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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Late last year, Robert X. Cringely released his hour-long 1995 interview with Steve Jobs in several theaters in the United States. Roughly ten minutes of that footage was used in the 1996 Triumph of the Nerds documentary, but the remainder had been thought lost until a VHS copy of the footage was discovered just after Jobs' death last year.

jobs_lost_interview.jpg



As noted by Cringely, the interview has now been made available for rent in the iTunes Store, although the title appears to be limited to the U.S. store [iTunes Store]. The rental is priced at $3.99, and as with other content in the U.S. iTunes Store, customers have 30 days from the time of rental to begin watching the title. Once the customer begins watching, the rental expires in 24 hours.

Cringely indicates with some annoyance that Apple has apparently refused to feature the interview in its iTunes Store, deeming it "too controversial" and "too sensitive" for such publicity.
Deeming the film "too controversial," Apple has it on the site but they aren't promoting it and won't. The topic is "too sensitive" you see. It isn't even listed in the iTunes new releases. You have to search for it. But it's there.

Maybe I'm not even supposed to tell you.

Of course there is nothing controversial or insensitive about this movie, which everyone including the critics seems to like. It's a different look at an interesting guy and some people seem to take away a lot from it. You be the judge.
For those still interested in seeing the interview in the theater, it continues to play from time to time in select theaters.

Article Link: 'Steve Jobs: The Lost Interview' Available to Rent in U.S. iTunes Store
 

jared52

macrumors member
Nov 18, 2010
81
50
I bet at some point during the interview, he tells us why there were polar bears.
 

SandboxGeneral

Moderator emeritus
Sep 8, 2010
26,482
10,051
Detroit
I may just watch this tonight after work... if I remember. Someone remind me! haha.... wait, I can have Siri remind me! ;)
 

Drunken Master

macrumors 65816
Jul 19, 2011
1,060
0
This really should be free, Triumph of the Nerds originally aired on PBS, not HBO for crying out loud.
 

ProVideo

macrumors 6502
Jun 28, 2011
497
688
This really should be free, Triumph of the Nerds originally aired on PBS, not HBO for crying out loud.

Just because something airs on PBS doesn't mean it falls into the public domain, even though it's obvious that Cringely is trying to milk this for all it's worth. I'm more pissed off that this is only a rental and you can't buy it to watch multiple times. Hopefully someone can rip it and put it up as a torrent or on usenet.
 

66318

macrumors regular
Jan 31, 2006
130
56
even though it's obvious that Cringely is trying to milk this for all it's worth. I'm more pissed off that this is only a rental and you can't buy it to watch multiple times.

Yeah, thats what is irritating to me as well. Initial theater release, ok, a little strange, but I'll go along. Nearly a year later, he's still running it in theaters, and now offers it for rental only.

Other places with different long uncut interviews like this have released them for free on the internet. http://vimeo.com/31813340 is one location of it, or the writeup is here: http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/comphist/sj1.html
 

BornAgainApple

macrumors 6502a
Jun 9, 2009
605
304
Massachusetts
Just because something airs on PBS doesn't mean it falls into the public domain, even though it's obvious that Cringely is trying to milk this for all it's worth. I'm more pissed off that this is only a rental and you can't buy it to watch multiple times. Hopefully someone can rip it and put it up as a torrent or on usenet.

Actually, he's milking it for MORE than it's worth.
 

Drunken Master

macrumors 65816
Jul 19, 2011
1,060
0
Just because something airs on PBS doesn't mean it falls into the public domain, even though it's obvious that Cringely is trying to milk this for all it's worth. I'm more pissed off that this is only a rental and you can't buy it to watch multiple times. Hopefully someone can rip it and put it up as a torrent or on usenet.

It's on YouTube (for free) already, just search 'Steve Jobs lost interview' and go about halfway down the page.

Someone inverted the image but it's there, I Airplayed it to my Apple TV the other night.
 

samboway

macrumors newbie
Jul 3, 2012
1
0
I was fortunate enough to be the online editor for this film and it was a privilege to have been involved in getting this footage available for people to see.
 

Drunken Master

macrumors 65816
Jul 19, 2011
1,060
0
PBS is not free. Just ask the Ford Foundation, the Knight Foundation or The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

OMG, you know what I mean.

Of course someone pays for it, mojumbo. But not the people watching, unless they choose to donate.

I swear with this forum sometimes. It's not enough that most of you don't have a sense of humor but now you have to be difficult too.
 

Starfighter

macrumors 6502a
Jun 17, 2011
679
35
Sweden
How about just sharing it with the world instead of using it as bait to lure more money out of fans? I know Apple is a company just like any and needs to make money but this is just silly. As a few already said - give us a torrent.
 

mbh

macrumors 6502
Jul 18, 2002
400
73
How about just sharing it with the world instead of using it as bait to lure more money out of fans? I know Apple is a company just like any and needs to make money but this is just silly.

Apple is not making any money off this other than the iTunes fees (AFAIK). The guy that conducted the interview is the one selling it.
 

tim000

macrumors newbie
Jan 12, 2011
19
0
Unrentable in Canada :(

Can anyone post a link to this?

We can't rent it outside of the US (from iTunes, Amazon or YouTube). I'd be happy to host it even.
 

ProVideo

macrumors 6502
Jun 28, 2011
497
688
It's on YouTube (for free) already, just search 'Steve Jobs lost interview' and go about halfway down the page.

Someone inverted the image but it's there, I Airplayed it to my Apple TV the other night.

...and it's gone. Wouldn't be surprised if Cringely is watching this thread.
 

trunten

macrumors regular
Feb 17, 2007
193
39
controversial! :rolleyes:

You guys will not believe this but Steve Jobs founded apple, hired some dude from pepsi then got fired. Mental.

Oops, should've said spoilers.
 

Drunken Master

macrumors 65816
Jul 19, 2011
1,060
0
controversial! :rolleyes:

You guys will not believe this but Steve Jobs founded apple, hired some dude from pepsi then got fired. Mental.

Oops, should've said spoilers.

Don't be so flippant, the unedited interview contains Jobs' full thoughts on Microsoft and he doesn't hold back. He's also completely right about them too.
 
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