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"The story of their collaboration—including Jobs’ attempt to lecture Weeks on the principles of glass and his insistence that such a feat could be accomplished—
by knite 14y ago
"The story of their collaboration—including Jobs’ attempt to lecture Weeks on the principles of glass and his insistence that such a feat could be accomplished—is well known."
It's not well known to everyone. This is the first I've heard of this, and a quick search didn't turn up anything beyond the details in this article.
Excellent article otherwise!
- brian_cloutier 14y agoThe story was in Walter Issacson's biography of Jobs.
- prostoalex 14y agoA worthwhile read, and a funny story about Jobs calling Corning's corporate number, not getting to the CEO and then making fun of him for being "all corporate". Corning CEO later called Apple's listed number, asked to speak to Steve Jobs, got a runaround, and secured a good response to Jobs' remarks next time they had a meeting.
- defen 14y agoFrom the Isaacson biography: Jobs described the type of glass Apple wanted for the iPhone, and Weeks told him that Corning had developed a chemical exchange process in the 1960s that led to what they dubbed “gorilla glass.” It was incredibly strong, but it had never found a market, so Corning quit making it. Jobs said he doubted it was good enough, and he started explaining to Weeks how glass was made. This amused Weeks, who of course knew more than Jobs about that topic. “Can you shut up,” Weeks interjected, “and let me teach you some science?” Jobs was taken aback and fell silent. Weeks went to the whiteboard and gave a tutorial on the chemistry, which involved an ion-exchange process that produced a compression layer on the surface of the glass. This turned Jobs around, and he said he wanted as much gorilla glass as Corning could make within six months. “We don’t have the capacity,” Weeks replied. “None of our plants make the glass now.” “Don’t be afraid,” Jobs replied. This stunned Weeks, who was good-humored and confident but not used to Jobs’s reality distortion field. He tried to explain that a false sense of confidence would not overcome engineering challenges, but that was a premise that Jobs had repeatedly shown he didn’t accept. He stared at Weeks unblinking. “Yes, you can do it,” he said. “Get your mind around it. You can do it.”
- tomrod 14y agoJobs. I sure respect the man. Uncompromising vision!
- lucian1900 14y agoReally? Reading that I was thinking "what an asshole, no respect for the scientist and engineer talking to him."
- newhouseb 14y ago(Weeks is actually an accountant by education)
- saraid216 14y agoWho was capable of explaining modern glassmaking. At some point, your degree stops mattering when talking about labels like "scientist" and "engineer".
- tomrod 14y agoI agree. I think he could have been kinder while achieving his goals. But his vision is something I admire.
- 385668 14y agoIt is amazing what vision, a few hundred million dollars, and Chinese serf labor can do.
- mturmon 14y agoAs the article states, the first-gen Gorilla glass was manufactured in a very advanced facility in Kentucky and shipped to China for polishing and cutting. The Kentucky factory had been in existence since 1952. As this article http://www.kentucky.com/2012/04/16/2152727/harrodsburg-product-at-heart-of.html http://www.kentucky.com/2012/04/16/2152727/harrodsburg-produ... states, the manufacturing of subsequent generations has gone to factories in Japan and Taiwan. But the Kentucky factory is still expanding. According to the article, the average wage of a new set of added jobs was $25/hour. I don't see what the problem is. Any time engineering advances like this yield exotic materials with amazing and useful properties, we technologists should be appreciative.