Steve Jobs Said He'd 'Go Thermonuclear War' On Google Over iPhone 'Theft'

[RichL]

murraypaul

"Film projection vs peephole booths. He refused to develop film projection because he was convinced that his Kinetoscope would be more profitable."

Mostly correct. It was more profitable for him because he was getting a special deal from Mr. Eastman... tag ends of Kodak film runs cost him just a bit over nothing. :-)

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by HappyMartin

Agreed.

What we still have to explain, or account for, is the current prevalent, mostly western idea, that originality and innovation are characteristics deserving of the highest accolades and respect.

It is a historical anomaly and one we tend accept unquestioningly.

It might *possibly* be due to fact that for the past 200 years our ever-improving standard of living has been steadily boosted by a steady stream of inquisitive and inventive western tinkerers, scientists, and engineers. When life expectancy triples, childhood survival rates go up ten-fold, and food availability increases several orders of magnitude, the traits and people that make it possible tend to gain a wee bit of respect.

At least in *some* lands.

It's not compulsory, though; those willing to live without the fruits of western inventiveness are welcome to do so. It would be a good way to test which is the "historical anomaly".

[RichL]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

When life expectancy triples, childhood survival rates go up ten-fold, and food availability increases several orders of magnitude, the traits and people that make it possible tend to gain a wee bit of respect..

Yet those same traits lead to over population, super bugs and the increasingly rapid destruction of the vary environment that supports us. Doesn't appear to me those are things that should garner much respect for the originator.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by RichL

So what did I learn from these facts?

Tesla, the greatest inventor of the century (my opinion of course) was mediocre at choosing underlings and a lousy business man.

Edison was good at picking underlings, a good inventor, better innovator and superb business man.

Jobs was good at choosing the underlings he needed (but just okay at keeping them), a superb innovator, an unknown as an inventor, a superb business man and a showman that could give P.T. Barnum a run the his money.

Gates was every bit as good as Jobs but where Jobs filled all those shoes at once Gates filled them sequentially.

What I learned is this. If a person is moderately good at creating or innovating and outstanding as a business man and showman (Edison was no slouch as a showman either) they can become household names of great respect and wealthy to boot. If, on the other hand someone is a great inventor and innovator but a lousy business man they will become a pauper with a household name of derision.

This! And now I don't need to read the book!

[wodin]

Originally Posted by kennyc

This! And now I don't need to read the book!

Never did and still don't need to; in fact, I think I won't!

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by wodin

Never did and still don't need to; in fact, I think I won't!

Yeah, but I guess I'm a voyeur and love those juicy secrets.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by RichL

Yet those same traits lead to over population, super bugs and the increasingly rapid destruction of the vary environment that supports us. Doesn't appear to me those are things that should garner much respect for the originator.

I said it wasn't compulsory.
Respect can't be compelled and different people have different values so debating the value of specific discoveries and inventions is a lot like monday morning quarterbacking. Anybody can do it and nobody can naysay it.

But I will add that anybody who doesn't like the modern world does have the option to do something about it.
If you don't like the world as it is, improve it or leave it.
Deeds, not words.

As the Jobs bio makes clear, he was far from a great human being but his actions--directly and indirectly--demonstrably left the world better than he found it. Anybody that values deeds over words should respect the deeds, even if the man was not worthy.

[RichL]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

...a lot like monday morning quarterbacking. Anybody can do it and nobody can naysay it.

If you don't like the world as it is, improve it or leave it.
Deeds, not words.

Not Monday morning quarterbacking as I see it.

We can see the good that Jenner and company has accomplished at improving our health etc. We can also see the harm that has resulted from it. If as far as we went was to point at the discoverer and say good or bad then I'd agree with you but to simply ignore the bad would be criminal. Some of us also look at, say the discovery and use of DNA mapping and gene manipulation then look at the discovery and consequences of the vaccine. When using DNA mapping and gene manipulation the very first consideration should be how to minimize it's destructive affects of the world as a whole, then, and only then should we consider how to implement it's use. I believe high-brows refer to it as ethics or some such. Me, I just call it look before you jump.

As for the change it or leave it. I do what I can towards first and we're all wending our way towards the second.

[kartu]

Can some kind soul elaborate, exactly what did Google steal from Apple?

PS
I recall Oracle claiming Google stole something big from them, by creating Android.

[kennyc]

I'm not going to try to address the first (apple) claim as it seems totally vague to me.

As far as Oracle. The lawsuit has to do with Java. Android is using an independently created Java run-time engine - Dalvik http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalvik_%28software%29 which Oracle is claiming infringes on its Java patents.

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by RichL

Yet those same traits lead to over population...

Population growth in the most development countries, the ones with most of the inventors, tends to be low, or even negative.

[RichL]

Originally Posted by murraypaul

Population growth in the most development countries, the ones with most of the inventors, tends to be low, or even negative.

I'll accept your word for it but that doesn't change the fact that better medicine, nourishment, farming techniques, GM seed and sundry other improvement is saving and extending lives world-wide.

[Orn8one]

Whatever everyone!
I don't have an iPhone I have a windows phone. I'd used Microsoft forever I knew my way round my computers well. I got so sick of being given applications i didn't want and found hard to opt out of. I got bored of virus protection. Auto updates closing what I'd left open to work on in the morning - irritating. Yes I know I could have switched to manual but i sometimes forgot. I changed to MacBook and have never looked back. I now have an iPad pad I love it, I love Mac. It's all easy and slick. One day I'll have an iPhone.
I say thank you to Steve Jobs, however he acheived his attractive, funcional products and global business it was with character, genius, acumen and panache. He bravely faced his illness. He has my respect and his family my sympathy.