Comment by chihuahua
6 hours ago
The problem with Steve Jobs and his insistence on doing things his way is that other people were like ants to him. He made other people's lives hell when they had to follow his borderline insane orders. He'd yell at people, belittle them, insult them, and he got away with it every time because he was a billionaire and those other people depended on their paychecks.
And it was often for details that didn't matter. Like the exact shape of the curve of the plastic housing of some long-forgotten iMac. People just want computers that work and that don't look like total crap, they don't even notice the corner radius or whether the motherboard (excuse me, "logic board") is aesthetically pleasing according to the genius that took one class on calligraphy at Reed College.
You’re just assuming everyone else shares your personal opinions on computers and design, but that’s not the case. There are people admiring the exact radius on the motherboard or that iMac shape, just like they absolutely value an envelope without a barcode.
Details that don’t matter to you might matter to someone else, and vice versa.
I like these comments that basically say working for Steve Jobs was hard. They carry a legend that is almost creative writing. Every year Steve Jobs becomes more of an evil genius villain-bastard hobbit-creature spreading the seeds of every sadistic personality disorder.
To be fair, he was genuinely a demanding and abrasive personality.
I once saw him absolutely dismantle, over the course of an hour, an intern that made the mistake of asking one stupid question.
I’ve dealt with difficult bosses myself so I’d appreciate a legendary story like that.
He got away with it because the results were unique and valuable.