Phil Goldman, 39; Silicon Valley Engineer Co-Founded WebTV

Phil Goldman, a Silicon Valley engineer who co-founded WebTV before launching a Web-based e-mail service that promised to block unwanted spam, has died. He was 39.

Goldman died at home Friday in Los Altos Hills, west of San Jose. The cause of his death was being investigated, a spokeswoman for the Santa Clara County coroner’s office said.

Over his career, Goldman worked on the cusp of technology and consumer electronics at firms such as Apple Computer, General Magic and Microsoft Corp.

In 1995, with former Apple colleagues Steve Perlman and Bruce Leak, he co-founded WebTV Networks, which allowed users to surf the Internet from their televisions.

“Phil was one of the brightest stars to ever shine over Silicon Valley,” Perlman said. “A world-class technologist and entrepreneur, he was respected, not only for his brilliance and creativity, but for his character, integrity and untiring spirit.”

Microsoft bought WebTV in 1997 for $425 million and changed the name to MSN TV.

Last year, Goldman founded Mailblocks, a Los Altos company that sells a Web-based e-mail system that promises to eliminate unwanted e-mail, or spam. Earlier this year, it sued competing companies using similar technology to eliminate spam, claiming patent infringement.

Raised in Hillsborough, south of San Francisco, Goldman attended San Mateo High School and graduated from Princeton University in 1986 at the top of his class in the School of Engineering. He remained an active alumnus and endowed an engineering professorship at Princeton.

Goldman held 19 U.S. patents for inventions, and he also served on the board of directors of BraveKids, a charity that helps families with severely ill children find assistance and support through the Internet.

He is survived by his wife, Susan, and their two children; two brothers; and his parents.