Would you ever go back to Apple?
Question from E-mail
My questions are these: (1) why did Jobs leave Apple? (2) will Apple be able to go after the home computer market with the iMac and regain its dominance as the personal computer maker it should be? (3) would you ever go back to Apple?
Woz
Quite a few people in the company saw Steve’s management style as bad for Apple and not in line with how they ran companies. Steve tried to wrench the company on a different path, and schemed to try and have our CEO, John Sculley, removed. John caught wind of it and things wound up with Steve having the freedom to start a project of his own but not to manage the Macintosh or other Apple products at that time. It was like a strong demotion. Steve took it very hard and personal. Instead of trying to do something positive within Apple, he left to try and outdo Apple on his own. It left a feeling among most Apple people of disloyalty to Apple.
My own feeling is that Steve thought he was so great that he would succeed larger than Apple outside of Apple. Also, that he didn’t like finding that he was not on top at Apple. He would say that he seemed meant for this great role in life and that it was impossible to do within Apple any longer and that’s why he left. There are a lot of credible explanations, but the truth is hard to know for sure.
The iMac has some impressive sales figures, but it hasn’t brought Apple out of a dangerously low market share. Something more revolutionary will be needed for that.
I can’t see myself going back to Apple. I don’t like stress and conflicts and I have a great life even though I’m constantly busy.