李开复英语学习CHAPTER 6.docx

李开复英语学习CHAPTER 6.docx

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李开复英语学习CHAPTER6

Chapter6.LeavingAcademiaforApple

BeinganassistantprofessoratCarnegieMellonUniversitywaslikelivinginparadise,secureandcarefree.Ididn’thavetoworryaboutthemarketortheeconomylikethoseworkinginthebusinessworld.Mypositionwastenure-track,andIwasvaluedbythedepartmentastheprimaryexpertinspeechrecognition.ThatmeantIwouldbeabletoobtaintenureinafewyearsandbesetforlife.

Surprisingly,Ifeltasenseoflosswhilehavingsuchjobsecurity.IwonderedifIreallywantedtostayinacademiafortherestofmylife.Whilelovingresearch,Idislikedsomenon-academicdutiesrequiredofaprofessor,suchassocializingwithWashingtonfundingagenciesinordertogetfederalfundingandgoingtoallkindsofuniversitystaffmeetingsthathadnothingtodowithmyexpertise.Evenmyresearchsometimesfrustratedme.Mypapersjustsatthere.Noonewasmakinguseofthem.Whatdifferedthemfromwastepaper?

Ifeltbeingstuckinanivorytower,totallydisconnectedfromtherealworldwhereIdesiredtomakeadifference.

OnedayIreceivedaphonecallfromastranger.Hesaid,“Dr.Lee,twovicepresidentsofAppleareinterestedinyou.Theythinksomeonelikeyoushouldcomeouttomakesomerealproducts.Wouldyoubewillingtohaveatalkwiththem?

”

ThiswastwoyearsafterIreceivedmyfirstjobofferfromApple.IfeltabsolutelyflatteredbecauseApplein1990wastheleadingcomputercompanyinAmerica,anditwasconsideredjustascoolasitistoday.PeoplebelievedinApplealmostlikeareligion.TheyweremorethanwillingtopayamuchhigherpricetobuyanApplecomputer,whichwasartisticallymadeandlookedseamless.EveryAppleWorldwideDevelopersConferenceattractedcountlessfans.Iwasalsoafan.IboughtanewMaconthefirstdayithitthemarket.Asaspeechscientist,IwasfascinatedthattheMachadapre-installedMacinTalk,whichtalkedtomeinroboticEnglish.

“HowcoolwoulditbeifIcouldworkforApple!

”Iheardsuchavoicefrommyheart.

TheGroundbreakingApple

ItiswidelyknownthatAppleopeneduptheeraofpersonalcomputers.In1983,Appleearned980milliondollars,andthe28-year-oldSteveJobstook284million,becomingtheyoungestamongAmerica’s40richestpeople.

Jobswassoproudofhisachievementthatheunderestimatedhiscompetitors.In1984,whenMacfirstcameout,anewsreporteraskedBillGates,“HowsoonwillyouportMacExceltoMicrosoftPC?

”Gatesreplied,“It’llprobablytakesometime---”ButJobsinterrupted,“Itwon’thappenevenafterwedie.”

Jobspassedhisoverconfidencetohisemployees.EverytimeMicrosoftlaunchedanewWindowssystem,AppleheldastaffmeetingtoexposeitsflawsandtalkabouthowmuchitwasbehindAppleproducts.However,everynewversionofWindowscameclosertoMac.SomeAppleemployeesbegantowonderhowmanypeoplewouldstillpaydoubletobuyAppleproductswhenthedifferencewasonly5%.

Applefansdidn’tlookatitthisway.Theysaid,“WindowsandMacmayhave95%ofsimilarities.Butthat’sjustlikeatranssexualwomanandarealwoman.Theymaybe95%thesame.Butthe5%differenceiswhatwecareaboutmost.”

Evenso,ApplebegantolosemarketsharewhenWintel（Windows+Intel）PCsleftApplebehindthedust.

JobsknewheneededsomeonetoreviveApple’ssalesandmarketing,sohewenttoJohnSculley,whohadbeenpresidentofPepsyandhelpedPepsybeatCocaColaforthefirsttimeinhistory.JobspersuadedSculleytoleadApplewithaquestionthatlaterbecameafamousquote,“Doyouwanttospendtherestofyourlifesellingsugaredwaterordoyouwantachancetochangetheworld?

”

Unexpectedly,SculleyandJobsdidn’tgetalongwhenworkingtogetherasCEOandvicepresident.JobsblamedSculleyforthecontinuingdropintheMacintoshsales（merely2,500unitsinMarch1985）.WhenSculleylearnedthatJobsintendedtoremovehimandtakehisplace,hedecidedtotakethemattertoaboardmeetinginMay1985.HeknewalltheboardmembersthoughtofJobsasainspirationalmotivatorbutnotenoughofaday-to-daymanagertobeCEO.AsSculleyexpected,theboardmembersallsupportedhimandbackeduphisdecisiontodismissJobsfromhispositionsasvicepresidentandtheleaderoftheMacintoshDivision.JobswassoupsetaboutitthathetooklongvacationsafterthatandsubmittedaresignationletterinDecember1985.Hewasbasicallyforcedoutofthecompanyhehadco-founded!

WithoutJobsaround,SculleybecametheunequivocalheadofApple.InthenextfewyearsApple’slaserprintersanddesktoppublishingsoftwareenabledMactomonopolizethepublishingindustryinAmerica.In1989,theMacintoshsalesincreasedfrom300,000to3,000,000.ApplebecamethehottestcompanyonWallStreetandSculleythehighestpaidmanagerinSiliconValley.

Sculleykeptlookingfornewproductideas.Herecruitedapsychologist,DaveNagel,tobevicepresidentofApple’sAdvancedTechnologyGroup.Thegroupwasinterestedinspeechrecognition.SowastheMacIIIProductTeam,ledbyHughMartin.ThatwashowDaveandHughdecidedtocontactmein1990.

IflewtoCupertino,Californiatomeetthem.AsIarrived,itwasverypleasanttoseetheevergreensceneryandever-brightsunshine.Perhapsbecausepeoplewouldnaturallyeatlessandmovemoreinwarmweather,everyoneIsawinSiliconValleylookedslimmerthanthoseinPittsburgh.

Appleemployeeswelcomedmewithfriendlysmiles.Theyalllookedoptimisticandconfident.Mostofthemseemedveryyoung.

Thetwovicepresidentswereolder.Hughwasamiddle-agedman.HiseyessparkledwhentalkingabouttheprospectofMac.DavewasolderthanHugh.HehadawhitebeardandasmilethatremindedmeofSantaClaus.Heinvitedmetodinner.

“Youknow,Kai-Fu,”saidDave.“ThefirstGUI（graphicaluserinterface）wasdevelopedattheXeroxPARC（PaloAltoResearchCenter）,butitdidn’tresultinasuccessfulproduct.ItwasApplethatmadeGUIusefultomanypeople.SoyouseehowAppleinventionsinfluencepeople.”

“WearedoingMacIIIandwouldliketoincorporatespeechrecognitioninit,”headded.“Kai-Fu,don’tblamemeforcopyingSteveJobsbyaskingyouthisquestion:

doyouwanttospendtherestofyourlifewritinguselessresearchpapers,ordoyouwantachancetochangetheworld?

”

HiscleverrevisionoftheJobsquotedirectlyspoketomyheart.Tome,therewasnothingmoreenticingthanmakingadifferenceintheworld.Atthatmoment,myheartdecidedforme:

IwasgoingtojoinApple!

MyonlyconcernwashowtosubmitmyresignationtoProfessorReddy.Iwasafraidofdisappointinghim.Wouldhetrytomakemestay?

HowwouldIrespondifhedid?

Itookadeepbreathbeforegoingintohisoffice.

“I’msorrytosurpriseyouwithadecisionIjustmade,”Isaidslowly,usingmymostcautioustone.“I’vethoughtaboutitforquiteawhile.Appleaskedmetoworkforthemtoputspeechrecognitionintotheirproducts.IconsiderAppleaverycoolcompany,andIlikewhatI’veseenoftheirtechnology.So,”Ipausedafewsecondsandfinallysaid,“I’dliketogo.”

“Oh?

”ProfessorReddyseemedtobetakenbysurprise.Hewasspeechlessforaminute.Thenheseriouslylookedatme.“Haveyoureallythoughtitthrough?

”heasked.

“Yes,sir.”

“That’sgood,”hesaidinanunderstandingtone.“Noteveryoneshouldalwaysstayinthefieldofresearch.IfyouthinkworkingforApplecanfurtherdevelopyourtalent,thenyoushouldgo.Doagreatjob!

”

EverytimeImadeachoice,ProfessorReddyrespecteditandsupporteditlikealovingfather.EverytimeIfelthisbestwishesformetorealizemydreams.WhenIturnedaroundtoleavehisoffice,Ifeltlikecrying.Atthismoment,Iheardhisvoice.

“Kai-Fu,aretheygivingyougoodenoughresources?

”

Iturnedbacktoreply,“Yes.They’llletmejoinastrongteam.They’llletmehiresomeyoungpeople.They’llletmeworkontheresearchIwanttodo.”

Mymentornodded,withanencouragingsmile.

APirateCulture

IbeganworkingforAppleonasunnyday.WhenIlookedatthedirectionstomyworkplace,Iwassurprised.Therewasasignthatread,“CupertinoNationalBank.” Howcouldmyofficebeinabank?

Whywasn’titintheAppleheadquarters?

Iarrivedatthebankandaskedthesecurityguard,“IsthereanAppleofficehere?

”

Hepointedatthebackdoor.

Iwenttothebackdoorandfoundastairwaybehindit.Iwalkedupstairs.WhenIarrivedonthesecondfloor,Isawseveralyoungpeopleworkinginfrontofcomputers. 

Applehadthissecretofficebecausethecompanywantedtokeepproductdevelopmentabsolutelyconfidential.Thentheproductswouldastoundeveryonewhentheycameout. 

“PerhapsthisisareflectionofApple’spiratespirit,”Itoldmyself,knowingtherewasapiratespiritinApple.SteveJobsonceraisedapirateflagontopofhisbuilding.HealsoplacedaBesendorferpianoanda$10,000-worthpairofspeakersinthelobby.BesidethepianowasaBMWmotorcycle,whichguestswouldseerightawaywhentheyenteredthebuilding.Jobswouldplaythepianofortheemployeesworkinglateatnight.IimaginedhowpassionatemusicmusthavefilledthelobbyatthosemomentsandsomehowwishedIcouldhavebeenthere.

Applemanagersoftentoldemployees,“Workonyourinventions,don’tcareaboutwhatpeoplesay,andbelievethatonedaywecanchangetheworld.”

TheAppleemployeesIworkedwithwereallveryyoung.Iwas28then.Theywerearoundmyageorevenyounger.TheylovedApple’spirateculture.Someofthembroughttheirpetstowork.Onceacolleague’srabbitjumpedonmyhandwhileIwastyping.Theatmos