Review: A Flawed but Innovative Businessman

Reviewed Work(s): Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

Review by: HEMANT KANAKIA
Source: Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 47, No. 9 (MARCH 3, 2012), pp. 31-33
Published by: Economic and Political Weekly
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/23214470
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 A Flawed but Innovative Businessman worked for few years as a machinist for a
large company in the mid-west and sub
sequently, settled in Palo Alto, California.
There he became a "repo" man working
HEMANT KANAKIA
for a finance company performing the job
of picking up locks of cars being repos
Ihe biography of Steve Jobs, co BOOK REVIEW sessed. His adopted parents worked hard
founder of Apple Ine, by Walter to give Steve a stable family environment,
J. Isaacson is interesting at various
Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson saved
(London: Little money
Brown, enough to send him to the
levels. Steve Jobs was one of the two very
distributed best school
by Hachette India), 2011; pp xix+630, Rs 799.and colleges. Yet, Steve had a
successful computer industry visionaries difficult childhood because he was rebel
to emerge in the last three decades - the computers, it had lost
to build itsintelligent
lious, lustre. and easily bored in school.
other one being Bill Gates, founder of
Its percentage share of theOccasionally,
computer he had a teacher who could
market
Microsoft Corporation. Microsoft took declined to hover in the low sin keep him interested. The book describes
over the mantle of being the gle digits. In those days of wilderness, a teacher who Steve thanks for his not
largest
computer industry behemoth from
Jobs, ibm
as the book recounts, also suffered becoming a vagrant or a jailbird. She ap
in the early 1990s. That was seen as a
the indignity of not even being invited to parently figured out a way to keep Steve
battle of David versus Goliath; aso is theheld for the 500 most influen engaged in studies and to do extra math
meeting
tial people in the Silicon Valley and the problem sets as homework. She bribed
story of Apple versus Microsoft relatively.
president
In fact, this one is more interesting givenof United States (us). him with a lollipop and five dollars as
the engaging and opposite personalities
Raising himself from this "purgatory" prize for every problem set he completed.
of Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. to become an icon of our times is a story Early chapters of the book describe many
of personal triumph of vision, business such interesting personal details about
Jobs started Apple with his high-school
friend Steve Wozniak. Their first brilliance
product,and above all, perseverance. Steve's life in his school and college days,
Even a straightforward recounting of his fascination of eastern philosophies,
called Apple 11, was a personal computer
this story would have guaranteed a dropping out of college and so on.
that was marketed to geeks and computer
mega publishing
hobbyists. Apple 11 outsold all other per success. Isaacson could Steve fathered a child out of wedlock
sonal computers available in thehave spun it as a rags-to-riches story, at about the same age his biological
market
in those days. That made Apple, a the business genius of Steve father had conceived him. He refused to
for on
focusing
Jobs.com
short while, one of the most valued That would have been natural, recognise the child as his daughter until
panies in that industry. But the glorywith the access that he had to forced by a lawsuit to take a paternity
especially
was short-lived. The industry of Steve
personal
Jobs and through him with other test that proved this. This story plus his
computers (pes) matured quickly and actors in that story. His book awkward relationship with his biologi
principal
unbundled system emerged as a much
does new more than that. The author, cal parents as well as stories of his rela
paradigm. With this paradigm, bythree
weaving in many subtle shades of his tionships with childhood friends, ex
separate companies cooperatedpersonality,
to pro has produced a multifaceted girlfriends, early employees and various
grabbedof the complex nature of the mentors paint a picture of a deeply
duce a computing platform thatnarrative
more than 90% share of the market
man andof his journey through the busi flawed human being. What is astonish
ness
desktop computing in offices and world. That is what makes this
homes. ing about such personal details, recounted
These three companies were Intel
book that
a polished diamond with multiple
brutally and honestly by Steve Jobs in the
luminous
provided the microprocessor, ibm thatfacets. 4o-odd interviews he had with the author,
provided standardised pc hardware and is that he allowed them to be published in
Unflattering Biography
Microsoft that provided the operating his biography. The portrait that emerges
system. They became the new Steve Jobs was born out of wedlock and
darlings is definitely not flattering. There is no
of the press and the stock market.
given The doubt that he had an immense drive to
up for adoption. His biological father
resultant downfall of Apple was of Syrian descent and his mother succeed
swift,
was was and to etch his name in history
matched only by Steve Jobs' lossCaucasian,
of per both graduate students in a
books. But he displayed a unique ability
sonal fortune and fame. Steve Jobs was to simply ignore inconvenient facts. He
mid-western college in the us. His mother's
stripped of his position as the chief ex family, a conservative one atypical of seemed
the very self-absorbed and shows no
ecutive officer of Apple by its board and mid-western us, objected to this union
great empathy for the people closest to
sidelined within the company. Eventually, and forced them to give up the child him.
for Psychologists, had they been given
Jobs left Apple, selling all of his equity adoption. Steve was adopted by a typical
access to him during his lifetime, would
have had a great time trying to make
shares in the company. Those were dark middle-class family. Paul Jobs, his adopted
sense of him. There is no mention of him
days for Jobs. Although Apple continued father, retired from the us Coast Guard,

Economic & Political weekly (M3 march 3, 2012 vol xlvii no 9

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BOOK REVIEW

other
going to a psychiatrist, nor would it seemand yet they need each other. hardware and skeletal operating system
probable that he would have done so,was interesting in this case was to build software for. Apple's user inter
What
given his deeply private nature and that this debate was being played out face has always come with a particular
desire
between
to stay in control of his public persona. He two companies, the "geeky" look-and-feel and it cannot be changed
Microsoft, personified by Gates, and the easily by users. Geeks have problems with
had that streak of keeping a tight control
over everything he touched upon glitzyduringand exciting Apple, personified by both of these approaches. Geeks like
Jobs.
his lifetime. So it is indeed surprising I think this debate is still un
that simplicity (in programs) and the flexi
in the end he chose to give unparalleled
resolved but the two main protagonists
bility to add features to it. They would
access to the author. Not only was Jobs
have left the centre stage. prefer to add snippets of code to the pro
brutally frank about his life story as True
told "geeks" do not think highly of or to reconfigure the user interface
gram
either men, Jobs or Gates. It is not to
to the author, but he also did not request their satisfaction. Apple's or Micro
just
to preview or to control what was even about their amassed personal
jealousy soft's products do not meet these ideals
tually published. The author has turned
wealth, but it is also because of theand
phiyet they are so successful in the
this opportunity to excellent results. losophies each brought into vogue.marketplace.
Bill No wonder that true geeks
The life that this book describes is are not fond of either of these founders.
Gates' Microsoft was the first to perfect
Neither Jobs not Gates were inno
worthy of being made into a film. Ragsthe art of releasing products quickly but
to-riches - a modern take on the Horatio with many defects. These products
vators of technology. Both focused on
Alger story, a deeply flawed human whowould, subsequently, have to be updated synthesising products from technology
accomplished so much in life, or a manfrequendy to fix defects (called bugs inborrowed
the from other places. The book
who managed to transform three differparlance of programmers). As a result,
described the drama surrounding Jobs'
visit to Xerox parc laboratories in Palo
ent industries such as movie animation,products eventually became so complex
music and computer technology - any ofthat the only good thing one claimed
Alto. There he witnessed technologies of
these narratives can easily be transwas that applications designed for earlier
bitmapped displays and a pointing device
formed into a captivating film. Maybeversions of software continue to work called mouse. Engineers at Apple used
someone is already doing it. The bookwith each new version of software - those technologies to fashion a graphical
has other subtle aspects that are particu"phenomenon inscrutability" termeduser
as interface that became known as
larly interesting to those who love technol"upward compatibility". On the other
windows. Years later, Apple introduced
ogy and are familiar with the ecosystemhand, Jobs believed so strongly in having
multitouch sensing display screens, a
of the Silicon Valley. a perfect product right at the outset technology that too was invented else
where. The multitouch screen interface
that he wanted control over all aspects
Steve Jobs' Legacy of it. Thus, hardware and software is what made Apple phones and tablets
Was Steve Jobs an engineer or a marketremain integrated closely in all Apple (small mobile computers) "cool". Apple
eer? Who is more important for building products. Apple did not encourage build did not invent tablet computing and
a lasting value in a company? Bill Gates,ing of compatible hardware that ran its MP3 players, but making use of bor
founder of Microsoft, friend and foe ofsoftware nor did it provide to others rowed technology in a clever way, Apple
Jobs, is reputed to have said once, some
what derogatorily, that Steve did not know Research Fellow, Labour Market Analysis
much about computers as he could not
code. In the hallowed halls of Bell Labo The Institute for Human Development, New Delhi intends to hire a Research
Fellow in the field of labour market analysis. This is a two year position in an
ratories where I spent some time in the
IDRC-funded project on Labour market inequality in Brazil and India, which is
company of researchers who conceived the being carried out in collaboration with CEBRAP, Brazil (Centra brasileiro de anàlise
operating system that is at the heart of e planejamento). The Research Fellow will be responsible for implementation
all Apple machines, Steve was dismissed of the IHD component of the project under the direction of and in collaboration
as a showman. Jobs was indeed not an with Dr Gerry Rodgers, Visiting Professor at IHD. She or he will be assisted by
engineer but he stood at the junction of a Junior Research Officer. The work involves both historical analysis of trends
and determinants of labour market inequality over several decades, econometric
technology and art. He did not create
analysis of NSS and other data sources and policy reviews.
technology, but made it beautiful enough
to be appreciated and used by common Qualifications required include a Ph. D in Economics, preferably with a specialization
people. Jobs was also a showman. His in labour economics, and 10 years research experience in this or related fields,
product unveilings at annual gatherings of attested by a suitable publication record. Experience of analysing large survey
data sets is required, as well as excellent writing skills and the ability to work
Apple fans in San Francisco are legendary
effectively in an international team.
for showmanship, mystery and pageantry.
This debate about the relative impor This post will be remunerated in the range Rs 70,000 to 80,000 per month,
depending on qualifications and experience. Candidates should submit their
tance of engineering versus marketing
candidatures to IHD at appointment@ihdindia.org, by March 10, 2012.
plays out regularly in technology start Interviews of shortlisted candidates will be held soon thereafter.
ups in the valley. Each group derides the

march 3, 2012 vol XLvii no 9 B3Q Economic & Political weekly

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 BOOK REVIEW

conglomerates such as the Ambani brothfrom within find it hard to understand

revolutionised the field of computing
and how we relate to these technologies. let alone fit into it. This is not the culture
ers, Mahindra, Tata and Birla groups. But
we fail to note that none of these have
of money-worshippers or power-seekers
Lionising Businessmen built business success by creating new or philanthropists. In India, so far, we do
over Inventors
technologies. The contrast is very clearnot have a counterpart. We have Mum
when
The popularity of synthesisers of one considers what early Americanbai and Delhi that can rival New York
techno
logies is, in a way, a commentary
business
on the tycoons such as Henry Ford andand Washington cultures, respectively,
evolution of the western world. Modern
Henry Bessemer did in the automobile in money worshipping or political power
media lionises innovators/businessmen
and steel industries, respectively. We seeking. But neither Bangalore nor Pune
and women more than originators of have to hope that this era becomes a or Gurgaon are counterparts of Silicon
technology. This is a rather recent pheno passing phase in the development of ourValley. A simple way to experience this is
menon. Innovators of the yesteryear like nation and will be replaced by the era ofto ask probing questions on technology
Thomas Alva Edison and Nikola Tesla, entrepreneurs who create businesses trends in places where our entrepreneurs
were actually originators of technologies. based on research and new technology,or venture capitalists gather, say at an
Their reputations were burnished in popu coming out of our educational institutes Indian Institute of Technology, or incu
lar imagination because of the revolution and research laboratories. bation centres or a café in Bangalore. The
ary technologies they created. To perceive The book also highlights the culture answers would be far different in quality
this clearly, try naming inventors of mouse of hi-tech start-ups that exists in Silicon than one would get in Silicon Valley.
technology or bitmapped displays or the Valley. It is indeed a rare thing, and not Try asking questions such as what is
operating system used in Apple devices. understood well by those who have not the next evolution in search engine?
The trend of lionisation of technology experienced it before. For instance, the What are the problems that Google or
lightweight business moguls continues book describes how Nolan Bushnell, Facebook do not solve or solve poorly?
unabated. The current darlings of the tech founder of Atari - the first computer What would be the next big things in
nology and business press are people like game company to go public - gave a job these fields? The answers I got were
Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, to Steve Jobs and became a mentor to vague generalities such as how these
or Jack Dorsery, founder of Twitter. They him. It describes how Steve Jobs in his products do not address needs of poor
too have merely rearranged technology later years served as a friend and a men people or are not directed to the bottom
elements to offer user interfaces that built tor to Larry Green and Sergey Brin, of the pyramid - the current buzz words

their business empires. As one would ex founders of Google. The book also de in our society. The same difference is
pect, this trend is exerting a corrosive scribes the struggles that a founder likeobservable when asking questions about
influence on our youth. The young all Steve Jobs had with the board of the water purification, environment protec
too often eschew learning of technology. company - how the board perceived it astion and clean energy technologies. Only
They would rather focus on being suc their duty to replace him with anotherwhen this attitude changes will our nation
cessful businessmen. One does wonder ceo because of his unjustifiable excesses, become a home to creators of vibrant new
what would happen to a society that has and then brought him back to run thetechnologies. One hopes that books such
lost its appetite for creating new tech company again. This illustrates howas this one become popular enough to
boards of technology companies behavehelp nudge us in the right direction.
nologies. Perhaps, the next generation of
technology innovations will come fromin the start-up world. The culture of
"eastern societies" where technology technology
is worshippers on display hereHemant Kanakia (hkanakia@gmail.com) is a
technology entrepreneur with rich experience in
viewed more reverently. is so different from normal business cul
developing technologies in the areas of digital
The Indian society too has beentures. Most who have not experienced it networks, optical networks and the internet.
afflicted by this western trend towards
technology-light business creations. Our Department of Political Science, Sarsuna College, Kolkata-700 061, W.B.

newspapers are full of articles on how Call for Papers for a National Seminar
to be held on 23-24th, March, 2012
we want innovations, but fail to explain
We are going to organize a National Seminar on 'Inauguration of a new political
what has enabled the us to lead so far in
culture based on the politics of non violence and assimilation in the violence and
creation of new technologies like the terror hit areas of Midnapore (East & West), Bankura and Purulia districts in south
internet and robotics. Our government West Bengal erupting in last few years (2005-2011)'. We invite papers from the scholars
and educational institutions are structur on the following sub themes: 1. Genesis of the violent politics in different parts, especially
in the southern part of West Bengal 2. Politics of different political parties operating in
ally dysfunctional in this respect. These the southern part of West Bengal including the extremist groups 3. Impact of violent
institutions are unable to evolve the politics on the Social, Economic and Political lives of the inhabitants residing in the
robust environment needed to support southern region of West Bengal 4. To inaugurate the process of forming a new Political
Culture based on non violence, amity, assimilation and fraternity to each other among
original research and original technology the warring political parties as well as reconstruct the administration including the police
creation. On the business side, we talk to combat the situation. Important Dates: Submission of intention/abstract: 10.03.2012,
Communication of review decision: 12.03.2012, Submission of full papers: 19.03.2012
admiringly of how many Indian billion
Email: arunkumardawn8@gmail.com/arunkumardawn@yahoo.in
aires have emerged and of family-led
Economic & Political weekly 03X521 march 3, 2012 vol xlvii no 9

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