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"I readily admit that there are some things that I don't have the faintest idea what i'm talking about." - Steve Jobs, 1997 He was a human being and made mista

"I readily admit that there are some things that I don't have the faintest idea what i'm talking about." - Steve Jobs, 1997 He was a human being and made mistakes; can we please let this shit go already?

shawn-furyan 13y ago
So because Jobs once admitted to being a bullshitter, his claims are beyond scrutiny? Even when those claims are repeated as fact by secondary sources? This article isn't grinding an ax. Rather, it's an interesting investigation of a little examined aspect of computer history that happened to be kicked off by skepticism of a claim that actually turned out to be false.
- rmrfrmrf 13y ago
  > So because Jobs once admitted to being a bullshitter, his claims are beyond scrutiny? Yes. In the real world, we call this "taking it with a grain of salt." Think about how many other interviews with other celebrities you've been concerned about fact-checking. > Even when those claims are repeated as fact by secondary sources? This is not and should never be Jobs' problem. > This article isn't grinding an ax. Rather, it's an interesting investigation of a little examined aspect of computer history that happened to be kicked off by skepticism of a claim that actually turned out to be false. It's concern trolling. It's pseudo-intellectualism analogous to people who bring up Ben Franklin's mistresses whenever someone brings up his inventions. And it's ridiculous that someone would write a fully-researched analysis of an off-handed comment whose clear intention was to praise an employee for his contributions.
- gibwell 13y ago
  His claims aren't beyond scrutiny, but they get far more than they deserve compared to other tech CEOs. Almost anything positive about him or even apple, is shouted down, whereas anything negative is held up as 'scrutiny'.
InclinedPlane 13y ago
Let what shit go? Factual inaccuracies? Fabrication of history? No, we can't let that go. So long as these erroneous facts still get circulated then they deserve to be debunked, forcefully. That doesn't mean there is any malice intended towards Jobs or his legacy, but facts are facts. If you think that debunking Jobs' bullshit claims will inevitably have a deleterious effect on the historical perception of Jobs as a person, well that's on Jobs for being a bullshitter, not on anyone trying to ensure that people don't have a false view of history.

shawn-furyan 13y ago

So because Jobs once admitted to being a bullshitter, his claims are beyond scrutiny? Even when those claims are repeated as fact by secondary sources? This article isn't grinding an ax. Rather, it's an interesting investigation of a little examined aspect of computer history that happened to be kicked off by skepticism of a claim that actually turned out to be false.

rmrfrmrf 13y ago
> So because Jobs once admitted to being a bullshitter, his claims are beyond scrutiny? Yes. In the real world, we call this "taking it with a grain of salt." Think about how many other interviews with other celebrities you've been concerned about fact-checking. > Even when those claims are repeated as fact by secondary sources? This is not and should never be Jobs' problem. > This article isn't grinding an ax. Rather, it's an interesting investigation of a little examined aspect of computer history that happened to be kicked off by skepticism of a claim that actually turned out to be false. It's concern trolling. It's pseudo-intellectualism analogous to people who bring up Ben Franklin's mistresses whenever someone brings up his inventions. And it's ridiculous that someone would write a fully-researched analysis of an off-handed comment whose clear intention was to praise an employee for his contributions.
gibwell 13y ago
His claims aren't beyond scrutiny, but they get far more than they deserve compared to other tech CEOs. Almost anything positive about him or even apple, is shouted down, whereas anything negative is held up as 'scrutiny'.

InclinedPlane 13y ago

Let what shit go? Factual inaccuracies? Fabrication of history? No, we can't let that go. So long as these erroneous facts still get circulated then they deserve to be debunked, forcefully. That doesn't mean there is any malice intended towards Jobs or his legacy, but facts are facts. If you think that debunking Jobs' bullshit claims will inevitably have a deleterious effect on the historical perception of Jobs as a person, well that's on Jobs for being a bullshitter, not on anyone trying to ensure that people don't have a false view of history.