Biography.guide
Home › People › Typographer › John W. Seybold
Portrait of John W. Seybold

John W. Seybold

1916 – 2004

Computer typesetter

Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About John W. Seybold

Lived 1916 – 2004 (aged 88). John W. Seybold was an American typographer, businessperson, entrepreneur and author.

John W. Seybold (March 8, 1916 – March 14, 2004) was a father of computer typesetting. His firm ROCAPPI (Research on Computer Applications in the Printing and Publishing Industries), started in 1963, was a pioneer in developing computer-based typesetting systems.

In 1971, along with his son Jonathan, he founded the Seybold Report, a newsletter that became highly influential in the publishing industry's transition to digital technologies. Their firm, Seybold Publications, later spawned a branch known as Seybold Seminars, which held conferences and trade shows focusing on the use of digital technologies in publishing (in its broadest sense as the dissemination of information, not limited to physical printing).

John's other children, Patricia and Andrew, set up their own consultancies. The Patricia Seybold Group (originally named Patricia Seybold's Office Computing Group) focuses on creating successful business strategies with the aid of technology; the Andrew Seybold Group specializes in mobile computing and wireless transmission of data.

Biography shop

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
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Typographer, businessperson, entrepreneur, author
Nationality

People in John W. Seybold's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped John W. Seybold's

Frequently asked questions

Who was John W. Seybold?

computer typesetter (1916-2004)

When was John W. Seybold born?

John W. Seybold was born on 8 March 1916 in Newburgh.

When did John W. Seybold die?

John W. Seybold died on 14 March 2004 in Haverford.

What was John W. Seybold's occupation?

John W. Seybold was a typographer, businessperson, entrepreneur and author.

What nationality was John W. Seybold?

John W. Seybold was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: John W. Seybold

· Wikidata: Q6262540

· DBpedia: John W. Seybold

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John W. Seybold. https://biography.guide/john-w-seybold/

MLA: "John W. Seybold." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-w-seybold/.

Chicago: "John W. Seybold." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-w-seybold/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Page generated 2026-09-27 05:10 UTC