The Full Walter Isaacson/Steve Jobs Interview From 60 Minutes

[Fukui]

I could not have been more dismayed when Walter Isaacson, this so-called “expert” on Steve Jobs, stated the following (I paraphrase) regarding the state of Apple at the time of Jobs’ return:

‘Apple was 90 days from bankruptcy! Out of money!’

Not only is this a LIE, presumably out of ignorance, but it doesn’t even make sense. Somehow, magically, money appears out of nowhere to save Apple simply because Steve Jobs is hired as a consultant. *DING-a-LING* Insert MIRACLE here. RIGHT.

You’re a sucker for stooopid, Walter Isaacson. You’ve just destroyed your reputation as an historian: TOTAL FAIL.

Now I’m going to worry what other distortions and rumor mongering this dope puked up into his book about Steve Jobs. This particular type of reality distortion is sick and sad. Steve Jobs deserves a hell of a lot better biographer. Either that, or Isaacson is one gullible dunce for believing this dusty old tall tale about Apple.

(I have to wonder: Was Steve Jobs pulling a trick on Isaacson by telling this tall tale? Jobs always did have a tinge of berzerker).

This is not a lie.

What kept apple from bankruptcy though, was a medium term loan for around 600 million. That was one of the few good things Gil Amelio did for apple, that and buy NeXT and get steve back... Apple was literally out of gas, and these two things saved apple’s butt. Literally.

 

[MoreAwesomeDanU]

non of the links works on the ipad... not even the freaking youtube link for some reason

 

[iBug2]

LOL, the funniest part was Gates telling Walter that "Yeah I told him that his model works, but what I didn't tell him was that it only works if you have a Steve Jobs". And then Jobs saying to Walter "Well, I told him that his model works, but I didn't tell him it only works if you are ok with making crappy products."

 

[bjmach]

The part about his biological father was interesting. Can you imagine (if he is still alive) what his biological father thinks now. Knowing that your son visited your resturant, shook your hand and he never knew that was the son he gave up at birth. WOW!!

 

[D4F]

He was a douchebag that's for sure.

 

[LondonCentral]

The part about his biological father was interesting. Can you imagine (if he is still alive) what his biological father thinks now. Knowing that your son visited your resturant, shook your hand and he never knew that was the son he gave up at birth. WOW!!

That's true. I was quite surprised he was Syrian. It's also strange that someone as educated as his biological father would give up a son. But then we don't know the story behind that and he was happy to see his daughter. It's a shame Jobs didn't give him a chance to explain himself. I'm sure if his real father was a total money grabbing douche, we'd have seen interviews of him talking about Jobs (there must have been a point where his daughter or Jobs' mother mentioned him).

The scene where Isaacson repeats what his real father told his daughter in the restaurant regarding his son showed me that it must have been too painful to imagine seeing him again and was probably better to forget him, perhaps he'd accepted the situation and it wasn't something he wanted to talk about. Jobs' sister should have said something like "I may have found him, would you be interested in finding him together?".

 

[BlkBear]

That's true. I was quite surprised he was Syrian. It's also strange that someone as educated as his biological father would give up a son.

His biological parents were students at the time -- his father was a graduate student. Not sure if his mother was an undergraduate or graduate student. They gave Steve up for adoption, and later married and had Mona Simpson.

 

[maccompaq]

His biological parents were students at the time -- his father was a graduate student. Not sure if his mother was an undergraduate or graduate student. They gave Steve up for adoption, and later married and had Mona Simpson.

How can that be, because it is said that Mona Simpson is his half sister, and she was given up for adoption as well?

 

[Shrink]

So, he is human.

Brilliant. Petulant. Mean to some, loving to others. Driven. Flawed. A completely original thinker. A man who changed the world of electronics. A miserable person for whom to work, but pushing you to your creative limits. A perfectionist. A martinet.

In short -- a human.



RIP

 

[Thunderbird]

I know people are going to criticize you for this comment, but the fact is, most people give him the benefit of the doubt over and over.

When it comes to charity, for example, he stopped all of Apple's non-profit work and apparently didn't do much of that personally. People will say, "oh, well, he wanted to improve the world through his products." Yes, but people pay a premium to have Apple's premium products, so I'm not sure if that's really the point. It's not like there are many poor people who get to enjoy Apple's products, and when people talk about charity, they're talking about the poor, not the wealthy.

The point when I really got upset was when I read (or heard...can't remember) him criticizing Gates as basically a failure and went on to say that it's good he's out of the technology sector and concentrating on all of that foundation stuff. It was so cynical and so ridiculous. Gates is clearly a super bright guy who has decided to do some very great things at the end of his life, and I have a lot of respect for that. Everything I've read about how Gates dedicates himself to solving major problems that affect millions of people has made me respect him more and more. People may have a sour taste in their mouths about him because of Microsoft (myself included), but I think that what he's doing, abstracted from his name, is more respectable that many people would give him credit for when they see his name.

To me, Jobs was clearly a genius and a very shrewd guy. I didn't know him personally, so I try to judge him on the face-value of his comments and not read too much into them. Many people seem to just give him endless breaks, though, not realizing that disagreeing with something he did or said doesn't negate your respect for the work he did or the intelligence he possessed.

The reality distortion field does not need to extend to you. It's good to have crazy geniuses in this world, and as the interviewer noted, delusional, out-there thinking probably contributed to breakthroughs for Jobs.

I know people like Jobs: very intelligent, but conceited and stubborn. I can respect them for what they are, but also look very clearly at what they are not. I hope you can do the same.

Not sure what you're driving at here. Someone can be a genius and a callous prick too, right?

He was a classic narcissist; (He even helped write that now famous "Here's to the crazy ones..." ad). He thought he was the 'chosen one', a special snowflake; someone to whom the rules of society and laws of nature didn't apply. That's why he delayed his surgery, because he thought through sheer will he could overcome his illness. It also helps explain all the lawsuits by Apple against everyone. Steve was right, and everyone else was wrong.

The point about his not letting early Apple engineers have shares is he was callous towards those beneath him, and almost everyone was, in his mind, beneath him.

Some people can be geniuses, callous pricks, narcissists, psychopaths, loving fathers, husbands, managers and shrewd business tycoons all at the same time. People are complex creatures.

 

[cara0910]

Not sure what you're driving at here. Someone can be a genius and a callous prick too, right?

He was a classic narcissist; (He even helped write that now famous "Here's to the crazy ones..." ad). He thought he was the 'chosen one', a special snowflake; someone to whom the rules of society and laws of nature didn't apply. That's why he delayed his surgery, because he thought through sheer will he could overcome his illness. It also helps explain all the lawsuits by Apple against everyone. Steve was right, and everyone else was wrong.

The point about his not letting early Apple engineers have shares is he was callous towards those beneath him, and almost everyone was, in his mind, beneath him.

Some people can be geniuses, callous pricks, narcissists, psychopaths, loving fathers, husbands, managers and shrewd business tycoons all at the same time. People are complex creatures.

Your comment was just a jumping off point to try to encourage OTHER people to open their eyes. Most people would give him the benefit of the doubt, but you didn't. This really wasn't directed at you, just trying to make people understand that people can be intelligent and important, but flawed.

 

[nikhsub1]

In a world where so many men abandon their children for all of their childhood, I'm happy to see that Steve Jobs owned up to his mistake and reached out to his child from his previous relationship and went on to have a successful family with his second wife.

Yeah, funny you mention this because for several years he denied he was the father and would not financially support his child. Steve Jobs was a dead beat dad until the courts forced him to do otherwise. What a good guy.

What the hell does this even mean?

So he could be a dick when he wanted to in order to get his way? Welcome to human nature.

This means that he was pretty much devoid of compassion. I pity anyone who would want to model their lives after this guy. There is no denying his genius in his work - there is also no denying he was a total ****** with no regard for anyone but himself. No philanthropy is a good example.

Not sure what you're driving at here. Someone can be a genius and a callous prick too, right?

He was a classic narcissist; (He even helped write that now famous "Here's to the crazy ones..." ad). He thought he was the 'chosen one', a special snowflake; someone to whom the rules of society and laws of nature didn't apply. That's why he delayed his surgery, because he thought through sheer will he could overcome his illness. It also helps explain all the lawsuits by Apple against everyone. Steve was right, and everyone else was wrong.

The point about his not letting early Apple engineers have shares is he was callous towards those beneath him, and almost everyone was, in his mind, beneath him.

Some people can be geniuses, callous pricks, narcissists, psychopaths, loving fathers, husbands, managers and shrewd business tycoons all at the same time. People are complex creatures.

I disagree, why do you have to be an ****** to be a tycoon? His biggest flaw was that he thought the rules didn't apply to him, too bad the cancer didn't follow that rule eh? I guess karma is a b*tch.

 

[YMark]

too bad the cancer didn't follow that rule eh? I guess karma is a b*tch.

This was unnecessary.

 

[Smith288]

CBS wants you to buy their $5 iPad 60 Minutes App to be able to watch it on the iPad. Greedy people! I guess they want to milk the iPad owners.

Yea! We need to go OCCUPY!!! I want my free $%it! I deserve it! *cough*

 

[nikhsub1]

This was unnecessary.

I guess my context of that statement makes it seem like I think he got what he deserved, that it not how intended it. He thought that if he ignored it it would go away, again thinking the rules did not apply to him. It is widely thought that if he had had the surgery pronto instead of waiting 9 months he likely would be a cancer survivor. I do not wish what he went thought on anyone. I guess my context of that statement makes it seem like I think he got what he deserved, but that it not how intended it.

 

[ApplesAOranges]

non of the links works on the ipad... not even the freaking youtube link for some reason

Ouch!

By the way some perspective about his cancer operation desicion:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFqrFZOof6I

 

[BlkBear]

How can that be, because it is said that Mona Simpson is his half sister, and she was given up for adoption as well?

Mona Simpson was NOT given up for adoption, and she is not Steve's half sister. Where did you get that idea? They divorced when Mona was very young, after the father had gone back to Syria to find work, and then the mother remarried. When Steve found his biological mother, she told him they (her and Steve's father) had another child that they did not give up for adoption and that his sister was Mona Simpson. Mona later found the father, who was non-existent in the majority of her life.

 

[maccompaq]

Mona Simpson was NOT given up for adoption, and she is not Steve's half sister. Where did you get that idea? They divorced when Mona was very young, after the father had gone back to Syria to find work, and then the mother remarried. When Steve found his biological mother, she told him they (her and Steve's father) had another child that they did not give up for adoption and that his sister was Mona Simpson. Mona later found the father, who was non-existent in the majority of her life.

I thought I read that somewhere. Anyway, thanks for the correction.
I ordered the book today so I can get all the information correctly. Steve Jobs was one of a kind. I'm glad he came on the computer scene, but credit must also be given to WOZ.

 

[derek]

This is not a lie.

What kept apple from bankruptcy though, was a medium term loan for around 600 million. That was one of the few good things Gil Amelio did for apple, that and buy NeXT and get steve back... Apple was literally out of gas, and these two things saved apple’s butt. Literally.

At the end of 1996, Apple had $4 Billion in liquid assets. In 1997 they had to write off $1 Billion in market rejected Mac Performas that Marketing Morons inside the company had stockpiled. At no time did Apple go in the red during this period. They used the remaining $3 Billion to buy NeXT and invest in new R&D. No loan was required at any time to keep Apple afloat. No bankruptcy was ever imminent. No cash flow problems ever occurred.

What DID occur was unfettered TechTard journalist hatred toward Apple as well as one hell of a lot of unfounded, unprovable hateful rumor mongering, including the nonsense Mr. Isaacson spewed on 60 Minutes. No proof of any kind is available to back up Mr. Isaacson's claim. I suggest victims of myth mongering check out the financial statements from Apple for the years 1996 and 1997, then try to hide their red faces. There is no excuse for this kind of mis- and dis-information.

 

[WeegieMac]

Ouch!

By the way some perspective about his cancer operation desicion:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFqrFZOof6I

Google listens to you through your computer with microphones?

I don't like Google, but I find that a wee bit far fetched, lol.

 

[jimbobb24]

Very conflicted here. Can a man truly be "great" if he acts like a jackass? I'm not so sure. You can tell a lot about people in how they treat others, especially those powerless when compared to them.

Yes. Lots of great great people who changed the lives of the entire world for the better were complete jerks. Most important political leaders, many famous scientists, authors, painters, poets. Not all of course, but lots of them.

I am also not saying Jobs was necessarily one of these...maybe too early to tell.

 

[Avatar74]

There's a difference between going out of your way to ruin some stranger's day, versus demanding perfection from the people who work for you.

I'm not saying that Steve was right in the way he handled a lot of stuff in the early days, particularly. But one thing most of the engineers agree upon is that while he could be tyrannical at times, they've never done better work than when he pushed them to do the seemingly impossible.

This wasn't a particularly tall order when it was just Woz and Jobs, because Woz was quite a genius and he was probably the first and last sole engineer to lay out and comprehend the entire architecture of a PC from top to bottom.

Now, with increased complexity, different teams of engineers handle and know only parts of the whole... so it's much harder to expect the same level of commitment from all those teams as you would from one guy you know you can trust to be focused on superlative quality.

People have far less of a vested interest now in whatever little piece of work they own, in general, so it's much more difficult to expect them to care about the end result beyond just going to work, doing enough to get the paycheck, etc. and I can see how this would grate at someone like Jobs.

But he learned the art of compromise, and you can see bits of that even in some of Andy Hertzfeld's stories at folklore.org of the early days. Consider the Twiggy drive...

 

[samcraig]

At the end of 1996, Apple had $4 Billion in liquid assets. In 1997 they had to write off $1 Billion in market rejected Mac Performas that Marketing Morons inside the company had stockpiled. At no time did Apple go in the red during this period. They used the remaining $3 Billion to buy NeXT and invest in new R&D. No loan was required at any time to keep Apple afloat. No bankruptcy was ever imminent. No cash flow problems ever occurred.

What DID occur was unfettered TechTard journalist hatred toward Apple as well as one hell of a lot of unfounded, unprovable hateful rumor mongering, including the nonsense Mr. Isaacson spewed on 60 Minutes. No proof of any kind is available to back up Mr. Isaacson's claim. I suggest victims of myth mongering check out the financial statements from Apple for the years 1996 and 1997, then try to hide their red faces. There is no excuse for this kind of mis- and dis-information.

Oh Noz... you want to destroy Apple's MYTHOLOGY. How dare you

Seriously - as a wise professor told me - history is always tainted by those that tell it. Even if their best intentions are to be unbiased. And as honest as Jobs was - I am fairly confident that he wasn't completely forthcoming. Perhaps on purpose - or perhaps because he simply no longer remembered the truth and only what he convinced himself was the truth. Same for all the people interviewed.

 

[ucantgetridofme]

jk