[mudphud]

I just read the Steve Jobs biography iCon that got Wiley books banned from the Apple store. I didn't know very much about the history of Apple before I read the book, so the book was interesting in describing the start of Apple. The business aspects of Apple were well described as the book captured the excitment and chaos of bringing new products to market.

However, Steve Jobs didn't come off that well in the book. He came off as someone who has an enormous ego and who is quite cruel to everybody except his immediate family. In the book, Jobs doesn't have any close friends, only people he could use to achieve his means. Its not the most flattering portrayal of him and I could see why he would be upset about it.

[Jason]

Maybe but you have to remember that this book is only written from one person's viewpoint. I mean people mean different things to different people.
I'm sure that if I was to canvas opinions of me from half a dozen people I know, the results would be varied.
Maybe Jobs is ruthless etc (who really knows?) but at the end of the day he is a businessman and (in this respect) no different from anyone else.
I honestly don't think you get to be in a position like his without treading on a few toes in the process.

Regards

[DMBand0026]

Job's ego is pretty legandary, but he's earned the respect of a lot of people out there. To me, he may not be the nicest man in the world but he's got a multinational company to run and make successful, so he does what he needs to in order to get things done. That earns my respect, even if someone writes a book about him that basically whines about him not being nice.

[SilentEchoes]

I was reading some articles on Folklore, which has a collection of writing from some of the original members of the Macintosh team. Steve comes off as a real ass in a number of articles on there as well. Most of the problems seem to stem more from his ego than anything else though.

[hmurchison]

Just because jobs runs Apple and Pixar doesn't absolve him from being a good person.

Abe Lincoln said

"Any man can handle adversity, if you want to test a man's character...give him power"

Steve's character is rather poor. I love the man's business acumen but I wouldn't want him as a friend. The iCon book simply reiterates the many issues that those dealing with Steve have faced.

On the positive side I think Pancreatic Cancer may have been his wakeup call. Downshift a bit and love life and the relationships that you experience. I have hope for old man Jobs yet.

[psmith2.0]

I don't think I've ever met, known or come across any high-powered corporate type (especially a true "higher-up") who wasn't at least 72% an egomanical a-hole in many respects.

Sad, but true. Probably ties in with that whole competitive, hard-charging and stressful life of being in such positions. You have no time for the screw-ups, laziness or "stupidity" of others?



But yes...facing death is a big one. Often that's what it takes for some to finally "get it" and see the bigger picture. At the very least, it's quite the humbler...you suddenly realize you're NOT the untouchable, end-all/be-all type you might've imagine yourself.

Perhaps Steve took some time to re-evaluate a few things?

I like ol' Abe's quote. I'd not heard that, but it's very, very true.

[HHogan]

When I first bought my Mac in '99, I read some Apple books, and watched the movie, and told myself that Jobs, Gates, Ellison, and other high powered CEOs had to be that way in order to achive success.

As I'm going through the process, that belief is growing day-to-day. The bottom line is that people are naturally lazy. Some might take offence to that, but unless someone has something to lose, they'll never give a full effort that many expect. People need to be pushed, and yes, Steve Jobs takes or took it to far at times, but you cannot argue with success.

If you sit back, relax, and let people do what they want nothing will ever be accomplished. It takes a vision, and the resolve to see it through. If you give up for an instance, people will take advantage of you.

Does that mean you need to be abusive, or threatening? No. Does that mean you need to abandon all morals and break laws? Nope.

But it most definately does require you to be a pusher, and to borrow a coined phrase; "think different".