ronwaynebook
Ron Wayne, Apple, Inc.'s sometimes forgotten third co-founder, has written an autobiography titled Adventures of an Apple Founder: Atari, Apple, Aerospace & Beyond. The book is available starting today from as a paperback from Amazon or via Apple's iBookstore.

Wayne held 10% of Apple when it was founded, but sold it soon after for a few thousand dollars. From the book's description:

There is much more to the story of Ron Wayne than his brief involvement with the Apple Computer Company (before it re-formed as Apple Computer Inc.).

In the spring of 1976 while working as chief draftsman and product development engineer at the video game maker Atari, Ron assisted a co-worker with the subtle intricacies of forming a small business.It was with Ron's natural sensibilities, experiences, and skills honed over a lifelong career in many disciplines that he offered himself openly as a resource to two much-younger entrepreneurs: Steve Jobs & Steve Wozniak. These same traits would drive Ron's decision to leave a short time later.

It is one of life’s profound realities that people rarely recognize “history” while they are in the midst of making it. The events that transpired that spring would come to define such a case.

Adventures of an Apple Founder offers insight into the experiences that define the man whose passion for engineering and design spans over three quarters of a century, half a dozen industries, and a lifetime of adventures!

Wayne's isn't the only Apple founder's biography to be released in 2011. Steve Jobs' long awaited bio from Walter Isaacson will be released November 21st.

Hat tip to MacStories.

Top Rated Comments

beangibbs Avatar
175 months ago
Neat.
I always like hearing backstory and little known facts and such.
Though the breakup of the word "adventures" is a terrible eyesore.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rustus Maximus Avatar
175 months ago
...I wonder if Steve Jobs ever reached out to Ron Wayne over the years to say "I told you so" or to send him a conciliation gift...

:) Wouldn't be undeserved but if the stories are true he actually tried many times to get Ron to come back into the fold at Apple. I am pretty sure Ron has punched himself in the face more than enough to cover everybody's desire to do so. His choice is a lesson for us all though, fear is a traitor. It makes us lose the good things we might win by being too afraid to even try.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Macopotamus Avatar
175 months ago
10% of apple..... what's that, $35 billion today?
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rustus Maximus Avatar
175 months ago
Does anyone else think that having an autobiography is kind of... sad?

It's someone declaring their own historical importance, rather than having someone else declare it for them (as in a biography.)

While I understand what you mean by your comment about autobiographies they tend to be a bit more focused on specific periods in someone's life rather than everything that's happened to them since they first took a breath. Well we all know he isn't as fantastic as Steve Jobs but his little part in the Apple story could still be an interesting read.

That being said I'm sure Mr. Wayne simply realizes that this will be the greatest time to get his story out. Opportunistic, yes, but good business sense...this time ;).
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Brien Avatar
175 months ago
It would not have ended up as 10% of Apple today, as it would have become quite diluted.

It would still be worth several hundred million, even diluted.
Score: 0 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BC2009 Avatar
175 months ago

That being said I'm sure Mr. Wayne simply realizes that this will be the greatest time to get his story out. Opportunistic, yes, but good business sense...this time ;).

Rofl. Yes, "this time". I get the feeling that the book won't sell enough copies to compare to where he could have been. I wonder if Steve Jobs ever reached out to Ron Wayne over the years to say "I told you so" or to send him a conciliation gift. One has to wonder if Apple would have been the same success story with the "parental supervision" of Ron Wayne.
Score: 0 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

2007 iPhone

Apple Discontinuing This 18-Year-Old iPhone Feature

Saturday February 8, 2025 3:51 pm PST by
The end of an 18-year era is on the horizon for the iPhone. Apple reportedly plans to announce a new iPhone SE as soon as next week, and the device is expected to feature a full-screen design with Face ID, instead of a Touch ID home button. That means Apple will no longer sell any new iPhone models with a home button, for the first time since the original iPhone launched. The home button...
oppo find n5 fingers

World's Thinnest Foldable Phone Launches Next Week

Monday February 10, 2025 3:05 am PST by
Oppo has confirmed a February 20 global launch for its Find N5, which the company claims is the world's thinnest device in the foldable phone category. The phone is expected to be re-branded as the OnePlus Open 2 in the US. The Chinese vendor has been teasing the device in the last few weeks, touting its waterproofing and nearly invisible display crease, and highlighting its thinness by compa...
m2 macbook air blue

M4 MacBook Air Release Continues to Appear Imminent

Monday February 10, 2025 10:56 am PST by
There continue to be signs of a new MacBook Air with an M4 chip, indicating that we could see the machine launch in the not too distant future. A private account on X today shared the identifiers that the MacBook Air will use, and those identifiers correspond to the M4 chip. According to the source, both the 13-inch MacBook Air and the 15-inch MacBook Air will be equipped with Apple's...
sequoia

Apple Releases macOS Sequoia 15.3.1

Monday February 10, 2025 10:11 am PST by
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.3.1, a minor update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that came out last September. macOS 15.3.1 comes a few weeks after the launch of macOS Sequoia 15.3. Mac users can download the ‌‌‌macOS Sequoia‌‌‌ update through the Software Update section of System Settings. Apple has also released macOS 13.7.4 and macOS 14.7.4 for those who are...
apple silicon mac lineup 2024 feature purple

Apple Increases Mac Trade-In Values for a Limited Time

Sunday February 9, 2025 3:53 pm PST by
Apple today increased its estimated trade-in values for select Mac models in the United States, with the full changes outlined below. Apple says the extra trade-in credit for select Macs is available with the purchase of an eligible new Apple device through April 2. The trade-in values increased by between $10 and $50. Model New Value Old Value MacBook Pro Up to $925 ...
watchOS 11 Thumb 2 1

Apple Releases watchOS 11.3.1

Monday February 10, 2025 10:04 am PST by
Apple today released watchOS 11.3.1, a minor update to the operating system that runs on the Apple Watch. watchOS 11.3.1 is compatible with the Apple Watch Series 6 and later, all Apple Watch Ultra models, and the Apple Watch SE 2. watchOS 11.3.1 can be downloaded by opening up the Apple Watch app and going to General > Software Update. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to...
Powerbeats Pro 2 Orange

Powerbeats Pro 2 Given to Customer Early, Expected to Debut Tomorrow

Monday February 10, 2025 7:42 am PST by
Apple's long-awaited Powerbeats Pro 2 are finally expected to be announced this Tuesday. Ahead of time, one lucky Walmart customer was able to get their hands on the earbuds early, according to a since-deleted Reddit post over the weekend. A leaked image of the Powerbeats Pro 2 in Electric Orange "My local Walmart had them in the cage," the Reddit user explained. "I asked if I can buy them...
iOS 18

Apple Releases iOS 18.3.1 With Bug Fixes

Monday February 10, 2025 10:09 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 18.3.1 and iPadOS 18.3.1, minor updates for the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that came out last September. iOS 18.3.1 comes two weeks after Apple released iOS 18.3. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released iPadOS 17.7.5 for those still running...