Developer Evangelist Michael Jurewitz Leaving Apple for Black Pixel

[Peace]

How about the simplest explanation: all of these people had been working at Apple for quite a while and had recently become filthy rich thanks to Apple's skyrocketing stock price, therefore making it a perfect time to retire and/or try something new?

Had Mansfield waited 2 more years he would have been at least $100 Million richer.

 

[admanimal]

Had Mansfield waited 2 more years he would have been at least $100 Million richer.

Maybe he decided that the $80 million he already has is enough, and would rather just spend those extra 2 years with his family or doing something less stressful?

 

[MuppetGate]

Had Mansfield waited 2 more years he would have been at least $100 Million richer.

When you already have more money than you can spend in the time you have left, other things probably seem more important.

 

[ShinySteelRobot]

(I acknowledge this post is not directly related to Jurewitz Leaving's departure.)
With the lost of Serlet, "Avie" Tevanian (2003) and sadly Jobs, I don't think any of the core NeXT team that came to Apple in 1997 remain. This is the team who created OSX from NeXT that made the Mac what it is today.

Craig Federighi was a principal architect at NeXT (he wrote EOF, now called Core Data). He had left NeXT before the Apple purchase of NeXT, but Steve lured him to Apple afterward.

 

[MarkMS]

I suppose there was a certain allure of working with the "man" who was Steve Jobs, even if it meant putting up with his obsessions. Now these same brilliant minds are working for the "company" that is Apple. In this environment, more basal motivations like wealth or prestige can become the motivation for enduring satisfaction. Many of the key personnel have acquired wealth from their hard work but may be seeking the recognition that comes from leaving their personal footprint on society. With personal fortunes and spectacular resumes, they are poised to pursue personal interests.

This is entirely supposition. And thankfully, there are still some who feel continuing the legacy of Apple is a supreme, worthwhile privilege.

I agree with you 100%. I'd even venture out say that some respected him and his genius so much that they delayed retirement until they absolutely had to leave because of illness or family issues. Now that Steve is gone, they're not as fearful of leaving and feeling like they disappointed him. Plus, they feel Apple is in good hands and that it's time for someone else to take the reins and spread the Apple spirit.

 

[akac]

I agree with you 100%. I'd even venture out say that some respected him and his genius so much that they delayed retirement until they absolutely had to leave because of illness or family issues. Now that Steve is gone, they're not as fearful of leaving and feeling like they disappointed him. Plus, they feel Apple is in good hands and that it's time for someone else to take the reins and spread the Apple spirit.

Bingo.

 

[wjlafrance]

There's a running joke among developers about this. The job of "App Frameworks Evangelist" was held by Matt Drance for a while, and when he resigned (in 2010?) he was replaced by Bill Dudney. Bill resigned after WWDC 2011 and the position was co-held by Jury and Jake Behrens.

Jeff LaMarche, a highly respected developer, said this: "So… Hogwarts has lost another Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, it seems."
https://twitter.com/jeff_lamarche/status/219826905485029377

 

[CausticPuppy]

I try to not be an alamarist, but there's something going on.

Yeah, everybody's paying a lot more attention now, for some reason.


Reminds me of when we had all those mysterious "bird deaths" a couple years ago; people thought the world was ending because all these flocks of birds were mysteriously falling out of the sky, seems like every couple of days a news report came out.

Turns out that it wasn't actually happening more often than normal, just that people were paying attention to them more.

Those "bird deaths" are still happening worldwide, just as frequently as they were back then, it's just everybody moved on to worrying about different things.

Shall we compile a list of people who have recently left google? Samsung? HTC? Microsoft? Kraft Foods?

 

[blow45]

Who is all? I can recall Johnson (pre-jobs departure), Mansfield, and now Jurewitz.

Let's get a list compiled for the past 18 months of key players leaving, curious.

EDIT: OS X Chief Bertrand Serlet as well.

Mark Papermaster too.

----------

I agree with you 100%. I'd even venture out say that some respected him and his genius so much that they delayed retirement until they absolutely had to leave because of illness or family issues. Now that Steve is gone, they're not as fearful of leaving and feeling like they disappointed him. Plus, they feel Apple is in good hands and that it's time for someone else to take the reins and spread the Apple spirit.

There's a lot of power plays in there, edging people out, backstabbings and the like, there's also people feeling disappointed from apple's direction, leadership and focus. You know not everyone is thrilled about apple becoming a tv set maker, nor about the way the've let people down with os x. Sure apple is richer than it ever was, but very few people how love their work are ever doing it for the money, that's the added bonus.

You make it sound like some crazy s*** angelic place. It's anything but.

 

[nuckinfutz]

There's a lot of power plays in there, edging people out, backstabbings and the like, there's also people feeling disappointed from apple's direction, leadership and focus. You know not everyone is thrilled about apple becoming a tv set maker, nor about the way the've let people down with os x. Sure apple is richer than it ever was, but very few people how love their work are ever doing it for the money, that's the added bonus.

You make it sound like some crazy s*** angelic place. It's anything but.

You're projecting. These aren't the thoughts of Apple employees these are your thoughts.

I don't know of anyone holding Apple shares that isn't happy about $613 a share right now.

 

[blow45]

You're projecting. These aren't the thoughts of Apple employees these are your thoughts.

I don't know of anyone holding Apple shares that isn't happy about $613 a share right now.

Unlike what business schools might teach you most successful people aren't doing their jobs to get rich, they are doing it for other, more important things..

 

[nuckinfutz]

Unlike what business schools might teach you most successful people aren't doing their jobs to get rich, they are doing it for other, more important things..

I agree. Money is a poor motivator. I'd agree with your sentiment on perhaps a division level knowing that I don't have inside info or connections.

Apple's energy is pointed heavily at mobile and if you're working on primarily OS X technology i'm sure it's evident that mobile takes precedent.

Working for Apple must be nice but in the end you're one of of thousands of employees. I'm happy for Jurewitz...he's not a big fish in a small pond.

 

[jayducharme]

Jeff LaMarche, a highly respected developer, said this: "So… Hogwarts has lost another Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, it seems."

LOL! That made my day.

 

[Puevlo]

I didn't read the thread but leaving Apple over one dead pixel? Honestly just get the display replaced.

 

[Tussen69]

wait a second here ... I´ve thought it rang a bell when I hear black pixel

am I the only one who remembers this

http://taptaptap.com/blog/how-not-to-hire-a-consultant-to-create-your-iphone-app/

???

John Casasanta is talking about Daniel Pasco now working at black pixel and anounched via there blog

http://blackpixel.com/blog/1693/black-pixel-welcomes-michael-jurewitz/

that michael are to start att black pixel

and Michael via his blog

http://www.jury.me/

says Black Pixel is one of the foremost iOS and OS X app consulting firms in the industry

but that to me does not add up if you read

http://taptaptap.com/blog/how-not-to-hire-a-consultant-to-create-your-iphone-app/

 

[Gasu E.]

Any statistics it is ?

I was not the one jumping to conclusions.