Wozniak: Apple Should Learn To Let Go

I think the Woz is a genius and a really decent guy. He's a man who "knows what he knows, and knows what he doesn't know." The second part is where so many other people fuck up so badly.

There's things he dislikes about Apple products and he's happy to mention them, but always in a respectful way.
 
Microsoft really should try to woo the Woz to sort out their issues with products and markets that they want to break into. Or hire him to replace Ballmer. I think that either would strengthen MS in a big way.
 
Why was he talking about China like Apple is so far away from China, like they don't have a marketing firm over there, like they don't have some development center over there, like they don't have all of their production facilities over there. He acted like "local" companies had an edge because Apple would have to jump on a plane to go find out what they need.
 
I am amazed at how down to earth and tell-it-like-it-is he is every time I hear him speak. If more CEOs were modelled after him, the state of large corporations and the number of motivated, happy, and effective employees would be much better.
 
Problem is the cost of giving any opinions because companies want control over its employees. The blinders that keep us focused on where it should be. Woz is a shoot from hips and cut frilly edges. I wish more companies would value there employees. Look at full time jobs they are becoming extinct in the world. Why should anyone want to help their employer if incentives to work are gone. We need more people like Woz who pioneered the computer age.

We need more openness in companies as well as incentive base to give opne opinions without worrying stepping on someones ego in the ceo department. Think outside of the box.
 
DejaWiz said:
I am amazed at how down to earth and tell-it-like-it-is he is every time I hear him speak. If more CEOs were modelled after him, the state of large corporations and the number of motivated, happy, and effective employees would be much better.
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And the CEO bonuses could then be even higher! ;)
 
I met Woz a few years back at an event in Palo Alto at Stanford. The guy is really friendly, approachable and very personable. Apple would do right to hire him, but he is already well off from his apple stock and other ventures he has partook in.
 
sfsuphysics said:
Why was he talking about China like Apple is so far away from China, like they don't have a marketing firm over there, like they don't have some development center over there, like they don't have all of their production facilities over there. He acted like "local" companies had an edge because Apple would have to jump on a plane to go find out what they need.
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Because outsourcing your production there doesn't really help you understand the market when the decision makers live in California.
 
mynamehere said:
Microsoft really should try to woo the Woz to sort out their issues with products and markets that they want to break into. Or hire him to replace Ballmer. I think that either would strengthen MS in a big way.
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Woz as head of Microsoft would open a tear in the fabric of reality.

It also might end up making up for Windows 8.
 
Apple works well in America cause people here don't care for how a product works, so much as it works. Only tech Geeks care beyond that. In Europe it's mostly sill the same in America, but still favors open devices. Past that though, and nobody cares for Apple. It's really a niche brand.

My prediction is that Apple will eventually go the way of their Macs back in the mid to early 90's. Americans will still hold Apple as a prestige brand, but those people will be far and few. Though I can't say Android will be the dominant player, but it will for some time. I think is smart enough to keep Android limited to phones and tablets. Chrome OS though is SOL. I still think that Ubuntu may hit the market harder then most people think. It won't touch the Android market much, but it'll serve as a replacement to Chrome OS.
 
Ashbringer said:
Apple works well in America cause people here don't care for how a product works, so much as it works. Only tech Geeks care beyond that. In Europe it's mostly sill the same in America, but still favors open devices. Past that though, and nobody cares for Apple. It's really a niche brand.

My prediction is that Apple will eventually go the way of their Macs back in the mid to early 90's. Americans will still hold Apple as a prestige brand, but those people will be far and few. Though I can't say Android will be the dominant player, but it will for some time. I think is smart enough to keep Android limited to phones and tablets. Chrome OS though is SOL. I still think that Ubuntu may hit the market harder then most people think. It won't touch the Android market much, but it'll serve as a replacement to Chrome OS.
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I would actually argue the opposite is true ... if Google has any brains at all then Chrome OS will gradually replace Android ... Android has put too much power in the hands of their customers (the OEMs) and this is going to eventually create major problems for Google ... the customization that they are allowed makes it harder for Google to keep the OS up to date ... most of their customers will be happy with any OS that is free (so it doesn't impact their profits) ... Google should much more aggressively market Chrome as a replacement for Android
 
Wozniak is too simple to be a high earning CEO, he is not cut throat, he was taken advantage of and that proves his weakness as unsuitable for any leader type.

Basically, he got lucky he was smart enough to design parts, most people who do that never make it rich at all.

I really see no further relevance of Wozniak, unless he wants to design a new gadget one day.
 
kbrickley said:
I would actually argue the opposite is true ... if Google has any brains at all then Chrome OS will gradually replace Android ... Android has put too much power in the hands of their customers (the OEMs) and this is going to eventually create major problems for Google ... the customization that they are allowed makes it harder for Google to keep the OS up to date ... most of their customers will be happy with any OS that is free (so it doesn't impact their profits) ... Google should much more aggressively market Chrome as a replacement for Android
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That's why I believe that one day Google may just turn Android around and close the code. They did do this with Android 3.0, where nobody got the code. It didn't work out well for Google but it won't stop them from trying again.
 
I clicked the comment link four times before my stupidity filter finally detected I was stuck in a loop.
 
Steve said:
Someone remind me again why this guy isn't at Apple anymore. :)
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The main problem Apple's had all along.

"Not Invented Here"

Some of the things he's talking about go COMPLETELY against this core Apple precept.
 
BBA said:
Wozniak is too simple to be a high earning CEO, he is not cut throat, he was taken advantage of and that proves his weakness as unsuitable for any leader type.

Basically, he got lucky he was smart enough to design parts, most people who do that never make it rich at all.

I really see no further relevance of Wozniak, unless he wants to design a new gadget one day.
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Using the term "weak" is incorrect in terms of Wozniak. He is very, very comfortable with who he is and compared to Jobs and many other CEO's he is not full of himself. Confidence and narcissism are often confused. Very few CEO's (this is a trait of humanity) are confident enough to take true criticism and apply it. If you are referring to Job's using Woz in the early apple days, then I would suggest that is "weakness" demonstrated on Job's part. Job's operated under a guise of fear, double crossing and absolute power, he was no smarter than Woz, he was better at controlling people (thus the irony of the Apple 1984ish commercial).

As far as Woz getting lucky, it could be said the same of Job's, or Gate's or any other person who began work at startups: Woz had the right set of skills at the right time at the right place and made the decision to use them. As did Gates, as did Dell, as did the Google founders. Put them in a different place at the same time and they very well could be living in their mothers basements to this day.

Woz's perspective on hardware + his personality is somewhat unique, especially in the upper echelons of the tech world. He will thoughtfully comment on a device while respecting the technical expertise that it took to make the device including the very devices from the company he made his money. I respect that. He could be (and it seems almost should be) a fanboy easily, but he is not. He could be an prick to everyone around him, he is not. He has enough money that none of this would effect him in the least.

Oddly, I find Woz heavily relevant in that he, by his own behavior, shows us not all rich techies are not one sided fanboys who treat the rest of the world like pawns or cash registers. I will agree he is not a CEO fit for Microsoft or Apple, i don't think a CEO can fix Microsoft and replacing Job's despotic management style is impossible. MS and apple are like IBM, both has had their peak, they will still do good things but they are on the decline. I agree that MS should be broken up. As for Woz in management at Apple or MS: I can dream. I definitely think he would have an effect on product for the good. I think his input would be useful.
 
Chas said:
The main problem Apple's had all along.

"Not Invented Here"

Some of the things he's talking about go COMPLETELY against this core Apple precept.
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actually he still draws a small paycheck from apple. always has.
 
Runningwarrior08 said:
And the CEO bonuses could then be even higher! ;)
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In his case it would be well deserved, but Woz is an in-the-trenches kind of guy. He likes to get his hands dirty with the tech. That's what he'd rather do instead of running a company. He's done that too, but his affable transparent honesty is what really makes him stand out. He's a humble guy when you get down to it and he really did make Apple what it is.
 
He said a couple of things that Cook, the bean counter good enough guy, just does not seem to get, which is why so many Apple employees are leaving or trying to leave recently, especially hardware engineers. He said:Look at the BEST features of competitors and offer them, Listen to customers, and give their designers and engineers a chance to make SUPER out of the box products. Their current Macbook Pro line up does not even deserve the Pro designation it is so under spec'd compared to the non Apple universe. As a long time Apple user in the music business, it gives me no pleasure to watch the current decline. Hope they turn it around.
 
kbrickley said:
I would actually argue the opposite is true ... if Google has any brains at all then Chrome OS will gradually replace Android ... Android has put too much power in the hands of their customers (the OEMs) and this is going to eventually create major problems for Google ... the customization that they are allowed makes it harder for Google to keep the OS up to date ... most of their customers will be happy with any OS that is free (so it doesn't impact their profits) ... Google should much more aggressively market Chrome as a replacement for Android
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Pure insanity.

You know you're describing EXACTLY what happened and is happening to Microsoft, right?

Android fans love it specifically because they can tweak and fiddle to their heart's content. Take that away and what is it? iOS. :rolleyes:
 
He's a smart guy, but the fanbase for him is as obnoxious as the fanbase for Jobs. Both venerate the objects of their admiration like gods.
 
DiabloRojo said:
Pure insanity.

You know you're describing EXACTLY what happened and is happening to Microsoft, right?

Android fans love it specifically because they can tweak and fiddle to their heart's content. Take that away and what is it? iOS. :rolleyes:
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Its worse than iOS, its iOS that every OEM and carrier can fuck with.
 
Elios said:
he is not a sales man and in with the hipsters
thats why
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Yep--he approaches things from the standpoint of the customer (what Microsoft used to do so well) and that isn't the "Apple way." Woz never drunk deeply from the RDF propaganda well that Jobs (RIP) relied on so extensively. So...Woz was as likely to tell you the truth as he was anything else, and in Apple circles that's considered a mortal sin...;) Accordingly, Woz was shuffled into the background and effectively gagged for many years. He'd do no better at Apple today for the same reasons, but the gag is off, finally, and he feels he can tell us what he thinks. He's an interesting character, and it's very easy to read the differences between him and Jobs (RIP) and understand why and how they clashed.
 
BBA said:
Wozniak is too simple to be a high earning CEO, he is not cut throat, he was taken advantage of and that proves his weakness as unsuitable for any leader type.

Basically, he got lucky he was smart enough to design parts, most people who do that never make it rich at all.

I really see no further relevance of Wozniak, unless he wants to design a new gadget one day.
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Speaking of which... what was that "gadget" he was weraing on his wrist?
 
Ashbringer said:
That's why I believe that one day Google may just turn Android around and close the code. They did do this with Android 3.0, where nobody got the code. It didn't work out well for Google but it won't stop them from trying again.
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Dude. You're smart enough to not repeat blatantly obvious lies.

Google didn't release the code to Honeycomb because it was SLOPPY, not meant for use on anything but tablets and didn't want OEMs to put it on phones, not because they were trying to close off Android.

http://appleinsider.com/articles/11...oneycomb_source_to_prevent_use_on_smartphones
 
He said what is wrong with Apple and have lost their ways with "i could not say what i think they should do, cause i would get into a fight. What i would like to say is i want bigger screens and features that competitors have"

He wrapped that up nicely, Apple don't lision to their customers OR their employees.
 
XeenSD said:
Using the term "weak" is incorrect in terms of Wozniak. He is very, very comfortable with who he is and compared to Jobs and many other CEO's he is not full of himself.
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Do you not understand, the business world is about being ruthless, Woz is not ruthless, therefore, in the view of shareholder boards, he is weak. He was the 'tech guy' plain and simple.

Jobs, on the other hand, was strong because he was a ruthless money grub, hence, he was CEO material.

This has nothing to do with his worth as a person, he's a great guy, but as a CEO, he would get run over repeatedly, and that is not good for shareholders. It's just the way it works. Blame the system.
 
DiabloRojo said:
Pure insanity.

You know you're describing EXACTLY what happened and is happening to Microsoft, right?

Android fans love it specifically because they can tweak and fiddle to their heart's content. Take that away and what is it? iOS. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

I didn't say they had to lock it down for consumers, only their OEM customers ... consumers are not the customers of Google, the OEMs are and the the OEMs have too much power in the current model (especially Samsung as the only OEM making a profit with Android) ... Google needs to assert control so that if the consumer wishes to get their upgrades from Google as they are released then they have that option (and prevent the OEMs from adding anything to the Android system that prevents these updates)

Google needs to be the dominant partner in the relationship (not the OEM) ... after all, where can they go (MS is even more locked down and maintaining your own operating system is very difficult) ... if Google were smart they would cut the OEMs out of the loop completely but they still depend on advertising revenues too much to do that ... the OEMs need to be in service to Google (not the other way around) ... that would benefit the consumer the most ;)
 
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