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In terms of who would have won and who would have lost, it's far worse than you might suspect. I actually would have given Steve the disassembler for free, jus

In terms of who would have won and who would have lost, it's far worse than you might suspect. I actually would have given Steve the disassembler for free, just to see where it might lead. It wasn't that much work, not much more than some of the coding tests companies ask for these days. Or maybe I would have asked for a few hundred bucks. Not much difference one way or the other. Suppose Steve then asked me to join up with him and Woz. I'd just read some crazy business book that said people shouldn't have stock in companies because you can't really influence the outcome of the whole company. Instead you should just get paid what you're worth, and the best way to do that was to be a contractor instead of an employee. How exciting that would have been - I could have been Apple's first contractor!

vinceguidry 13y ago
> I'd just read some crazy business book that said people shouldn't have stock in companies because you can't really influence the outcome of the whole company. Oh man, if only you'd have read about Standard Oil. Back in Rockefeller's day, there was this event that was later called the "Cleveland Massacre". John was borrowing enormous sums of cash and buying out local refiners. He had this routine. You'd get invited to sit down with him at his office, he'd have his checkbook with him. Very cool and refined-like, he told you you'd have no chance remaining in business and you had two choices, sell to him or get crushed. You could choose a check or stock in Standard Oil. "I suggest you take the stock." Anyone who took stock at that time and held onto it would have gotten wildly rich. Most of them didn't. John had to scramble to ensure he kept enough cash on hand to continue his shopping spree. He had an unusual relationship with banks, they trusted him and were willing to extend credit to him that they wouldn't to anyone else. It wound up being his biggest trump card in those early days.
- Stratoscope 13y ago
  That is an amazing story, and a lesson to all of us. Thanks for sharing it!

vinceguidry 13y ago

> I'd just read some crazy business book that said people shouldn't have stock in companies because you can't really influence the outcome of the whole company. Oh man, if only you'd have read about Standard Oil. Back in Rockefeller's day, there was this event that was later called the "Cleveland Massacre". John was borrowing enormous sums of cash and buying out local refiners. He had this routine. You'd get invited to sit down with him at his office, he'd have his checkbook with him. Very cool and refined-like, he told you you'd have no chance remaining in business and you had two choices, sell to him or get crushed. You could choose a check or stock in Standard Oil. "I suggest you take the stock." Anyone who took stock at that time and held onto it would have gotten wildly rich. Most of them didn't. John had to scramble to ensure he kept enough cash on hand to continue his shopping spree. He had an unusual relationship with banks, they trusted him and were willing to extend credit to him that they wouldn't to anyone else. It wound up being his biggest trump card in those early days.

Stratoscope 13y ago
That is an amazing story, and a lesson to all of us. Thanks for sharing it!