9 wise counsel from the Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak

Steve Wozniak - the developer, teacher and speaker, known prankster and Apple co-founder of one of the largest and most well-known companies in the world. Everybody knows about it almost everything, but few people realize that Steve "Woz" is also a little philosopher. In August 2014 he gave an interview within MPI World Education Congress. From mixing the speech and his autobiography, and there were these nine tips for developers and startups, as well as all the people who want to achieve a lot and be happy.

Be curious

Wozniak grew up in a family of engineers in Silicon Valley, and from an early age his father asked how it is arranged, "How does the light?", "What is a transistor?". As soon as Stephen learned the answers to his questions, he began to feel exclusive.

"I feel that I know the secrets that no one knows the other", - says Wozniak. He believes that now just need to encourage such aspirations in today's pupils and students, and in any case can not hinder creativity and curiosity.

Children come to school, full of curiosity. They want to know what's inside the box, and in response to hear: "No, you can not open it."

Dream big

Wozniak met adulthood in San Francisco, where at that time, every second dream to change the world. Under the influence of the countercultural movements Wozniak and Steve Jobs often thought about how computers can help people.

A "Woz" dreamed of a world where techies will be the heroes, and computer geeks will come out from the shadows and become VIPs. Not to say that he could not do it.

Do something new

"Creativity - is not when you are doing something familiar - says Wozniak. - This is when you have an idea how to do something that had never done... and you take the resources and are doing something that has never existed before. "

Wozniak is constantly trying to do things that have never done before, and not only in terms of development. For example, in 2009, he appeared in the "Dancing with the Stars." As a result, he pulled ligaments left the contest earlier than planned.

But it was a completely new experience, because "when you are not suitable for some things, but continue to work hard to achieve something in this area, so much more fun and interesting live".

Do not create something just for the money

If you do not care about what you create, the more other people will not care about your product.

If you think, "This product is needed by the people, so I'll make it," he will never be as good as if it were necessary for you.

Needed as the iPhone was needed to Steve Jobs, Apple II - Steve Wozniak or Tesla - Elon Musk.

The idea on paper is worthless

Before you take care of the financing of the project, you need to create the first working model of the product. And it needs to recruit engineers, before you start to collect money for the production.

Work together with the engineers need from the very beginning, even in the process of establishment of the company. And when you will have a working model of the product, you will be able to better navigate the opportunities and it is more realistic about the prospects.

Learn to forgive

Wozniak said that in the early stages of partnership with Steve Jobs when they worked on a video game for the Atari, Jobs had deceived him about the actual payment: Atari paid more, and Jobs gave "Waggon" less.

Of course, Wozniak was unpleasant to know it, but in the end he did not attach much importance to this petty treason. Sometimes, however, he still remembers the unpleasant aspects of a former partner.

For example, he said in an interview that Jobs did not agree to give Apple's first school teacher, as requested by Wozniak. Jobs made the "Woz" first buy it, and then give.

Fall asleep to the unresolved issues

Wozniak sometimes fell asleep, thinking about some problem with the computers, and in the middle of the night woke up with a ready-made solution and tried as quickly as possible to save.

"Sometimes these solutions were good, sometimes not - says Steve. - But I believe that during sleep, our mind is a little more free and can wander in areas which have never been touched before. However, then I have to ask yourself, "Can I do it?", "Will this work?" ".

Never stop to simplify

Wozniak has always tried to simplify the design to an absolute minimum. The first Apple computers he focused on how to reduce the number of chips required, and this obsession stayed with him for a long time even after the product's release.

Just in time for summer Wozniak interview he said that a few days ago figured out how you can keep one chip in the Apple II, and in fact since the release of Apple II 38 years ago!

When the audience laughed, Wozniak said: "In order to grow as an engineer, you have to have just such a way of thinking."

Do not take things too seriously

Wozniak permanently arranged all sorts of fun. In college, he used his technical skills to intercept television signals in the dorms and manage the channels of their classmates while they are busy with antennas and beaten on the back cover TV.

Later, he created the first telephone line "Score a joke", using leased telephone answering machine and jokes that he was reading from the book.

"When working with the technique you need often to relieve stress", - says Wozniak. He even created his own formula of happiness:

Happiness is equal to the time when you smile, minus the time when you frown.

"You smile of amusement, jokes and funny tricks. And how can you reduce the time you spend in sadness and frustration? Do not worry so much about a scratched car and other small things and not create yourself a perfect picture of how you should live. "