Steve Jobs Quoting Alan Kay
Chunka MuiCited 4× on HN, 2017–2023
talk · general · evergreen · 2017–2023 on HN
A short excerpt from the 2007 iPhone launch where Steve Jobs quotes Alan Kay: people serious about software should make their own hardware. It explains part of why Apple built the phone itself.
Cited whenever HN discusses Apple's vertical integration and its custom silicon.
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4 comments from Hacker News
Apple deserve more market share. "People who are really serious about software should make their own hardware" ▶ this video
Was it really that risky? If anything this seemed like a pretty sure-fire bet by bringing in various operations in-house when partnerships would prove to go sour. I think Apple knew these limitations back with Jobs too. At least that's what I understood from reading various biographies on the many Apple characters & partnerships. Now that Apple has paved the way, you'll likely see this with other big computer companies like Microsoft for their mainline products & development. I think Steve Jobs would regularly quote Alan Kay on this idea: ▶ this video I think that given Intel has recently changed leadership (for the better ridding the culture of MBAs), we may even see unique partnerships as well that may act as this "in-house" hardware providers.
You are right. SJ quotes Alan Kay ▶ this video This was some 15 years back and it seems it was always Apple long term vision to be where they are today with M1. It would be completely fascinating to see how such vision was realised across two CEOs and multiple C level changes combined with a secretive culture. Any ex-Appleites here to throw some light?
He quoted Alan Kay during the iPhone launch to explain how Apple went about doing things: "If you really care about software, you should build your own hardware." ▶ this video