Re: [NTLK] Steve Jobs Newton Interview?

From: Paul Braun (cygnus_at_ctgonline.org)
Date: Mon Jul 19 2004 - 06:43:40 PDT


On 19 Jul 2004 at 11:54, Jacques Bourda wrote:

> Steve Jobs wasn't part of the original Macintosh team because he
> didn't believe in that project. He stayed with the Lisa team, but
> joined Macintosh after a while because he was 'asked' to. I think he
> then already 'thought differently' than the Lisa team leader and
> couldn't accept a different point of vue.
>

Close, but he didn't actually "join" the Mac team -- once he was ejected
from the Lisa team because the cost of the system had gotten completely
out of control (Lisas ended up selling (or not selling, as the case may be) for
$10k, and only ran, IIRC, 3 apps), he then commandeered the Mac project,
segregated it from the Lisa project, put a pirate flag up on the flagpole
outside the Mac building, and said that he was now on a mission to kill Lisa.

Forward-thinking? In part. However, a lot of Mac's personality was due to
guys like Jef Raskin and not to Steve. He was the one who limited it to
128k, saying that nobody needed more than that. He also was against
networking for a long time as well. One of the second- or third-gen Macs
had more memory expansion designed into the circuitry, but hidden from
Steve because the engineers knew people would want and need more ram.
When Steve finally came around to their way of thinking, it saved them from
a complete redesign.

Jobs has done a great deal, and his "vision" has quite often resulted in a
hit. However, the "My way or the highway" attitude has just as often been at
odds with both engineers and end users. Yes, it would be interesting to
hear candid comments on Newton. But I doubt anyone would crack the
"public face" and get him to say anything.

Paul Braun WD9GCO
2102 Yorktowne Dr
Valparaiso, IN 46383
cygnus at ctgonline dot org

"Enjoy every sandwich." -- Warren Zevon

"At Microsoft, Quality is Job....oh, I dunno.... 7 or 8, maybe?"

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