appear on Norwegian television. He was a key member of the Norwegian Arts Council. However, for many he was best known as a SF novelist. In 1965 Jon founded the Oslo University SF club Aniara, and its fanzine. Along with his co-author Tor Åge Bringsværd he is credited with creating the genre of SF within Norway. He was instrumental in convincing the leading Norwegian publisher Gyldendal to launch SF in 1967. Gyldendal went on to publish 55 titles in the next 20 years, with many books provided by Bing and Bringsværd.
Jon with Tor made their joint professional debut in 1967 with a short story collection, Rundt solen i ring (Ring Around the Sun). Jon went on to publish over 30 novels. His 15 science fiction novels, co-authored with Tor Åge Bringsværd, are still considered unique in Scandinavian literature. Jon also published five SF plays, two of them performed on stage, a third on radio, which was also later broadcast, rewritten, as a television series. He also wrote two original television series.
The last time I was at his home I remember him showing me a bookcase with several shelves of novels. ‘I wrote some of these on my own and some with Tor,’ he said modestly, and that was the essence of the man, immensely brilliant yet immensely modest. That is how I remember Jon. Despite being a star in his fields he had no ego. He pushed forward and encouraged others whilst never craving anything for himself. He forged the discipline of legal informatics, encouraging and motivating others. He did the same in science fiction. Importantly he also contributed to the literature in both, we are honoured to reproduce here one of Jon's papers for the International Review ‘Breaking new ground: The work of the Norwegian Research Center for Computers and Law’, International Review of Law, Computers & Technology 8, no. 1: 193–202”. He is sadly missed.
Jon Bing (30 April 1944 – 14 January 2014)