It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it is because we do not dare that they are difficult.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple, died yesterday, age 56. He was one of those very few people who changed the world for the better and who will always - and uncommonly - be remembered with admiration and fondness.
His merit among other things, lies in transforming Apple from a computer company in the year 2000, into a manufacturer of luxury aspirational goods. I'd venture to say Apple is more alike to a luxury brand like Tiffany, than a technology company.
Please ponder this too: http://classicgaming.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Articles.Detail&id=263
Nolan eventually had an idea for yet another pong type game that year - this time for one where the player breaks away at a wall with the ball. He offered the project to Steve with an agreed payment of $700. Jobs, in his usual bravado, said he'd have it done in a couple of days. Nolan also said there'd be a bonus - if he could keep the number of costly TTL (logic chips) down, he'd get a bonus for each one below 50. Steve quickly found himself incredibly underqualified to be able to design something so complex. So, he called on his friend Woz to help him out with the offer that they'd split the $700.
I would gladly have designed the BREAKOUT game for Atari for free, just to do it.
I thought that Atari was one of the most important companies in the world and it was an honor to be close to them. I thought that they would be, in the arcade game business, what Microsoft is now.
-Steve Wozniak
Wozniak had designed it by hand, under the continuing pressure of Jobs to get it done quick (though he wouldn't say why). At night, while Jobs would wirewrap the design, Woz played the first driving coinop game - Gran Trak 10. After a 4 day non-stop marathon, Woz's Breakout prototype was finished. Wozniak was able to get the number of TTL's down to a startling 36. Jobs took the prototype back to Nolan who was very impressed. Alan on the other hand, knew Steve could never have designed something like this on his own. Even though he admired the design, and admired Jobs for getting the job done, he still did not care for him. Either way, they gave Jobs the $500 plus the bonus - which turned out to be a total of $5,000! Jobs turned around paid an unknowing Wozniak the original $350 they had agreed upon. Nolan eventually found out about Wozniak's involvement and offered Wozniak a job at Atari any time he wanted, to which Wozniak declined because he enjoyed his job making calculators at HP to much. The prototype they built, however, was never used. Wozniak's design had been so compact that Atari's technicians couldn't figure out how to mass produce it, and therefore had to re-design it. However, Nolan had another hit on his hands irregardless and Breakout was introduced to the public.
"I was on a plane going to a user group club in Fort Lauderdale to promote the Mac.... Andy Hertzfeld [another Apple developer] had just read 'Zap!,' a book about Atari which said that Steve Jobs designed 'Breakout.' I explained to him that we both worked on it and got paid $700. Andy corrected me, 'No, it says here it was $5,000.' When I read in the book how Nolan Bushnell had actually paid Steve $5,000, I just cried." -Steve Wozniak
Mr. Jobs also denied paternity of his first child, who was living on welfare. He eventually admitted it was his child. This, from the 22nd wealthiest person in the world.
His merit among other things, lies in transforming Apple from a computer company in the year 2000, into a manufacturer of luxury aspirational goods. I'd venture to say Apple is more alike to a luxury brand like Tiffany, than a technology company.
ReplyDeleteRegardless of his intelligence and vision, he had passion in what he was doing, and that is something everyone has a chance to achieve.
ReplyDeleteHowever: "Think different. Steve Jobs didn't make your iPad, Chinese kids did."
ReplyDeletePlease ponder this too:
ReplyDeletehttp://classicgaming.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Articles.Detail&id=263
Nolan eventually had an idea for yet another pong type game that year - this time for one where the player breaks away at a wall with the ball. He offered the project to Steve with an agreed payment of $700. Jobs, in his usual bravado, said he'd have it done in a couple of days. Nolan also said there'd be a bonus - if he could keep the number of costly TTL (logic chips) down, he'd get a bonus for each one below 50. Steve quickly found himself incredibly underqualified to be able to design something so complex. So, he called on his friend Woz to help him out with the offer that they'd split the $700.
I would gladly have designed the BREAKOUT game for Atari for free, just to do it.
I thought that Atari was one of the most important companies in the world and it was an honor to be close to them. I thought that they would be, in the arcade game business, what Microsoft is now.
-Steve Wozniak
Wozniak had designed it by hand, under the continuing pressure of Jobs to get it done quick (though he wouldn't say why). At night, while Jobs would wirewrap the design, Woz played the first driving coinop game - Gran Trak 10. After a 4 day non-stop marathon, Woz's Breakout prototype was finished. Wozniak was able to get the number of TTL's down to a startling 36. Jobs took the prototype back to Nolan who was very impressed. Alan on the other hand, knew Steve could never have designed something like this on his own. Even though he admired the design, and admired Jobs for getting the job done, he still did not care for him. Either way, they gave Jobs the $500 plus the bonus - which turned out to be a total of $5,000! Jobs turned around paid an unknowing Wozniak the original $350 they had agreed upon. Nolan eventually found out about Wozniak's involvement and offered Wozniak a job at Atari any time he wanted, to which Wozniak declined because he enjoyed his job making calculators at HP to much. The prototype they built, however, was never used. Wozniak's design had been so compact that Atari's technicians couldn't figure out how to mass produce it, and therefore had to re-design it. However, Nolan had another hit on his hands irregardless and Breakout was introduced to the public.
"I was on a plane going to a user group club in Fort Lauderdale to promote the Mac.... Andy Hertzfeld [another Apple developer] had just read 'Zap!,' a book about Atari which said that Steve Jobs designed 'Breakout.' I explained to him that we both worked on it and got paid $700. Andy corrected me, 'No, it says here it was $5,000.' When I read in the book how Nolan Bushnell had actually paid Steve $5,000, I just cried."
-Steve Wozniak
Mr. Jobs also denied paternity of his first child, who was living on welfare.
ReplyDeleteHe eventually admitted it was his child.
This, from the 22nd wealthiest person in the world.
Absolutely,Steve Jobs is a great man! He will live in apple fans's heart forever!
ReplyDeleteHe eventually admitted it was his child.
ReplyDeleteThis, from the 22nd wealthiest person in the world.
wonderful blog & good post.Its really helpful for me, awaiting for more new post. Keep Blogging!