Steve Jobs Couldn't Care Less About You

The Motley Fool ^ | 11/11/2009 | Rich Greifner

[Swordmaker]

Eisner held a press conference insulting Apple for their “Rip, mix, burn” ads, claiming they were advocating copyright infringement. That guy was a real piece of work.

I'd forgotten that. Good memory...

[gogeo]

Yes, he does sound kinda p!$$y, doesn’t he?

[Richard Kimball]

I read a chapter in a book about Jobs about him shopping for a washer. Apparently he drove everyone crazy because he hated all the designs, and kept talking about what a washer should be and how design changes could make them more efficient and easier to operate. IIRC, he wouldn’t buy any of them, and someone else finally bought one because they had to have one at the house. Been a while since I read it, but that was the gist. The book wasn’t particularly negative towards Jobs, but explored tendencies that I’ve noticed about his attention to detail.
I love the products, but I strongly suspect that in the world of ulcers, Jobs is a carrier. I couldn’t imagine living around someone that’s that much of a perfectionist.
I’ve had a theory for a while that most people who achieve great things would probably be diagnosed as having personality disorders. There’s something going on, like obsessive-compulsiveness or something that makes them want to shake things up in ways that most people wouldn’t do because it’s too much trouble.
You’ve studied him a lot more than me, your thoughts?

[Swordmaker]

You’ve studied him a lot more than me, your thoughts?

I think that anyone who can accomplish what Jobs has, has to be compelled beyond normal, obsessed with achieving his vision to the exclusion of all others, and I would never want to work with him... but would probably love the challenge if I did.

[stylin19a]

you are too kind.
next time I’ll just eat the foot that’s already in my mouth rather than trying to stick the other one in it too.

thanks again

[saradippity]

You all have made reading this thread a pleasure;it's been informative,fascinating and funny.

I have often suspected that Steve Jobs and Apple have been unfairly vilified (at times together and at other times separately) but never knew enough to even comment.

While I still won't be able to respond to specifics, I will be able to push a little more for facts and/or say that there is probably more to the story than we on the "back streets" hear and suggest we take another look.

[Jim from C-Town]

But they haven't and all indications are that they will not. In the meantime the investors are happy with the growth and direction of the stock, the stock doesn't pay a dividend. The stock itself has had a low of under $80 for the year and has been in the low thirties within the last five years. There is nothing that guarantees a continued increase in stock value. But the fact that the company does have a high book value and over 20% of the book value in hard cash screams out for a dividend to be declared and paid. To hold onto that money is not only a disservice to the stock holders it borders on theft.

This is a company that has no debt and a market cap of close to $200 Billion. They can finance any deal they want to make without an excess cash on hand. The fact is that the management is hording the money and receiving way bellow market value on it's investment of that money. Either use the money for the benefit of the company or give it to the owners of the company, the stock holders.

[Jim from C-Town]

We are not talking about buying a six month 5K CD. This company has over thirty billion in cash, some reports peg that money closer to forty billion in cash. They should be receiving a higher yield on that money in UBER safe investments.

[steve-b]

Suffice it to say that “Motley” seems to be tacked on to the name as an afterthought.

[zeugma]

next time I’ll just eat the foot that’s already in my mouth rather than trying to stick the other one in it too.

Mmmmmm. Foot sandwitch. I think we've all had one of those.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

... and unlike most CEO's of fortune 500 companies, he's earned his pay.

Like John Scully who came from Pepsi/Frito Lay to replace Jobs. He bought the common, but faulty, wisdom that Apple should go generic and let others build computers to run their operating system, ala MS. That worked about as well as Obama's Hope and Change.

[antiRepublicrat]

The Newton, which was in many ways ahead of its time, but never really came together.

And the main reason was -- you guessed it -- a lack of vision by Sculley, the man who pushed the project. They didn't really know what they wanted in the Newton when they started the project back in the 80s. It flip-flopped around for years, changing scope, purpose and form factor.

Probably the smartest thing Apple did during Jobs' absence was to hire Jonathan Ive. He did some good design work before Jobs, such as the Newton. But it's Jobs who recognized his talent and gave him the resources and freedom to really shine.

[antiRepublicrat]

or give it to the owners of the company, the stock holders.

Then people would complain Jobs is trying to make himself richer off the company through his millions of shares. I can see the headlines now, "Apple puts out dividend, Jobs nets $20 million." He just can't win in the eyes of many.

[Jim from C-Town]

I agree, he is in a no win pr position, but the share holders deserve a cut of the profits. It is their money.