Turning Down A Chance To Own 10% Of Apple

from the have-any-regrets? dept

Mon, Dec 8th 2008 3:39am — Mike Masnick

Computer Shopper is running an article, written by the magazine's first editor, Stan Veit, talking about his experience running a small computer store in NY and dealing with Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak before Apple was even a company -- when they were pushing him to sell their Apple I machines (which were more computer boards than complete machines at the time). But the most amusing part is Steve Jobs' offer to give him 10% of the company in exchange for $10,000. It's an entertaining look into some of the very, very early days of Apple (when Woz was still working at HP). As for the opportunity (which Veit turned down) to invest, well, there's a bit of a twist at the very end of the article, care of Woz's mom.

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Filed Under: history, stan veit, steve jobs, steve wozniak
Companies: apple

9 Comments

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Anonymous Coward, 8 Dec 2008 @ 6:25am

For those not willing to put up with 5 pages of popups and ads
Mrs. Wozniak said, “Don’t feel bad, you were not the first person Jobs offered stock in the company for a small investment. When the boys needed printed circuit boards, Jobs offered an interest in the company to the man who did the boards. However they managed to pay for the boards and the man never got any stock. When Apple went public, Jobs would not give stock to several employees who made the Apple possible. My son gave them stock out of his allotment, or they would have never benefited from the long hours and devotion they put in to start the company. If you had given Jobs the money, he would have found a way to keep you from getting the stock."

So this makes Jobs sound like a real asshole.
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- ehrichweiss, 8 Dec 2008 @ 8:34am
  
  Re: For those not willing to put up with 5 pages of popups and ads
  You mean.."this paints a perfect picture of how shady Steve Jobs really can be".
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Anonymous Coward, 8 Dec 2008 @ 6:39am

But Jobs pretty much is a real asshole...
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Anonymous Coward, 8 Dec 2008 @ 6:54am

It sounds like he gave away 10% of the stock 100 times
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- Kirk, 8 Dec 2008 @ 7:43am
  
  Re:
  No... he just offered to give away 10% of the stock 100 times.
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rockerest, 8 Dec 2008 @ 8:20am

@#1: Jobs IS a real asshole. The shine has just started to wear off.
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LazerusKing, 8 Dec 2008 @ 8:41am

He is a CEO
Is he not? He's doing his job.
While I don't agree with his tactics Jobs is doing what he feels is the right thing.
@#5. I have to agree rockerest.
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Anonymous Coward, 9 Dec 2008 @ 11:24pm

Woz is the real inventor, hardcore geek and all-round admirable chap. That's why he 'left' (was shunted out) the day the company was taken over by the stuffed shirts (a.k.a. Jobs' Gang).
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Feb 2010 @ 7:25pm

jobs is a real tosser He see the vision and the Dollar and will step on anyone to get it, his apple 3 was a flop which he oversaw but did not design because he doesnt have a clue and then hired someone else to superceed it which became the apple mac then jobs took the credit for it. He can program but does not really design anything but like gates takes other peoples ideas and then gets rid off them! jobs is and ass and is a fraud like gates ! I could write an encyclopieda on the pr%#ks! when i lean how to spell that is!
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