About Jim Butterfield
Lived 1936 – 2007 (aged 71). Jim Butterfield was a Canadian author, engineer and computer programmer.
Frank James Butterfield (14 February 1936 – 29 June 2007), was a Canadian computer programmer, author, and television personality known for his work with early microcomputers. He is particularly noted for associations with Commodore Business Machines and the Toronto PET Users Group, for many books and articles on machine language programming, and for educational videos and TV programs.
Early life and career
Jim Butterfield was born on 14 February 1936 in Ponoka, Alberta, which is south of Edmonton. He was the third of four children to James and Nancy Butterfield, who had emigrated from England to farm. In 1962 he was transferred to Toronto, and within a year was programming CN/CP's mainframe computers.
An early advocate of free and source-available software,
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
Family & relationships
People in Jim Butterfield's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Related people
Same field, nearest in time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Jim Butterfield's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Jim Butterfield?
Canadian computer programmer (1936-2007)
When was Jim Butterfield born?
Jim Butterfield was born on 14 February 1936 in Ponoka.
When did Jim Butterfield die?
Jim Butterfield died on 29 June 2007 in Toronto.
What was Jim Butterfield's occupation?
Jim Butterfield was an author, engineer and computer programmer.
What nationality was Jim Butterfield?
Jim Butterfield was Canadian.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Jim Butterfield. https://biography.guide/jim-butterfield/
MLA: "Jim Butterfield." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/jim-butterfield/.
Chicago: "Jim Butterfield." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/jim-butterfield/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:04 UTC