Biography of Stephen Wozniak
Who Jobs is, what he looks like and what he does, everyone knows. And who is Stephen (aka WOZ) Wozniak? Information is not so much, in the Russian Wikipedia there is one paragraph written about it, and I have not seen any photographs anywhere except in the same Wikipedia. Therefore, I decided that it would also be interesting for you to read about this figure of the computer world in Russian.
Stephan Gary "Woz" Wozniak (born August 11, 1950, in San Jose, California) was an American computer engineer who became a philanthropist. His inventions greatly contributed to the personal computer revolution in the 70s. Wozniak founded Apple Computer (now Apple inc.) With Stephen Jobs in 1976. In the mid-70s, he created computers Apple I and Apple II. Apple II gained incredibly great popularity and eventually became the best-selling personal computer in the 70s and early 80s.
Steven had several pseudonyms, such as: “The Woz”, “Wizard of Woz” and “iWoz” (pun; word play with the iPod). “WoZ” (short for “Wheels of Zeus”) is also the name of the company that Stephen founded. He also created the initial prototype of the classic Breakout game for Atari, in 4 days. He is known for his introvert character and finds his popularity an annoying thing. Apple Computer also called it "The Other Steve." The more famous Steve Jobs is named Steve Jobs, co-founder and CEO of Apple inc. He was also called “Woz” in order to distinguish between Jobs and Wozniak, because they had similar names. Only Jobs was called Steven, and Wozniak Stephen.
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Dawn Apple
In 1975, Woz left the University of California (he will return there later to complete his studies in EECS and in 1986 he will receive a bachelor's degree) and appeared with a computer, which eventually made him famous. However, he mainly worked to impress the members of the Home Computers Club, which was located in Palo Alto. He did not set himself a high goal.
Steve Jobs, his school friend, had the idea to sell a computer in the form of a fully assembled PC. Wozniak was skeptical at first, but Jobs convinced him - saying that if they did not succeed, they could at least tell their grandchildren that they owned their own company. They sold all their valuables (Wozniak, for example, sold the HP scientific calculator, and Jobs a Volkswagen van), saved $ 1,300 and collected the first prototypes in Jobs’s bedroom, and later, when all the free space was taken, they moved to it (Jobs) garage. Their first computer was a real engineering miracle, in the context of the 1975 computing technology. In its simplicity of use, it was years ahead of the Altair 8800 , which was introduced earlier in 1975. The Altair 8800 had no display and no real data storage. The computer received commands using switches (one program could require several thousand switches made without a single error), and its output device was a set of flashing lights. The Altair 8800 was great for electronics as a hobby. For them, his nature, which required mandatory assembly, was in fact a special feature ... but, unfortunately, it did not fit the general public at all. On the other hand, Wozniak's computer, which he called the Apple I, was a fully assembled and working device, carrying a MOS 6502 microprocessor worth $ 20 and a ROM. To get a real PC, it remains to add some RAM, a keyboard and a monitor.
On April 1, 1976, Jobs and Wozniak created Apple Computer. Woz resigned from Hewlett-Packard and became vice president in charge of research and development at Apple. The Apple I computer was put up for sale at a price of $ 666.66. Jobs and Wozniak sold 100 of their first computers to local dealers.
Wozniak could now concentrate on correcting flaws and expanding the functionality of the Apple I. His new design should have retained the most important characteristics: simplicity and usability. The Apple II Woz introduced high-resolution graphics. Now his computer could display not only text and symbols, but also images: “I added the ability to output in high resolution. At first it was only two chips, because I did not know if it would be useful to people. ” By 1978, he also designed an inexpensive floppy controller. Together with Randy Wigginton (Randy Wigginton), he wrote a simple DOS and file system. Shepardson Microsystems was involved in creating a simple console interface for its DOS.
In addition to developing equipment, Wozniak wrote most of the software that worked for Apple. He wrote Calvin's advanced programming language, a set of virtual instructions for a 16-bit processor, known as SWEET16, and a Breakeout computer game that caused the addition of sound.
In 1980, Apple II went public and made Jobs and Wozniak millionaires.
Beyond the Apple II
For years, Apple II remained the main source of revenue for Apple and ensured the viability of the company when its leadership took on much less profitable projects, such as the ill-fated Apple III and the little lived Lisa. Thanks to Apple II's robust earnings, the company was able to develop a Macintosh, bring it to market, and make it its core technology — eventually replacing the computer that paid for it. In this sense, Wozniak can be considered the godfather of "Mac"
In February 1981, Steve Wozniak had an accident on his Beach Bonanza plane during take-off from Santa Cruz Aviation Park. As a result, he received retrograde amnesia and temporary anterograde amnesia. He did not remember this incident and did not know that he had been involved in a plane crash. He also did not remember his stay in hospitals or the things he did after he was discharged. He did the usual things, but did not remember them. Woz began collecting pieces of information from different people. He asked his girlfriend, Candy Clark (previously worked at Apple) if he had a catastrophe. When she told him about the incident, his short-term memory returned. In fact, Woz and Candy were engaged, they ordered wedding rings in San Diego and flew there after them. Also, in his deliverance from amnesia, Wozniak thanks Apple II computer games.
Stephen did not return to Apple after the crash. Instead, he married Candy Clark (he called her Superwoman (“Superwoman”), perhaps because of her achievements in the Olympic kayak in 1976) and returned to the University of California at Berkeley under the name Rocky Clark (Rocky Clark), Rocky was called his dog, and Clark - his wife's maiden name, where he received a degree in 1976. In 1983, he decided to return to the Apple development team, and he needed the position of engineer and incentive element of the company.
In 1982 and 1983, Wozniak sponsored two national festivals that were devoted to developing technologies and the community of music, computers, television, and people. They were a combination of a technology exhibition and a rock festival.
Woz and Candy divorced in 1987. At that time, they had three children, two boys and a girl. Later, during the alumni meeting, he resumed relations with Suzanne Mulkern, the former head of the cheerleaders (support group). They both got married in 1990, and divorced in 2000.
Career outside Apple
February 6, 1987 Wozniak leaves Apple again, this time forever. It has been 9 years since the creation of the company. In spite of this, he is still listed as an employee there and even gets paid, he also has a block of shares with him. Wozniak then founded the new company CL9, which developed remote controls. It launched the first universal remote controls. Out of anger, Jobs threatened his suppliers to stop business with Wozniak, otherwise they would lose business with Apple.
He found other suppliers, in return for those with whom he worked for four years, but was disappointed in his closest friend
Wozniak went into teaching (he taught fifth grade students) and charitable activities in the field of education. After being fired from Apple, Wozniak transferred all his money for the Los Gatos school district's technology program (the district where Steve lives and where his children attend school). Unuson (Unite Us in Song) is an organization that Steve founded to organize two National Festivals, now mainly used by him for his educational and philanthropic projects.
In 1985, Ronald Reagan presented Wozniak with a national technology medal.
In 1997, he was appointed a member of the Computer History Museum in San José. Wozniak was the main sponsor and patron of the Children's Museum of Discoveries (the street opposite the museum was renamed in his honor, Woz Way).
In September 2000, Wozniak entered the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
In 2001, He founded the company "Wheels Of Zeus" to create a wireless GPS technology that was supposed to "help ordinary people find ordinary things." In 2002, he joined the board of directors of Ripcord Networks Inc., which includes all Apple “graduates”. Later that year, Wozniak became a member of the board of directors at Danger Inc., the creator of Hip Top (aka SideKick from T-Mobile). In May 2004, as appointed by Dr. Tom Miller, Wozniak received an honorary doctorate from North Carolina State University for his contribution to the field of personal computers.
Stephan Gary "Woz" Wozniak (born August 11, 1950, in San Jose, California) was an American computer engineer who became a philanthropist. His inventions greatly contributed to the personal computer revolution in the 70s. Wozniak founded Apple Computer (now Apple inc.) With Stephen Jobs in 1976. In the mid-70s, he created computers Apple I and Apple II. Apple II gained incredibly great popularity and eventually became the best-selling personal computer in the 70s and early 80s.
Steven had several pseudonyms, such as: “The Woz”, “Wizard of Woz” and “iWoz” (pun; word play with the iPod). “WoZ” (short for “Wheels of Zeus”) is also the name of the company that Stephen founded. He also created the initial prototype of the classic Breakout game for Atari, in 4 days. He is known for his introvert character and finds his popularity an annoying thing. Apple Computer also called it "The Other Steve." The more famous Steve Jobs is named Steve Jobs, co-founder and CEO of Apple inc. He was also called “Woz” in order to distinguish between Jobs and Wozniak, because they had similar names. Only Jobs was called Steven, and Wozniak Stephen.
')
Dawn Apple
In 1975, Woz left the University of California (he will return there later to complete his studies in EECS and in 1986 he will receive a bachelor's degree) and appeared with a computer, which eventually made him famous. However, he mainly worked to impress the members of the Home Computers Club, which was located in Palo Alto. He did not set himself a high goal.
Steve Jobs, his school friend, had the idea to sell a computer in the form of a fully assembled PC. Wozniak was skeptical at first, but Jobs convinced him - saying that if they did not succeed, they could at least tell their grandchildren that they owned their own company. They sold all their valuables (Wozniak, for example, sold the HP scientific calculator, and Jobs a Volkswagen van), saved $ 1,300 and collected the first prototypes in Jobs’s bedroom, and later, when all the free space was taken, they moved to it (Jobs) garage. Their first computer was a real engineering miracle, in the context of the 1975 computing technology. In its simplicity of use, it was years ahead of the Altair 8800 , which was introduced earlier in 1975. The Altair 8800 had no display and no real data storage. The computer received commands using switches (one program could require several thousand switches made without a single error), and its output device was a set of flashing lights. The Altair 8800 was great for electronics as a hobby. For them, his nature, which required mandatory assembly, was in fact a special feature ... but, unfortunately, it did not fit the general public at all. On the other hand, Wozniak's computer, which he called the Apple I, was a fully assembled and working device, carrying a MOS 6502 microprocessor worth $ 20 and a ROM. To get a real PC, it remains to add some RAM, a keyboard and a monitor.
On April 1, 1976, Jobs and Wozniak created Apple Computer. Woz resigned from Hewlett-Packard and became vice president in charge of research and development at Apple. The Apple I computer was put up for sale at a price of $ 666.66. Jobs and Wozniak sold 100 of their first computers to local dealers.
Wozniak could now concentrate on correcting flaws and expanding the functionality of the Apple I. His new design should have retained the most important characteristics: simplicity and usability. The Apple II Woz introduced high-resolution graphics. Now his computer could display not only text and symbols, but also images: “I added the ability to output in high resolution. At first it was only two chips, because I did not know if it would be useful to people. ” By 1978, he also designed an inexpensive floppy controller. Together with Randy Wigginton (Randy Wigginton), he wrote a simple DOS and file system. Shepardson Microsystems was involved in creating a simple console interface for its DOS.
In addition to developing equipment, Wozniak wrote most of the software that worked for Apple. He wrote Calvin's advanced programming language, a set of virtual instructions for a 16-bit processor, known as SWEET16, and a Breakeout computer game that caused the addition of sound.
In 1980, Apple II went public and made Jobs and Wozniak millionaires.
Beyond the Apple II
For years, Apple II remained the main source of revenue for Apple and ensured the viability of the company when its leadership took on much less profitable projects, such as the ill-fated Apple III and the little lived Lisa. Thanks to Apple II's robust earnings, the company was able to develop a Macintosh, bring it to market, and make it its core technology — eventually replacing the computer that paid for it. In this sense, Wozniak can be considered the godfather of "Mac"
In February 1981, Steve Wozniak had an accident on his Beach Bonanza plane during take-off from Santa Cruz Aviation Park. As a result, he received retrograde amnesia and temporary anterograde amnesia. He did not remember this incident and did not know that he had been involved in a plane crash. He also did not remember his stay in hospitals or the things he did after he was discharged. He did the usual things, but did not remember them. Woz began collecting pieces of information from different people. He asked his girlfriend, Candy Clark (previously worked at Apple) if he had a catastrophe. When she told him about the incident, his short-term memory returned. In fact, Woz and Candy were engaged, they ordered wedding rings in San Diego and flew there after them. Also, in his deliverance from amnesia, Wozniak thanks Apple II computer games.
Stephen did not return to Apple after the crash. Instead, he married Candy Clark (he called her Superwoman (“Superwoman”), perhaps because of her achievements in the Olympic kayak in 1976) and returned to the University of California at Berkeley under the name Rocky Clark (Rocky Clark), Rocky was called his dog, and Clark - his wife's maiden name, where he received a degree in 1976. In 1983, he decided to return to the Apple development team, and he needed the position of engineer and incentive element of the company.
In 1982 and 1983, Wozniak sponsored two national festivals that were devoted to developing technologies and the community of music, computers, television, and people. They were a combination of a technology exhibition and a rock festival.
Woz and Candy divorced in 1987. At that time, they had three children, two boys and a girl. Later, during the alumni meeting, he resumed relations with Suzanne Mulkern, the former head of the cheerleaders (support group). They both got married in 1990, and divorced in 2000.
Career outside Apple
February 6, 1987 Wozniak leaves Apple again, this time forever. It has been 9 years since the creation of the company. In spite of this, he is still listed as an employee there and even gets paid, he also has a block of shares with him. Wozniak then founded the new company CL9, which developed remote controls. It launched the first universal remote controls. Out of anger, Jobs threatened his suppliers to stop business with Wozniak, otherwise they would lose business with Apple.
He found other suppliers, in return for those with whom he worked for four years, but was disappointed in his closest friend
Wozniak went into teaching (he taught fifth grade students) and charitable activities in the field of education. After being fired from Apple, Wozniak transferred all his money for the Los Gatos school district's technology program (the district where Steve lives and where his children attend school). Unuson (Unite Us in Song) is an organization that Steve founded to organize two National Festivals, now mainly used by him for his educational and philanthropic projects.
In 1985, Ronald Reagan presented Wozniak with a national technology medal.
In 1997, he was appointed a member of the Computer History Museum in San José. Wozniak was the main sponsor and patron of the Children's Museum of Discoveries (the street opposite the museum was renamed in his honor, Woz Way).
In September 2000, Wozniak entered the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
In 2001, He founded the company "Wheels Of Zeus" to create a wireless GPS technology that was supposed to "help ordinary people find ordinary things." In 2002, he joined the board of directors of Ripcord Networks Inc., which includes all Apple “graduates”. Later that year, Wozniak became a member of the board of directors at Danger Inc., the creator of Hip Top (aka SideKick from T-Mobile). In May 2004, as appointed by Dr. Tom Miller, Wozniak received an honorary doctorate from North Carolina State University for his contribution to the field of personal computers.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/31069/
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