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> In 1977, Mike Markkula gave two unknown, shaggy-haired computer programmers, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, $250,000 to help turn their young partnership into

by ary 3y ago

> In 1977, Mike Markkula gave two unknown, shaggy-haired computer programmers, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, $250,000 to help turn their young partnership into a new company. The opening statement doesn't bode well for the factual accuracy of what follows. Jobs was not a programmer, and Markkula was an investor, not a co-founder.

belfalas 3y ago
Steve Jobs was indeed a programmer at one point in his early career, working for Atari. But of course what he became known for was being the product/sales/vision guy.
- ary 3y ago
  Perhaps, but most accounts describe him as having done QA on circuit boards at Atari and not actually writing any kind of software.
- Someone 3y ago
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Jobs#Pre-Apple https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Jobs#Pre-Apple says he was hired as a ‘computer technician’. Later, he was sort-of hired as a hardware designer. Same URL: “Jobs returned to Atari in early 1975, and that summer, Bushnell assigned him to create a circuit board for the arcade video game Breakout in as few chips as possible, knowing that Jobs would recruit Wozniak for help” Also, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Jobs#Apple_(1976–1985) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Jobs#Apple_(1976–1985) says: Jobs's friend from Reed College and India, Daniel Kottke, recalled that as an early Apple employee, he “was the only person who worked in the garage … Woz would show up once a week with his latest code. Steve Jobs didn't get his hands dirty in that sense.” Also, there’s Woz’s statement (https://www.businessinsider.com/steve-jobs-never-wrote-computer-code-for-apple-2013-8 https://www.businessinsider.com/steve-jobs-never-wrote-compu...): ”Steve didn't ever code," writes Wozniak. "He wasn't an engineer and he didn't do any original design, but he was technical enough to alter and change and add to other designs.” ⇒ I don’t think he did much, if any, programming.
  - mattl 3y ago
    He demoed NeXT’s programming environment dozens of times.
    - pixelatedindex 3y ago
      Demo != coding
codetrotter 3y ago
Idk Apple history all that much but, this 1997 article in NYT also refers to Mr. Markkula as a co-founder so at least it is not the first time that someone calls him that. > Armas Clifford (Mike) Markkula Jr., the third and perhaps least understood co-founder of Apple Computer Inc. https://archive.is/jazes https://archive.is/jazes (Also, it's funny how 1997 is actually closer to 1977 than it is to our current year of 2023..)
toomim 3y ago
Jobs did program. He was employee #40 at Atari, and worked at night on the games. He didn't end up being a programmer at Apple, but it's fair to describe him as a programmer. > “Everybody should learn to program a computer, because it teaches you how to think" – Steve Jobs
- mdorazio 3y ago
  It's not at all clear that he ever wrote a single line of code at Atari. He was on hardware testing, so definitely had to learn his way around electronics, but probably didn't code. Especially with Wozniak doing the heavy lifting for him on several occasions. See here for more detail: https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/steve-jobs-atari-employee-number-40 https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/steve-jobs-atari-empl...
  - Thorentis 3y ago
    My impression of Jobs from reading his bios was that he was a top tier bullshit artist. The type of kid that would get another kid to do their homework, but would present it to the class so convincingly that nobody would know better. This was essentially how he got by at Atari with Woz doing all the coding for him.
    - S_A_P 3y ago
      Nobody is that simple to describe.
    - rlt 3y ago
      People love to say this kind of thing about extremely successful people, but you can’t just bullshit your way to creating beloved companies/products.
    - objektif 3y ago
      This is almost comical. Have you listened to any interview he did? He is not a bullshit artist at all.
okprod 3y ago
So Markkula didn't sell his ranch to the Wildlands Conservancy? Confused as to what inaccuracies you're talking about.

by ary 3y ago

belfalas 3y ago

Steve Jobs was indeed a programmer at one point in his early career, working for Atari. But of course what he became known for was being the product/sales/vision guy.

ary 3y ago
Perhaps, but most accounts describe him as having done QA on circuit boards at Atari and not actually writing any kind of software.
Someone 3y ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Jobs#Pre-Apple https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Jobs#Pre-Apple says he was hired as a ‘computer technician’. Later, he was sort-of hired as a hardware designer. Same URL: “Jobs returned to Atari in early 1975, and that summer, Bushnell assigned him to create a circuit board for the arcade video game Breakout in as few chips as possible, knowing that Jobs would recruit Wozniak for help” Also, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Jobs#Apple_(1976–1985) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Jobs#Apple_(1976–1985) says: Jobs's friend from Reed College and India, Daniel Kottke, recalled that as an early Apple employee, he “was the only person who worked in the garage … Woz would show up once a week with his latest code. Steve Jobs didn't get his hands dirty in that sense.” Also, there’s Woz’s statement (https://www.businessinsider.com/steve-jobs-never-wrote-computer-code-for-apple-2013-8 https://www.businessinsider.com/steve-jobs-never-wrote-compu...): ”Steve didn't ever code," writes Wozniak. "He wasn't an engineer and he didn't do any original design, but he was technical enough to alter and change and add to other designs.” ⇒ I don’t think he did much, if any, programming.
- mattl 3y ago
  He demoed NeXT’s programming environment dozens of times.
  - pixelatedindex 3y ago
    Demo != coding

codetrotter 3y ago

Idk Apple history all that much but, this 1997 article in NYT also refers to Mr. Markkula as a co-founder so at least it is not the first time that someone calls him that. > Armas Clifford (Mike) Markkula Jr., the third and perhaps least understood co-founder of Apple Computer Inc. https://archive.is/jazes https://archive.is/jazes (Also, it's funny how 1997 is actually closer to 1977 than it is to our current year of 2023..)

toomim 3y ago

Jobs did program. He was employee #40 at Atari, and worked at night on the games. He didn't end up being a programmer at Apple, but it's fair to describe him as a programmer. > “Everybody should learn to program a computer, because it teaches you how to think" – Steve Jobs

mdorazio 3y ago
It's not at all clear that he ever wrote a single line of code at Atari. He was on hardware testing, so definitely had to learn his way around electronics, but probably didn't code. Especially with Wozniak doing the heavy lifting for him on several occasions. See here for more detail: https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/steve-jobs-atari-employee-number-40 https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/steve-jobs-atari-empl...
- Thorentis 3y ago
  My impression of Jobs from reading his bios was that he was a top tier bullshit artist. The type of kid that would get another kid to do their homework, but would present it to the class so convincingly that nobody would know better. This was essentially how he got by at Atari with Woz doing all the coding for him.
  - S_A_P 3y ago
    Nobody is that simple to describe.
  - rlt 3y ago
    People love to say this kind of thing about extremely successful people, but you can’t just bullshit your way to creating beloved companies/products.
  - objektif 3y ago
    This is almost comical. Have you listened to any interview he did? He is not a bullshit artist at all.

okprod 3y ago

So Markkula didn't sell his ranch to the Wildlands Conservancy? Confused as to what inaccuracies you're talking about.