You’ve remained the same person that you were…
Question from E-mail
Hi Mr. Woz, I just wanted to say that I just saw Pirates of Silicon Valley and was amazed at what went on way back when. I commend you for remaining the same person you’ve always been rather than turning into a money hungry, stuck up person like so many others do. It’s so interesting to me that you made the computer that made Apple even possible, but it was Steve Job’s that seemed to take all the credit.
Was the scene with the man being interviewed really true? Did Steve Job’s actually demean a potential employee?? I have to say, that they portrayed him as a real jerk who was very demeaning to his employees if they did not perform to his liking. And actually, Bill Gates was no better. They were and maybe still are hungry for the power. The other thing that I found interesting and didn’t realize was that Microsoft now owns part of Apple. Steve Jobs is definitely a brilliant business man but after seeing what Bill Gates has done I’d have to say that he’s even more savvy! Anyway, those were just a few thoughts I had. I was just really impressed with your character and how you’ve remained the same person that you were when you created that first computer. I hope you don’t mind my two cents. : – )
Woz
It’s funny, but even with all the things that aren’t said outright, a great number of people, like yourself, saw a lot of things in that movie that are totally true. The personalities were very accurately portrayed.
I designed the computers just to do it and show the world that it could be done and help them happen. Later Steve Jobs suggested starting a company to make money from it. I’d been giving out schematics for free at the Homebrew Computer Club. That’s what I believed in. It was hard for me to even start the company when it looked like there might be real money in it.
I often wonder why I remained the person I always wanted to be, from late high school on. I wanted to be an engineer and then a 5th grade teacher and I wanted a computer someday and I wanted to be nice to people and I wanted to tell and make jokes and I wanted a family and home. It couldn’t have come truer for me.