nolanbushnellThe Next Web has dug up a video of Atari founder Nolan Bushnell's keynote presentation at Campus Party Brasil, where he spent time remembering Steve Jobs' work at Atari as well as talking about segments of his upcoming book "Finding the Next Steve Jobs."

What is one of the characteristics that made Steve Jobs successful? He was creative, but you know what else was really important? He was a very, very, very hard worker. How many of my employees did I find sleeping under their desks when I came in early on a Monday morning? Not many. Did he kinda smell bad? Yeah. That's cause we didn't have showers, and if you didn't go home for two or three days you could get gamey.

Bushnell goes on to mention that one of the most important messages he gave Jobs was that if 99 percent of people thought something was crazy, and the one percent that created the idea thought it was cool then the idea's creator should "pursue it with all vigor." This message has been echoed by Apple and Jobs multiple times, including in Apple's "Here's to The Crazy Ones" commercial and "Think Different" slogan.


He packs his hour-long talk -- the Jobs portion starts at the 13:00 minute mark -- with additional anecdotes about Jobs and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, like how Jobs offered Bushnell a third of Apple for $50,000, which Bushnell passed on.

Top Rated Comments

bdavis89 Avatar
162 months ago
You obviously didn't read the autobiography on Jobs by Walter Isaacson.

You obviously don't know what an autobiography is.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
twigman08 Avatar
162 months ago
Sadly, a terrible autobiography.

May I ask what was so terrible about it?
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iheartiphone4 Avatar
162 months ago
Wow, I didn't know Jobs had been involved with Atari :)

You obviously didn't read the autobiography on Jobs by Walter Isaacson.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kdarling Avatar
162 months ago
Re: not showering. I've read that Jobs truly thought that his fruit diet made him naturally smell good. Apparently the diet at least made it so he couldn't smell himself :)

As for Atari, Pong engineer Al Alcorn noted (http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/37762/InDepth_Steve_Jobs_Atari_Employee_Number_40.php) that he later figured out why Jobs would only "work" at night when nobody else was around to see:

"Jobs never did a lick of engineering in his life. He had me snowed," Alcorn later recalled. "It took years before I figured out that he was getting Woz to 'come in the back door' and do all the work while he got the credit."
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacDav Avatar
162 months ago
I disagree. Showering is very important for hygiene and can stave off cancer.

Really? How so.

----------

Putting "things" above personal hygiene & health, speaks volumes about the person...

What does it say about the person. That he will end up as a billionaire and go down as a major player in history? Just wondering.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacDav Avatar
162 months ago
The thrust of my response (especially the materialism) was to MacDav, rather than Jobs, but I apologize in my stereotyping of aspects which didn't apply to him. I only met him in-person once, very briefly at the Palo Alto Apple Store.

I think I'd be the same, given the situation, in that after a million or so, the amount would then become irrelevant. Apparently that IS NOT the case with many of the very wealthy, for whom the game is about finding more creative ways to amass as much as possible. I respect that aspect of Jobs very much, especially his drive towards the goal he set out to accomplish. However, that still isn't necessarily all positive in the big picture. Our vocation in life is VERY important, but not THE most important thing. Balance is needed, and I doubt Jobs was balanced in that regard (please correct me if I'm wrong). I don't see how anyone could work like that and have their family life in proper balance.

Many throughout history have achieved great things at some other cost (often high). The ends don't always justify the means.

Hmmm. "Proper balance"? Who decides what is proper balance? Is there actually such a thing? I don't believe there is. Every situation and circumstance is unique. You'd have to ask Mr Jobs' family if he was a proper husband and Father. From what I've read he was a doting father and a good husband. Although as I mentioned, who is the decider of such things? His family? The court of public opinion? Ultimately, no human knows such things. No human has all the facts and figures or the brain power to make a truly objective evaluation. I gave up that quest many years ago. Today I leave that quest to those who think they can manage such a monumental task.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Here's Which Vehicles Offer iPhone Car Keys

Sunday July 6, 2025 3:03 pm PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. Apple has a web page with a list of vehicle models that ...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
iphone 17 pro render majin bu

New iPhone 17 Pro Renders Highlight Apple Logo and MagSafe Design Changes

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:43 pm PDT by
New renders today provide the best look yet relocated Apple logo and redesigned MagSafe magnet array of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Image via Majin Bu. Several of the design changes coming to the iPhone 17 Pro model have been rumored for some time, such as the elongated camera bump that spans the full width of the device, with the LiDAR Scanner and flash moving to the right side. ...
iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island

iPhone 17 Models Rumored to Feature Redesigned Dynamic Island

Monday July 7, 2025 7:38 am PDT by
iPhone 17 models will feature a redesigned Dynamic Island user interface, according to a post today from Digital Chat Station, an account with more than three million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The account has accurately leaked some information regarding future Apple products in the past. The account did not share any specific details about the alleged changes that are ...
Prime Day 25 Feature Warm Triad

The Best Prime Day Deals on AirPods, iPads, MacBooks, and More

Monday July 7, 2025 10:55 am PDT by
Amazon is back with its annual summertime Prime Day event, lasting for four days from July 8-11, the longest Prime Day yet. As it does every year, Prime Day offers shoppers a huge selection of deals across Amazon's storefront. With the event now underway, we're tracking numerous all-time low prices on Apple gear right now. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a...