This chapter is on an interview with Steve Wozniak (unfiltered) co founder of Apple - from the book 'Founders at Work' by Jessica Livingston. This one is so good it would do absolutely no justice if i sum it up. I'll share some snapshots of it.

To set the base, Apple was founded on April 1, 1976 and went public in 1980. Steve Wozniak was working with HP even when they were selling Apple 1 in thousands. He pitched to HP but was declined. Irony that HP eventually spin off the test measurement instrument, and retained its identity as personal PC and became Apple's biggest competitor.

This whole interview is so precious, most of it just talks about his passion in building things from the time he was in highschool. Also there was no falling out or drama with Steve Jobs, they argued about modular system vs 1 box solution and Wozniak won the argument. He didn't leave Apple or anything like that. He did mention how media would spin everything

Picked up this book by Jessica Livingstone (Co-Founder of YC and wife of Paul Graham) - I like the style of the book as its interview Q&A based hence unfiltered. But its like really really old. It was published in 2001, even Twitter only started a few years later.

1. First chapter is on Pay Pal (refer to the attached) - I thought it was kinda odd how they did not mention who the CEO of x.com was throughout the conversation (but he said they made amends and are friends now)

2. This other part was informative :

Livingston: Was the growth viral?

Levchin: We built the system to be viral from day one. The idea was: I can send you the money, even if you aren't a member. If I send you $10, you get an email saying, "You have $10 waiting for you. Sign up, and you can take it." That's the most powerful viral driver there is. Free money available to you.

For eBay buyers and sellers, it became this crazy loop where buyers would be like, "I want to pay you with PayPal," and sellers would be like, "I don't accept PayPal." And buyers would say, "That's OK. I'll just send you $10, and you can sign up." So the seller would get infected, and the seller would say, "Oh, this is really simple, so I only accept PayPal."

the second one is a stunning shot

of all the mistakes i made today, the worst was a badly tasting apple oatmeal that i tried to fix into an apple-oatmeal-cake which turned out just as bad

the few time i was there, I thought the city never slept! Loved how advanced everything was

There are 3 public marketing campaigns that needs to get louder and go viral :

Edward Snowden exposed gov't spying on the people and is banished for it

Julian Assange exposed gov't war crimes and is imprisoned for it

Craig Wright is a fraud

how do we show the court that there are millions of people who believe Craig Wright is a fraud?

that would be something. Btw, nostr:nprofile1qqs8lft0t45k92c78n2zfe6ccvqzhpn977cd3h8wnl579zxhw5dvr9qprpmhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuumwdae8gtnnda3kjctvqyxhwumn8ghj7mn0wvhxcmmvqy2hwumn8ghj7etyv4hzumn0wd68ytnvv9hxguk802h , another suggestion for Habla is to provide an option to direct upload from client notes. I presume there might be some kinda integration between Habla and Clients to make it work. It might increase traffic for Habla. I've been wanting to put up some notes like the book reviews on Habla which would be valuable for my own reference and I keep telling myself, someday when I have some free time... If it was as easy as just clicking on an option to share it on Habla, then I might be more compelled to. I have not weight in on the pros and cons of this. I'd reckon pros might be interesting contents, cons might be an overload of info? idk Just a random thought.

what are the specific actions he did to be labelled a jerk ? And how did he screw over Wozniak ?

Darko mentioned Celtic several times. The goal is real sea salt that looks grey and wet (but Celtic has gotten really popular over time - San Francisco Sea Salt seems decent according to him)

https://darkovelcek.wordpress.com/2015/07/22/is-what-you-are-using-really-a-sea-salt/

https://darkovelcek.wordpress.com/?s=salt+

I watched this recently : https://www.bitchute.com/video/tybQVt5f0EJk/

we could make it exciting. For example, relay marketplaces would ease up in both educating users on relays and promoting purchases.

“Simple can be harder than complex. You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end, because once you get there, you can move mountains.” —Steve Jobs

This book ‘Insanely Simple - The obsession that drives Apple's success’ by Ken Segall piqued my interest when I first read about the upside-down logo on a Macbook (when you open your macbook in public, others will see it correctly - publicity). Segall was the Creative Director for the “Think Different” campaign and originated the idea “i” for iMac, iPhone, iPod, iPad. He worked closely with Steve Jobs from the '80s. I’ve been exploring a few marketing, branding, PR books in recent days for my own needs. This book was raw and useful. I'll share my notes here, should it benefit anyone else.

1. Apple ignited the personal computer revolution but faced irrelevance when Steve Jobs was ousted.

2. Upon his return, he reignited computers (iMac), transformed music (iPod and iTunes), revolutionized smartphones (iPhone), and reinvented computers (iPad).

3. Apple’s slogan and company identity : simply amazing, and amazingly simple.

4. Microsoft introduced the Zune Store to rival iTunes. It used "Microsoft Points," where customers bought points in hundreds and converted 80 points to purchase a 99-cent song. This is the opposite of simplicity and why it didn’t work

5. The truth was the truth and his opinion was his opinion, regardless of personal feelings, alliances, or the room's atmosphere.

6. Clarity propels an organization. Not occasional clarity but pervasive, twenty-four-hour, in-your-face, take-no-prisoners clarity.

7. He had no issue abandoning investments if his strategy changed. He once canceled a TV campaign on the brink of production, forfeiting over a million dollars.

8. That Steve Jobs was intolerant of stupidity is a matter of record

9. He seemed to buy the notion that any publicity is good publicity, and the negatives just rolled off his back.

10. For big campaigns, it involves agency (creatives, account and media directors), and Apple's team including Steve, product marketing, product design, marketing comms, and in-house creative.

11. Start with small, smart groups—and keep them small. More people invites complexity

12. “You know how many committees we have at Apple? Zero. We’re organized like a start-up. We’re the biggest start-up on the planet.” Jobs at All Things Digital conference in 2010

13. Project quality decreases as more people get involved (there’s an economy theory to this : diminishing return)

14. The project's quality improves based on the involvement of the decision maker. Doesn’t have to be the CEO but anyone who is the decision maker

15. “I lost track of the number of midnight phone calls we had just to go over the copy for an ad about to be published.” Segall

16. He insisted on being the first to see the agency's creative ideas. Even the VP of marketing couldn't filter the work before he had a chance to view it. Steve wanted to make his own judgment “Maybe I’ll see a spark in there that nobody else sees.”

17. Intel vs Apple - Intel has report cards for the ad agency - highlights and lowlights. Steve Jobs preferred real time honestly.

18. Intel vs Apple - If there is a better idea mid production, they can share it with Steve Jobs. Steve looks forward to it. This is not possible with Intel as it has many layers of processes

19. Trying to solve problems by copying just one aspect of Apple's approach doesn’t work. Simplicity is an all-or-nothing concept.

20. “Steve volunteered some great ideas and I saw him suggest some clunkers. But I’ve never seen a CEO who had Steve’s passion for creativity.”

21. “One of the most important things Apple does is trust itself. We didn’t test a single ad. Not for print, TV, billboards, the web, retail, or anything.”

22. In a multilayered org, it’s difficult to stand up for imaginative thinking—because it puts your neck on the line. In Apple’s flatter organization, it’s easier to “think different.”

23. “People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully. I’m actually as proud of the things we haven’t done as the things we have done. Innovation is saying no to a thousand things.” Steve Jobs, 1997 Apple Worldwide Developers Conference

24. Some companies try to please everyone and seize every opportunity, but it often leads to confusing product offerings. Please everyone ends up pleasing no one.

25. Dell and HP model clutters (names, specs etc) vs simplified Apple models

26. Steve Jobs trusted his people. He sees them at the start of the job and when they return to the Apple boardroom to share the finished work. Not a million updates.

27. Intel didn't trust itself - it had multiple focus groups

28. Testing was a religion to Intel, just as Simplicity was to Apple.

29. Even geniuses need reminders. During a meeting, Steve Jobs requested 5 points in a 30s clip, but Lee Chow disagreed and suggested only one point - with a playful paper toss. He crumpled 5 papers, threw one to Steve (caught), then all 5 (Steve missed). The argument won to keep it simple, with just one point

30. When Steve Jobs returned, Apple was 90 days from going bankrupt.

31. “The products suck! There’s no sex in them anymore!” Steve Jobs, upon his return on Business Week interview

32. Ad campaigns takes about abt 3 months from idea to completion of a project (idea, feedbacks, production)

33. When Apple created the first iPod, it didn’t set out to create a portable player that could accommodate music, movies, podcasts, and photos. It created a music player. The rest came later. Aim realistically.

34. The 1.0 version of this product didn’t even support apps, which quickly came to be the most revolutionary part of the platform. The original idea was that Apple would support only web apps developed in Safari

35. When people trust a brand and see real value in it, they’re willing to pay more for it. If you have a mediocre brand, the only way to attract customers is by lowering prices.

36. Apple vs Dell : Apple started in 1997, aiming for immediate action and trusted a small, smart team led by its CEO, Steve Jobs. They knew their identity and took a month to create the "Think different" campaign. Dell started in 2008, took months to plan, relied on a committee, and struggled to define its identity. Michael Dell only got involved after the project was done, and they ended up with presentation boards tucked away in a closet.

37. At HP, process has become more important than progress.

Steve’s fascination with history and his appreciation for iconic images would figure prominently in the work that lay ahead.

38. Upon Steve's return, it took 6 months to revive Apple.

39. Apple had three target groups: Those who remembered the old Apple but had lost faith, A younger generation who only knew the struggling Apple, and Apple employees in need of inspiration after years of challenges.

40. iPhone’s single button has become an icon of Apple’s devotion to Simplicity

41. There are three functions that people use most on their iPhones: Internet, phone, and iPod.

42. Campaign can run for years (Think Different ran for 5 years) - i always thought you need a new campaign every few months!

43. "I don't hate it this week," he said. "But I still prefer 'MacMan' as the best name”. This shows how Steve Jobs had strong opinions but could change his mind when faced with passionate arguments (it became iMac)

44. Apple doesn’t just keep naming simple for the sake of brand-building. It keeps naming simple so it doesn’t confuse the hell out of people

45. Steve had the sensitivities of an artist and was fanatic about details. There was no such thing as an unimportant detail.

46. Steve was most comfortable with a table, a whiteboard, and an honest exchange of ideas. He liked the atmosphere in the room to be such that he could put his bare feet up on the table if he felt like it. Which is something he really did do.

47. Apple vs Dell : “In fact, I never even attended an overcrowded meeting. There’s something in the blood at Dell that requires it—there’s something in the DNA of Apple that forbids it.”

48. Steve didn’t have a lot of patience. He was supercritical. He’d interrupt you in a heartbeat. If you could successfully present to Steve, I imagine you could successfully present to anybody.

49. Simplicity is in a hurry. It wants to cut to the chase and concentrate on the important stuff.

50. Apple's launch events were painstakingly choreographed and rehearsed, with backup plans for every potential issue. Yet, amidst the precision, Steve's informal demeanor was easily seen

51. In many ways he followed the traditional presentation playbook: Lay out the agenda, lay out the facts for each topic, then summarize each topic before moving on to the next. At the end of the show, he’d summarize the high points of the entire show all over again.

52. If he had a thought he wanted to stick with you, he’d repeat it. Over and over.

53. Apple's original iPod wasn't described as a 6.5-ounce music player with a five-gigabyte drive but as "1,000 songs in your pocket." This human-speak approach is a hallmark of simplicity.

54. Apple's advantage lies in its consistent use of human, nontechnical language over the years

55. Companies like Dell are heavily focused numbers and stats. Projects have specific goals, and if the clicks don't meet those goals, there are consequences.

56. Steve often emphasized Apple's position at the intersection of technology and liberal arts in his presentations. He valued ideas above statistics

57. “Fuck the lawyers” - when lawyers were being a pain on copywriting (Lawyers matter, but sometimes they can be a bit strict =) )

58. Intel considered its lawyers’ decision to be more of a ruling than a request

59. Doesn't take no for an answer if he believes it's possible. If you can’t do it, he will get someone else to do it.

60. Apple has a rich history of zeroing in on specific enemies,

- Apple vs Intel : snail

- Apple vs Microsoft (Mac vs PC)

- Apple vs Dell

61. Steve Jobs once said: “Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly, and get on with improving your other innovations.”

Steve started Apple in 1976 when he was 21. He stepped down 6 months before he passed away at 56 years old in 2011

I wasn't referring to his personal life - and i believe we all read what was perceived of him good and bad- him being a wonderful to his family, took him a long time to accept his first daughter etc. And we know most media loves to write about icons and hopefully paint them like shit for the extra viral effect - whether or not all that was said happened to Steve Jobs, I do not know.

But I was talking about him from the context of CEO of Apple. Why do you think he makes a bad boss?

thank you <3

i'm familiar with shopify and btc pay was a pain to integrate

what are some of the best e-commerce platforms out there that makes it easy to accept bitcoin and fiat globally ? One that is easy to integrate and is cost effective

(tyranny in this sense does not refer to someone who is disrupting humanity, abusive, corrupt, daft, cognitively impaired, cruel, lex luthor, mini-me in austin powers etc - it refers to bosses who can shoot down your ideas and demand excellence)

interesting perspective. how would you define the 'it' factor when you spot it ? what traits do you look for ?

Despite being highly visionary and not afraid to speak his mind, built Apple, got stabbed in the back, watched Apple wither, brought back Apple from the ashes - despite it all, Steve Jobs was often referred to as the "tyrannical boss". The truth is, when you demand the 'best out of the best' from people, 50% will disagree with the vision, uncomfortable, promote cancel culture - and quit, 30% will grumble and try to find excuses. You will be left with the 20%, the cream of the crops and those desperate enough to get it done. These are also the people who will see 10 steps ahead, dedicated and passionate in getting things moving, and not be afraid in pointing out the opposing views with excellent explanations because they are aligned with the end goal. And the only way you can be the 'best of the best' is that every step demands perfection. Some are born with it, but most people work very hard for it - in fine tuning every single step

Bawling my eyes out. This is such a great speech. I'm sure a lot have heard it. If you have 10 mins to spare this week, its worth the re-watch :

'Sometimes life is going to hit you in the head with a brick, don't loose faith'

'keep looking (for what you love), don't settle'

'I didn’t see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me.'

'Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything—all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure—these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart. . . .'

'Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.'

'Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish'

https://youtu.be/Tuw8hxrFBH8