I'd suspect it's at least partly survivor bias (in reverse?). IT is new enough that "All the great IT guys" are young. The ones that are unfortunate enough to h

I'd suspect it's at least partly survivor bias (in reverse?). IT is new enough that "All the great IT guys" are young. The ones that are unfortunate enough to have died will necessarily have died young, with a few notable exceptions (such as Dennis Ritchie, though one could argue that even 70 is "too young" in this day and age.