Previously Untold Recollections of Steve Jobs: 'Scuffgate' 2004, 'Hide the Porsches', and More

[MacRumors]

Years before the iPhone 5 scuffing and scratching controversy, Apple CEO Steve Jobs played a role in another scuffing incident at the company's then brand-new Stanford Shopping Center mini retail store. According to Forbes' Connie Guglielmo, who relates the anecdote as part of a series of previously untold stories and recollections of Jobs, he initially refused to step outside the store to greet reporters at the store's 2004 grand opening as he had a "meltdown" over scuffing on the white floor and handprints on other finishes throughout the store.

Jobs was ultimately convinced to step outside, and the curtain was drawn before the small gathering of reporters. When I saw the floor, I immediately turned to Jobs, standing next to me, and asked if he had been involved in every aspect of the design. He said yes. "It was obvious that whoever designed the store had never cleaned a floor in their life," I told him. He narrowed his eyes at me and stepped inside.

According to an Apple executive who later reported back Guglielmo, Jobs brought in the store design team and had them clean the floor the night after the grand opening, presumably as a means of emphasizing the importance of material selection in the design process.

Apple's Stanford mini store​

The article shares nearly a dozen such anecdotes from a variety of sources, offering a bit more insight into how Jobs worked and interacted with others. Another story addresses Jobs' efforts to hide his Porsche from the view of billionaire H. Ross Perot, who was contemplating an investment in NeXT.

[NeXT software engineer Randy] Adams, using some of the cash he'd earned from the sale of his company, bought a Porsche 911 at the same time Jobs did. To avoid car-door dings, they parked near each other-taking up three parking spaces between them. One day Jobs rushed over to Adams' cubicle and told him they had to move the cars.

"I said, 'Why?,' and he said, 'Randy, we have to hide the Porsches. Ross Perot is coming by and thinking of investing in the company, and we don't want him to think we have a lot of money.'" They moved the cars around to the back of NeXT's offices in Palo Alto, Calif. and Perot invested $20 million in the company in 1987 and took a seat on the board.

Other anecdotes come from a variety of sources, including Internet browser pioneer Marc Andreessen, former Apple evangelist Guy Kawasaki and Atari founder Nolan Bushnell. The article is being included in the October 22 print edition of Forbes.

Article Link: Previously Untold Recollections of Steve Jobs: 'Scuffgate' 2004, 'Hide the Porsches', and More

 

[MultiMediaWill]

So you mean to tell me that Apple had 8 years to fix scuffgate? Anyways Apple will never have the perfection with out Steve. His micromanaging really made Apple.

 

[GuitarDTO]

Love reading these little tidbits. He was fascinating.

 

[ChrisTX]

Hilarious bit about Jobs, and the Porsches.

 

[Fazzy]

Typical steve

 

[LordVic]

Thats one thing Jobs did very well.

He understood that things had to perform and appear right in the real world. the Floor tile example just emphasizes that. (as many pointed out and I do agre, he wasn't perfect either, didnt meant o imply I thought he was)

(this is something i would like to emphasize in my post, not glowing love for the corpse of Jobs)
Sometimes what looks the best, isn't always the right choice for the real world for other reasons.

I think this current 'scuffgate' is an example of that. Yes, the black ionodized aluminium looks amazing, But if it's inable to cope with everyday "scuffing and dings" well, it's clearly not the best choice. Choosing something purely for looks over function was something even Jobs didnt do. it was an all together package.

Something that I'm not sure the current top brass seem to understand just yet.

 

[skoldpadda]

Oh, Steve

 

[Bezetos]

The first story is more proof that Steve had some serious psychological issues, a very strong case of OCD. It might have helped him in some cases but I'm sure it must have been somewhat problematic. Poor fella.

 

[pnoyblazed]

R.I.P. Steve

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

This story makes little sense in relation to Scuffgate 2012 as they've released many products that scratched and scuffed like hell.

 

[ouimetnick]

Thats one thing Jobs did very well.

He understood that things had to perform and appear right in the real world. the Floor tile example just emphasizes that.

Sometimes what looks the best, isn't always the right choice for the real world for other reasons.

I think this current 'scuffgate' is an example of that. Yes, the black ionodized aluminium looks amazing, But if it's inable to cope with everyday "scuffing and dings" well, it's clearly not the best choice. Choosing something purely for looks over function was something even Jobs didnt do. it was an all together package.

Something that I'm not sure the current top brass seem to understand just yet.

Yup. And thats why Apple used crappy plastic on the iPhone 3G/3GS, poor plastic on non unibody MacBooks, stanless steel (impossible to NOT scratch) among other choices. Apple always has been a form over function company. The looks are more important than the features.

 

[iMaven]

Sounds like Steve would have never approved of the new iPhone 5 casings.

R.I.P. Steve

 

[RodThePlod]

Jobs brought in the store design team and had them clean the floor the night after the grand opening...

LOL! Imagine how they cursed that night

RTP.

 

[Small White Car]

Usually when there's a public figure that some love and some hate each side fixates on different stories that either make the person look their best or their worst.

What I love most about Steve Jobs is that for both sides they're usually the same stories.

Truly the mark of a man who lived life on his own terms without giving one single rat's ass about what others thought.

 

[Nykwil]

exactly what does the author prove to accomplish by perpetuating the "*blank*gate" stupidity?

how bout we stop that nonsense.

 

[iapplelove]

Sounds like Steve would have never approved of the new iPhone 5 casings.

R.I.P. Steve

Most people believe he had a role in the new design. As to what extent only a handful know.

 

[Allenbf]

His attention to "minor" details never failed/fails to amaze me. What a fascinating individual he was, love him or hate him, he was amazing.

 

[PracticalMac]

Don't quite understand this sequence of events;

Jobs was ultimately convinced to step outside, and the curtain was drawn before the small gathering of reporters. When I saw the floor, I immediately turned to Jobs, standing next to me, and asked if he had been involved in every aspect of the design. He said yes. “It was obvious that whoever designed the store had never cleaned a floor in their life,” I told him. He narrowed his eyes at me and stepped inside.

Outside the store to an area partitioned with curtains?

Sounds like Connie Guglielmo was gutsy to say that, since Jobs "designed" the store.

 

[swarmster]

Thats one thing Jobs did very well.

He understood that things had to perform and appear right in the real world. the Floor tile example just emphasizes that.

Sometimes what looks the best, isn't always the right choice for the real world for other reasons.

I think this current 'scuffgate' is an example of that. Yes, the black ionodized aluminium looks amazing, But if it's inable to cope with everyday "scuffing and dings" well, it's clearly not the best choice. Choosing something purely for looks over function was something even Jobs didnt do. it was an all together package.

Something that I'm not sure the current top brass seem to understand just yet.

That strikes me as an odd interpretation of this article, even if you believe the new iPhone is "inable [sic] to cope with everyday 'scuffing and dings'". (And I would say I'm not so sure I believe everything I read on the Internet, especially considering the extremely vast majority hasn't reported any problem, including myself.)

In the story, Jobs was closely involved with every aspect of the design. And when it was opened to the mass market, it wasn't perfect. How many years later did they switch to exotic stone floors?

Jobs was absolutely a genius and his attention to detail made Apple what it is today, but this knee-jerk Apple pile-on for stuff people imagine Jobs would have done differently is ridiculous. There isn't even any reason to believe he wasn't closely involved with the development of the iPhone 5. These things don't appear overnight.

 

[Pock]

Most people believe he had a role in the new design. As to what extent only a handful know.

Also, he must have approved the polished case on the iPod line.

 

[ajnicho]

Apple iPhones' have been prone to scuffing since the 3G. "Handle with care" was my saying when I had an iPhone - it made me OCD - badly (you can see that through my previous posts)

Thankfully that's all behind me

 

[PracticalMac]

His micromanaging really made Apple.

True, but at times it almost destroyed it.
Fortunately Jobs was just humble enough to know he could be wrong.

 

[MEGrubb]

Yup. And thats why Apple used crappy plastic on the iPhone 3G/3GS, poor plastic on non unibody MacBooks, stanless steel (impossible to NOT scratch) among other choices. Apple always has been a form over function company. The looks are more important than the features.

OK, so you don't want products made from plastic, stainless steel, or aluminum (you imply that the current iPhone was made for form over function).

What would you like your products made out of? Rubber?

 

[Rodimus Prime]

The Porsche hiding was a good move and a smart move to make.
The Scuffgate part more speaks to the lack of Jobs char. He would of taken part in the design and chances are demanded the floors look like that but at the cost of the fact they scuff easier, and show them easier.

 

[funkright]

Choosing something purely for looks over function was something even Jobs didnt do. it was an all together package.

Something that I'm not sure the current top brass seem to understand just yet.

Ummm... Short term memory? Many apple devices have been challenged over the years... The cube (plastic issue), the hockey puck mouse, antenna gate.. I am sure there are many more, after all we are only human