“Steve Wozniak, the iconic Apple Computer co-founder and technical mind behind the company’s landmark early computers, was in Seattle Friday to promote his autobiography, ‘iWoz,'” Todd Bishop reports for The Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Bishop reports, “His stops included an afternoon speech on the campus of longtime Apple rival Microsoft Corp., where he spoke to an overflow crowd of the Redmond company’s employees.”
Woz spoke with the Seattle P-I Friday morning on various subjects (Segway polo, teaching, pulling pranks, etc.) including:
Q: Do you use other types of computers, as well, or do you stick to Macs?
Wozniak: The only time that I use PCs is when I have to, say, program a little microprocessor for a project, and the tools are only available for a PC. I don’t have to very often go to the PC mode.
Q: On the subject of Microsoft, you’re speaking with employees there later this afternoon. You haven’t been there before.
Wozniak: No, I haven’t. But I’ve never been one of those people that takes a big, strong side. Macintosh versus PC. Hey, my preferred machine, the one I’m comfortable with, is a Macintosh, and I’ve got my reasons, and they’re good reasons. But I don’t try to apply them to everyone else. I was one of those people that would start asking a lot of questions to recommend a type of computer to buy. And some people, just because of the sort of work you do or whatever, or the sort of person that I sense you are, a PC is really going to be more your type.
There’s a certain element of people, too, that’s maybe in the creative or movie world, or the television world and the music world. They almost always turn out that a Macintosh is a better suggestion.
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Note: Only Apple Macs can run Mac OS X and, if you must, Windows. Why buy an OS-limited PC when you can get an OS-unlimited Mac?
Related articles:
Stephen Colbert interviews Woz – September 29, 2006
Woz and former Apple execs buy Jazz Semiconductor – September 27, 2006
The Wall Street Journal interviews Apple co-founder Woz – September 26, 2006
iWoz autobiography hits bookstores – September 26, 2006
Woz to speak at Philadelphia Library on September 30th – September 14, 2006
Woz’s new autobiography coming in September – August 25, 2006
Woz plans 2007 Hummer ride to South Pole with Buzz Aldrin, James Cameron to film in 3D – August 04, 2006
Video: Woz playing Segway polo (and bonking pedestrian on head) – July 08, 2006
Apple CEO Steve Jobs declines to write foreword for Woz’s autobiography – April 14, 2006
Apple Computer co-founder Steve Wozniak autobiography ‘I, Woz’ coming this fall – April 11, 2006
BETRAYER!!!
Woz is a tool. He’s lost his edge. He totally doesn’t matter anymore.
He’s not a “betrayer”. He’s just not foolish like many of us Mac users. What he says makes sense. After all, life isn’t a contest.
-gladcow
MDN magic word: moving as in “moo-ving”.
I like how he describes his computer choice. That’s the main problem in the computer world – people are so crazed about their OS choice that they take it to some kind of violent and fundamental end. Mac users and PC users. It’s the same problem with politics and religion. How did computer choices end up in that company? Weird.
Woz is a little goofy (did anyone see him on the Colbert Report?) However, I think he’s just those pure science geeks that is always open to other possibilities. I’m a die hard Mac user so I have admit that it does bug me a bit that he doesn’t whole heartedly recommend the Mac but maybe he doesn’t feel he has any real incentive to, ya know?
Macs are better for “creative” people.
Yep.
Show me an accountant that isn’t creative with numbers.
A lawyer creative with interpreting the law.
A salesmen creative in coming up with ways to sell.
A computer programmer that isn’t creative with code.
A gardener that isn’t creative with plants.
A politician that isn’t creative with lies.
An entrepreneur that isn’t creative with money making ideas.
A games player that isn’t creative in his gameplay.
Let alone amateur musicians, artists, photographers, writers etc etc etc.
So who does that leave?
Dumb terminals, Steve Ballmer and Homer Simpson.
MDN is in no position to do a take when it comes to Woz. You guys need to know when something is a legitimate target, and when to shut your mouths.
This is an example of the latter case. What Woz did is so legendary that he could spend the rest of his life trying to polish turds with fairy floss without impacting on his genius in any way.
“A politician that isn’t creative with lies.”
Maybe the reason they do lie so much is that they have to try to satisfy a constituency comprised of people who have so many fixed, uncompromising ideas and attitudes. The American people are extremely polarized, dogmatic, and inflexible at the present. The politicians simply reflect what we, the electorate, are like. They are no better, or worse, than the best and the worst among the rest of us.
Hey “steve” – MDN didn’t give a “Take”, they gave a “Note”. Little quick on the trigger, are we?
I like to second what gladcow, Steve and G-Spank said above.
MDN and apparently some of it supporters need to know when to call it quits with their black and white vitrolism. The MacOS as we know and love it was very much Woz’s work, much more so then Steve Jobs.
We should be thankfull and show respect for that, and follow on his example of a nuanced and tolerant reality.
If you cannot see that there may be some reasons for some people to use Windows, how can you possibly have any credibility when you advocate Mac?
I have used both for 15 years. OSX is clearly better, more enjoyable and I get much more work done.
But if I get stupid about it, and many of you do, and are stupid, no one will listen to you and no one should.
Simple, when you think about it.
Woz is just using logic, Macs just started to be useful in big business. You needed a PC up until the intel switch. They were slower then shit in enterprise servers, unusable. Logic dictates the use of what platform.
MDN is right though you have to admit. Why buy a PC when you can own a Mac and have the best of both worlds?
This Macs are better for creative types is complete and absolute BS. I run a large construction company on Macs. They are excellent in everyway. No need for Windows here. Other businesses need to figure this out.
They were slower then shit in enterprise servers, unusable. Logic dictates the use of what platform.
Comment: Linux is the logical answer, followed by good ol’ Unix. No need for windows on a server at all.
From: nekogami13
Beryllium, that was tongue in cheek. I have the highest respect for politicians.. just couldn’t think of anythying they wanted to be creative about. But I’m a bit stupid.
My wife’s ex-husband MUST have access to an XP system in order to do his most important computing. Real Soon Now a Mac may be an option for him, but it will be running XP as often as not.
Not An Option.
Hum…
I am a Mac Fanatic. However, it often does the very opposite when you try to convert others while behaving like an irrational fanatic. That doesn’t work. It does the very opposite. Turns people off.
Instead, you present a reasonable case to the pc victim user. Mac is an intelligent choice. You have to appeal to peoples desire to be smart, intelligent and wise. Show them what you can do…let them foster envy. Also, it hehoves you to know your enemy.
Remember, these poor pc users are unaware they are suffering from the Stockholm syndrome. They have been programmed to accept less…so suffer abuse. They have over time learned to love their abuser, Mafia-Soft.
You bring those victimized by MafiaSoft with good reason. Making the switch is rewarding and feels good! Baby steps. PC bashing does the very opposite to the PC user. You just tell them that they are stupid and rule by poor choices. Let them grow, with a little help, to make the right decision.
Show them tha it just makes practical sense to use OSX with the past and current Mac equipment and software.
Apple Saves.
Oops. I caught a spelling error. Sorry. Here it is again:
***********************************************************
I am a Mac Fanatic. However, it often does the very opposite when you try to convert others while behaving like an irrational fanatic. That doesn’t work. It does the very opposite. Turns people off.
Instead, you present a reasonable case to the pc victim user. Mac is an intelligent choice. You have to appeal to peoples desire to be smart, intelligent and wise. Show them what you can do…let them foster envy. Also, it behooves you to know your enemy.
Remember, these poor pc users are unaware they are suffering from the Stockholm syndrome. They have been programmed to accept less…to suffer abuse. They have over time learned to love their abuser, Mafia-Soft.
You bring those victimized by MafiaSoft with good reason. Making the switch is rewarding and feels good! Baby steps. PC bashing does the very opposite to the PC user. You just tell them that they are stupid and rule by poor choices. Let them grow, with a little help, to make the right decision.
Show them tha it just makes practical sense to use OSX with the past and current Mac equipment and software.
Apple Saves.
Microsoft sucks.
Windows blows.
Woz is a tool.
Yankees suck.
These are some sure things in life.
Woz’s more of a tool every time he opens his mouth.
Woz is putting distance between him and his Mac greatness doing 12.5 mph on a Segway.
WAIT!! It all makes sense!
1. Rich.
2. Fat.
3. Geek.
4. PC friendly.
OMG, Woz should become CEO of Microsoft! LOL…..
THAT would be amazing….he probably would too, just to piss off Apple.
I wanna see a Developers! Developers! Developers! with Woz on a Segway.
A few years ago Woz was all agog about pcs. If i remember correctly it was something like “Windows has done more for the ui than Mac” or words to that effect. His low view of apple then imho probably contributed to SJ not writing the intro the book
Totally agree with Woz’s statement about choosing Windows or a Mac. I think everyone is better off with a Mac, but let’s take hardcore gamers for example. You can configure a totally rockin’ Windows box for about $1300 that kicks serious butt for gaming. You can spend more of course, but $1300 would be a very fast PC with a great gaming videocard.
For this person, if they ONLY care about gaming, I would recommend a Windows box. The iMac isn’t a contender, because of the limited choice of video cards. The Mac Pro can be a totally rockin’ Windows game machine of course, but for a lot more money. Plus, you’d have to buy a video card that Apple doesn’t offer, just for the Windows mode for gaming. It will plain and simple, just be a better machine, for less money, for one thing only — hardcore gaming.
That’s the facts, folks, and if you’re too stubborn to see that, that’s your problem.
For everyone else, I would recommend a Mac, hands-down, period, end-of-story.
Macaday, that was brilliant! I’m so going to use that argument whenever I next get into a Windows/Mac discussion…
ugh, macs are built for one thing only, that is to waste your money. Instead of buying a trashintosh, get a PC with watever OS you like. If you want to be all pissy, then build your own OS! Apple/iPod SUCKS!
Sorry to burst anyone’s bubble, but Woz was strictly a hardware guy. He designed the Apple II hardware. He had nothing whatsoever to do with the Macintosh. Also, it was Jobs that got excited about the work over at Xerox PARC that gave birth to Mac OS. The Mac is, and has always been a product of SJ’s vision, not SW.