Steve Jobs changed my life.
Outside of my immediate family, I think I can only say that about him.
I wanted to contribute to his vision.
I left graduate school to write Mac software — D2 Software’s MacSpin — to contribute to Jobs’ vision.
I followed the siren call of multiprocessor performance and lead a team to create the TokaMac family of Mac accelerators. People could do more on their Macs with my products.
In the height of irony, I joined IBM to lead IBM’s Mac OS licensing technical team. We were successful. Jobs disapproved.
I spent 11 years in IBM Software Group tracking everything Apple did. Apple once suggested that IBM embrace a Cocoa UI in Java. I countered with a vision of a browser based UI. We now call it AJAX. It was the original programming model for the iPhone.
In 2009, I asked to be laid off from IBM. The goodbye severance launched a new embrace of Jobs’ vision; I returned to programming with the iPhone.
I am beyond being a fanboy. People who call me that don’t understand the vision.
I am a contributor.
Thank you Steve for making a place to play and contribute.