This is an amazing inside view into the life of one of the great businessmen of our era. A must read.
The thing that struck me most about Steve Jobs wThis is an amazing inside view into the life of one of the great businessmen of our era. A must read.
The thing that struck me most about Steve Jobs was that he was an incredible perfectionist. He was a craftsman, and wanted the computers he built to be beautiful and amazing and useful. He believed that computers were "at the intersection of technology and liberal arts" - a phrase he used a lot - because he realized computers weren't just for geeks. They are for everyone, and needed to be able to be used by everyone.
Steve put design at the top of product pyramid at Apple - above engineering. This means they spent a lot of time trying to fit the hardware into the beautifully designed cases the designers came up with, and the designers and engineers had to work together closely. This can backfire (eg Antennagate), but largely it worked really well. It produced amazing computers that were visually distinct from everything else in the market, and that "just work". If I learned anything from this book, it's that Apple believed that design is paramount, and spending extra time and engineering resources to make a beautiful design work is worth it.
Apple's design philosophy is to "make it simple. Really simple". You still see this today - go to Apple.com - you will see ONE product. Now try Amazon. According to the book, Jobs learned this from Markkula, who taught him that "A great company must be able to impute its values from the first impression it makes".
Steve's ethos was basically that if you are going to do something, do it right. The book is full of examples of Steve doing this. When the iMac first came out it looked like no other computer. It was interesting to hear how difficult it was for the engineers to accommodate a handle on the computer - but it ended up being a defining feature of the computer. I also loved the story of how Steve was obsessed with quality glass, and ordered the highest end stuff he could find for his Apple Stores.
Steve's management tactics got a lot of scrutiny in the book - and many other reviewers use words like "jerk" to describe him. It sounds like Steve could definitely be a jerk to work for. His management style was to push people as hard as he could, and to let people know when they didn't perform. When pushed like that, a person can have one of two reactions: they either resent it, and end up quitting or getting fired (B-players) - or they accept the challenge to do better, and come back the next week with something even better. Win-win for Steve - he filters out the b-players and gets his a-players to produce the best work they can.
But, as was pointed out in the book, if Steve was nothing but a jerk, he wouldn't have built a company full of loyal employees - Apple has one of the lowest turnover rates in the valley. Jobs only hired people who "had a passion for the product". I also liked how he motivated by looking at the bigger picture; such as the story of how he convinced his engineer that saving 10 seconds off the boot time was worth it because across 5 million users that would save 100 lifetimes per year.
The book was full of references to Steve's dynamic personality; his "reality distortion field" is a great descriptor. Steve believed he could do anything - and he was so persuasive that he could convince those around him that they could whatever it was too. I think this is one of the most defining qualities of an entrepreneur - believing something can be done against all odds. Not being afraid to tear down walls or think outside the box.
I loved the description of Steve that "whatever he was touting was the best thing he ever produced." You see him do this in his keynote speeches too. He is always using words like "best", "amazing", etc to describe whatever he's launching.
A big theme that the author made was that especially early on, Steve viewed Apple as "counter-culture" rebels. They were hippies who thought they could change the world. And they did - but not only that - I think they embedded their can-do attitude deep in Silicon Valley, which is probably highly correlated with why it is the center of the technology revolution today. This quote is classic:
One of Steve's great abilities was to focus. When Jobs came back to Apple from his hiatus the biggest innovation he made was to focus the company onto just the few products that were working or had potential.
Steve's belief that computers need to be beautiful and easy to use basically prevented him from ever licensing his software, as then he wouldn't be able to control the user experience. Microsoft didn't have that problem, and that's why Windows dominated. I think it's also the reason that Windows is in trouble today. They have spent a decade making their code work across hundreds of different hardware configurations. Their code is now full of backwards compatibility support that just makes it messy, and bloated. Worse, their focus is on maintaining all that instead of innovating and improving it.
The platform vs integrated approach is being tested again with the iphone vs android. It will be interesting to see if history replays itself, or if Apple's lead and ability to make a superior product because of their full stack control will prevail.
Seven amazing stories. Each one you think can't possibly top the last, and then it does. We never really get to understand what is up with the Time ToSeven amazing stories. Each one you think can't possibly top the last, and then it does. We never really get to understand what is up with the Time Tombs - guess I have to keep reading. But the strength of each of these stories is worth it. One of the best books I've read in a while.
This is the best self help book any entrepreneur could ever read. Perhaps the only one they need to. Truly transformative. I have it on audio too and This is the best self help book any entrepreneur could ever read. Perhaps the only one they need to. Truly transformative. I have it on audio too and listen to it at the gym often.
Napoleon Hill was tasked by Andrew Carnegie to write a book on what made a successful person succeed, and he spent 20 years researching and interviewing every great name of the day (Ford, Woolworth, Edison, etc), plus lots of people who failed (because you have to know what doesn't work too). This book is the result.
It basically hammers home a single point, over and over again. Success comes from knowing what you want to achieve and having a burning desire to achieve it.
I first read this after college when my father gave it to me as a graduation gift. I almost didn't read it, but was very glad I did as it was very impI first read this after college when my father gave it to me as a graduation gift. I almost didn't read it, but was very glad I did as it was very impactful on me, and I think helped shape me into the person I am today. I recently decided to re-read it after a meditation teacher was talking about it - and was glad to discover that it's just as relevant to my life now as it was before. It's a book I can easily see myself re-reading every 5-10 years.
The book is a story about how to be mindful and live a happy, aware life - coached in the story of young Berkeley gymnast who meets an old man - who he names Socrates - at a gas station. Socrates becomes his coach and mentor - and teaches him that his goals in life were all wrong.
If there is a motto of the book it's this quote, which I've had on my wall since I first read this book:
The way of the peaceful warrior is to appreciate every moment, regardless of how dull or ordinary it may seem. To live in the now. Once you become aware of this, it's kind of amazing how much of our time we don't spend in the current moment - instead worrying about the past or the future. Our minds are swimming with the thoughts and worries of our lives, and we lack the easy ability to just be present. As Socrates said:
The best way to live in the present moment is to learn to meditate. Meditation teaches you to become aware when the mind wanders, and that awareness is a muscle that like all muscles, needs constant exercise or it becomes diminished. What I liked about the book was it discusses where meditation can go - and how one can be meditating constantly. In fact, it's not really meditation, but the art of focusing the mind that feels so good and fulfilling to us. This is why sports are so great - you are forced to focus your mind 100% on what you are doing, and distracting thoughts fade to the background. That ability to focus is calming, and appealing. I like how the book explains that using gymnastics.
But I liked how the book goes much deeper than meditation. There were cool bits about breathing properly, monitoring your internal organs, massage, having the mindset of a child, and eating healthily.
This book was pure Gold - it was impossible to put down, and its clear to see why its a classic. Watching Holmes apply his methods to each case and unThis book was pure Gold - it was impossible to put down, and its clear to see why its a classic. Watching Holmes apply his methods to each case and unravel it to the eternaly baffled Watson was entertaining and even inspiring. I only wish I was as smart as Sherlock. I actually think we can all learn a lot from Sherlock - even if he is fictional :)
Some other interesting things I learned: - sherlock only says 'elementary' once - sherlock does cocaine when bored in between cases . I guess it wasn't such a big deal back then? - one caper delved into the history of the Mormons, which was very interesting...more
I read this in high school, and it was one of my favorite's at the time. I just re-read it as the movie is out, and was glad to see it's still one of I read this in high school, and it was one of my favorite's at the time. I just re-read it as the movie is out, and was glad to see it's still one of my favorites. Ender is pretty much just badass. The military strategy and leadership is actually one of my favorite things about this book.
The notion that Ender was set apart from the other kids as an intentional tactic to make him into a leader was always fascinating to me. In many ways I can relate to it. Ender's story is one of leadership, and leaders often have to balance empathy with big picture priorities. His older brother was too harsh and lacked empathy - but Ender is the perfect balance.
One of the key ways Ender keeps winning is by being aggressive and proactive, rather than reactive. Both with the bullies, in war games, and with the buggers, he takes them out before they have the chance to take him out:
I didn't fully understand the point of the plot line about Enders brother and sister becoming net celebrities. I mean it was cool, but this cartoon summarizes it well: http://xkcd.com/635/
What I like about this book is that Ender is pushed to his limits to improve himself, which shows a raw side of humanity. It makes you think. Here is a quote which I think encapsulates that well:
I just (fall 2019) re-read this classic, which I hadn't read in ~ 15 years but was one of my favorites then and I'm glad to say, it still is. The artfI just (fall 2019) re-read this classic, which I hadn't read in ~ 15 years but was one of my favorites then and I'm glad to say, it still is. The artfulness of Monte Cristo's revenge is so slowly unveiled, after having been prepared by so many years by him, that it truly is impressive to read.
Also fascinating that this novel originally appeared as a series of articles in the newspaper in France. I also greatly enjoyed this as have lately spent a bunch of time in Marseille and the south of France.
This is the ultimate revenge story, and the count (not a big spoiler) gets his revenge. But it is also a story about happiness - does getting revenge on one's enemies make you happy or does it make you more miserable by pursuit of something dark? Do you need to have known suffering to know happiness or can you just be grateful for what you have? Personally, I don't think you need to know suffering first hand, but it is good to read books about it.
**spoiler alert** So the other day Elizabeth and I are in the book store and she saw this book, and said she really wanted me to read it. In horror at**spoiler alert** So the other day Elizabeth and I are in the book store and she saw this book, and said she really wanted me to read it. In horror at the thought of reading what I thought was a 'chick book', i immediately countered that she would then have to read one of my favorites: Dune. She agreed!
So I read it, and I have to admit, it was good - damn good. Even though there was a serious lack of any gratuitous violence, I tore through it in several days. Austen is an amazing writer, and has a particular talent for explaining her characters deep motivations (or prejudices) in a few defining sentences.
I think my favorite part of it is the unwinding of Elizabeths' prejudices against Mr Darcy. It is done so slowly and artfully and believably that the reader is completely pulled into the story.
It is a definite period piece - here are a few funny observations: - Nobody in the book had a job - they all earned income from their estates - Since nobody had jobs they spent all day gossiping - People were judged not by what they did for a living but what family they were from and how they behaved in society. Completely different from today! - Dating was much tougher back then. You needed at least 10 dates to get anywhere, and you probably had to marry in order to go all the way.
Jokes aside, this is a classic, and I highly recommend it for any guy or girl....more
Just re-read this for the first time, and it's still one of my favorites. This book is geek-heaven: cryptography, world war II, code-breaking, nazi goJust re-read this for the first time, and it's still one of my favorites. This book is geek-heaven: cryptography, world war II, code-breaking, nazi gold, and modern day internet beginnings all tied together in one masterful story.
It also was largely lost on me, and I suspect many of my generation, that the second world war was won - or at least greatly accelerated - in great part due to the fact that we had cracked the German and Japanese codes. Learning more about the efforts of Bletchley Park, and Dr Alan Turing and huffduff and cribs, etc was fascinating.
I think the funniest part of the book is the page where Stephenson actually graphs out how productive Waterhouse is when he has recently had sex (very productive) and when he hasn't (not very productive).
The code-breaking and cryptography is not stuff I know a ton about, as modern day programmers largely don't have to worry about that stuff, but it's a good reminder to think about, as we don't have it on our brains nearly enough. Avi & Randy's paranoia and tendency to encrypt everything from their hard drives to their emails may be overkill, on the other hand, it also may be wise. I remember getting email from people who used public/private keys to encrypt their email before, but not in the last 5 years. Maybe we should request that Gmail Labs add that!
If there was a theme to this book, it's that cryptography is everything. It defined the second world war, and it also defines the modern internet. Information is king - not large caches of gold....more
A really interesting novel that takes place in the future in a world where some people live in the metaverse (aka digital universe/internet) more thanA really interesting novel that takes place in the future in a world where some people live in the metaverse (aka digital universe/internet) more than the real world. I don't remember it so well now but I do remember there being some really interesting tie-ins to ancient sumarian computers.
That plus any book with a protagonist named Hiro Protagonist who wields badass japanese swords is just badass.
When people ask me what my favorite book is, Dune is always my answer. Words cannot even do justice to what an epic tale this is. We learn about spiriWhen people ask me what my favorite book is, Dune is always my answer. Words cannot even do justice to what an epic tale this is. We learn about spirituality, human nature, politics, religion, and the making of a hero.
I loved the spiritual aspects of the book the best. The philosophies and practices and Pranu Bindu training of the Bene Gesserit that Paul learns and builds upon. The Bene Gesserit believe in a training regiment that results in a superior human being - one with every sense as refined as possible. This means a focus on learning, on controlling emotion, on controlling your body.
My absolute favorite quote from Dune is the Bene Gesserit litany against fear:
The litany is meant to be recited when you are in a moment of fear, and as I first read Dune 20 years ago, I've employed it many times. After Paul employs it when he is fighting Jamis, the affect on him is described as "a cool bath washing over him. He felt muscles untie themselves, become poised and ready." I have read a lot about people who perform at high levels - whether it be in athletics or business, and success is all about getting into that zen state where you have a clear, focused mind. Fear is the biggest thing that can cloud one's mind - usually fear of failure, but there are other forms too. While this Litany won't always eliminate it, I've felt it to be useful to recognize the fear and call it out for what it is.
There is also a focus in the book on being able to read people by paying attention to the minutia. In many crucial scenes we see Paul and Jessica and others employing this skill, using not only their eyes, but reading the tone of what a person says, what their body language or actions say, and more. Imagine the poker player I could be if I learned these skills!
It's interesting to me that so many science fiction novels contemplate a future with AI (aka post-singularity). In Dune, the Butlerian Jihad was the human rebellion to rid itself of AI or "thinking machines". They are now banned, and in their place we have Mentats, who are humans with processing powers far greater than any thinking machine. It's unclear to the software engineer in me how exactly that could be without some sort of physical manipulation (insertion of massive amounts of transistors, for instance), but the affect is pretty cool, we get Spock-esque beings who analyze everything extremely logically, and are great at political planning "feints within feints within feints".
There was a lot in the book about leadership. It started with Paul first learning about it from his Father, and also from the Bene Gesserit. This quote stood out to me:
Much has been made in modern reviews of Dune of the fact that it's clearly a statement about oil and the Middle East. The book even admits the Fremen are of Sunni descent, and many words they use (Jinn, Jihad, etc) are Arabic. I'm not sure I understand all the undertones, but one thing that was clear was about control of the worlds most precious commodity: "The people who can destroy a thing, they control it." I hope we are closing in on the end of the days when oil controls so much, but we aren't there yet. In the meantime, we had best beware of any future Harkonnen's....more
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