18 January 2007
iWoz, the ultimate geek’s manifesto
By Jim Pinto
Over the years, there have been stories about Steve Wozniak, “Woz” to his friends, about his brilliant engineering that led to the development of PC and his quirky techno-pranks that bemused and befuddled anyone who was around.
But now, finally, the brain behind the first Apple computers sheds his low profile and tells his story in his autobiography, iWoz: From Computer Geek to Cult Icon: How I Invented the Personal Computer, Co-Founded Apple and Had Fun Doing It.
This is a book that’s fun for everyone to read, and a delightful treat for an engineer like me. It’s a wonderful story, and it’s told like Woz talks.
Since childhood, Woz has been fascinated with technical stuff. Before he got to high school, he was already re-designing (on paper) the mini-computers of the day, making them simpler, smaller, faster, and cheaper. In 1975, he designed Apple I, the first personal computer. On that front, the rest is history.
Woz’s life before and after Apple is an eclectic and eccentric mix—engineer, concert promoter, fifth-grade teacher, philanthropist, and irrepressible prankster. From his childhood learning from his engineer-dad, to the invention of the first personal computer, to the rise of Apple as an industry giant, his book presents a firsthand account.
Here’s the story of the genius inventor who sparked the computer revolution and the humanist who still enjoys teaching kids and playing pranks. There are 16 pages of photos, from his childhood to more recent ones that show Woz with one of his many Segways. When he likes a techno-gadget, Woz usually buys several and gives them away to friends.
Woz was at HP in the days before Apple, and worked for Stan Mintz, who was later VP Engineering at Action Instruments. He mentions Mintz in the credits, for “providing a great environment for an engineer to develop.”
Woz is in the Inventors Hall of Fame and received awards, including the National Medal of Technology and the Heinz Award. He lives in Northern California.
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Behind the byline
Jim Pinto is an industry analyst and founder of Action Instruments. You can e-mail him at jim@jimpinto.com or view his writings at www.JimPinto.com. Read the Table of Contents of his book, Pinto’s Points at www.jimpinto.com/writings/points.html.
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