Linder Kani: "Write about Apple Book

Recently, the entire Internet is hotly debated new book, the chief editor of Cult of Mac Linder Kani About John AiveIn which the author tells the amazing details of the work of the best design units worldwide. That unit design gave us such great products as the iMac, iPod, iPhone, iPad, and many other things. Recently, Linder I told Wired magazine how he still managed to write a book about the most secretive of the employee Apple a secret department and the difficulties and interesting moments he faced during writing the book.

Write a book about Apple - a real hell, no comparison is not going to any other burdens of life of a journalist in the field of technology. This is a manifestation of this masochism. Lonely and thankless job, even when you're doing it well - all hate you. I became depressed and gained 30 kg, but, you know, I would not for that it is not exchanged.

Apple is working like a real top-secret organization, as if it did not look ridiculous. No one is talking. All sign a stack of papers, threatening violent reprisals for disclosing secrets - all and any. Steve Jobs threatened that those who spill the beans - not only be fired, but will be infinitely prosecuted.

The staff do not speak about their work with friends, spouses and even colleagues. Even if Apple employee sits next to you at the table in the corporate dining room - it does not have to know what you do only if it does not work with you on the same project, and you went to the canteen together from their department.

Sounds hopeless, is not it? I and my assistants in research related to more than two hundred people for the biography of Sir Jonathan Ive. It was obvious that after Jobs' death, it became the "creative leader" of the company. Known of him was incredibly small, and there were thousands of rumors. Who is this modest and discreet man, suddenly became the center of the Apple universe?

The first person with whom I decided to talk, he was Johnny Ive. Of course, for many years of work "around and around" Apple made it clear that the public relations department would not approve.

Several times I crossed paths with Ayvom presentations of products and it has always been a mega-friendly. He greets me like an old friend, though, there is no doubt - he meets so each. In spite of this, I decided to sneak up on him through one of his friends. I was hoping that he would agree to cooperate, but... he resigned, apologizing and advising to turn to Johnny through official channels.

It's time to find other sources. Behind me stood a major publishing house and I decided to position itself as the author of a large and important book about Apple's design. I contacted potential sources through LinkedIn and Facebook, hoping that they will be friendlier if to bypass Apple corporate e-mail, which is carefully checked. "Be a part of first draft of history" - I wrote it, thinking that it will hook them.

Not. Nothing. It was a mistake to position the book as a big deal. Apple employees do not want the noise, they do not want to "go down in history" - they want to keep their heads.

The only one I said, there were some former executives. They have a lot of time communicating with the media, so they are in a constant state of war for the right to be called "the creators of Apple's success." Call your research, "Who was the father of iPod?" And you will hear a lot more names than you expect. Some of them liked the interview and I got in the book, some I even do not want to remember.

I tried to make contact with teachers Quince, old friends and former colleagues in England. I especially wanted to talk with the professors of the University of Northumbria, but they are also not interested. It seems Ive there was a rare visitor, and for the most part is a marketing ploy for the local elite. I soon found out that Ive destroyed all documents about his training (even in schools) and all the records of participation in design competitions.

The same situation with former colleagues. "Not interested" - they answer. Obviously Ive asked them to keep quiet.

Then I realized - it has become a dangerous turn. I did not have anything, and timing started shrinking. I decided to abandon the idea of ​​the biography and write a book about industrial design in general (at that time, I spent many interviews with famous designers), seasoning it those stories about Aive Joni and Steve Jobs, I have It was.

But, suddenly, luck smiled on me. Some of Quince colleagues at Apple decided to speak. One of them really helped me by telling the history of the many devices, explaining how the design studio and told a lot of funny stories about Jobs and Aive. It was strange to see how this man shared with me something, what had not shared with anyone. Previously, to me this is not happening.

When I started writing the book (overstaying all possible time), many people began to emerge from the shadows. Engineers and technicians have gradually started to "thaw" - I sent them a small message with which a fact that they are denied or confirmed it. Agree, a small business and do not like the "disclosure of military secrets." Many eventually wanted to say more, other sharply fell silent, knowing that I am writing a book.

I was faced with the clearest manifestation of the Rashomon effect - people describe the same event quite differently. Heads looked down, and engineers - from their shops. Often I had the feeling that these people are talking about different things. During the work I learned a lot of hard-hitting stories that destroyed the myths about the work of Steve Jobs and Apple. I started to worry, because the myths I liked more.

I had hoped that with the departure of Jobs Apple will be more open, but that did not happen. Secrecy is built into the DNA of Apple's corporate culture. Employees do not want to talk, do not want to lose his job, do not want to hurt the company - Apple gives them the conditions for which should stay.

Plus, no one believes journalists. They talk too much. But, eventually, they get their stories.

In the end, the book was excellent. This is not a story "from the beginning to the end", but it is full of facts that were previously unknown. I think it makes it clear exactly how Apple and the functioning of her heart - the design department. I found out that the designers at Apple are not like the design of other companies. They do not just create a shell - they are engaged in research work, invent and decide how to organize the production of devices on an industrial scale.

In short, this is a great story, and Ive - amazing person who was able to climb to the top and create as many works of genius, while remaining in the shadows.

***

Order book Jony Ive: The Genius Behind Apple's Greatest Products can here. We look forward to the publication in Russian.

(via)