Ask Steve Wozniak Anything 612
He co-founded Apple Computer, he's a programmer and engineer who invented the Apple I and Apple II computers, he's one of our most influential readers, he is known simply as Woz. To kick-off our 15th anniversary month, Woz has agreed to take some time to answer a few of your questions; as with other Slashdot interviews, you're invited to ask as many questions as you'd like, but please ask them in separate posts. We'll be running a number of other special interviews this month, so keep your eyes open.
Re:Apple vs. Samsung (Score:2, Informative)
What is your opinion on the Apple vs. Samsung verdict?
http://apple.slashdot.org/story/12/09/13/2222207/wozniak-on-the-samsung-patent-verdict
Re:Apple vs. Samsung (Score:3, Informative)
"I hate it," Wozniak said when asked about the patent fights between Apple and Samsung. "I don't think the decision of California will hold. And I don't agree with it -- very small things I don't really call that innovative."
Re:Why Freemason? (Score:5, Informative)
I understand enjoying the comradery and brotherhood of it (I'm an Eagle Scout myself) but what purpose does being a Freemason serve in your life and what do you enjoy most about it?
I am an Eagle Scout as well and a 30 yr Freemason (Past and current Master). Our main objective is not as you said to be more likely to do business with other Freemasons (though that does occur...don't you prefer to do business with people that you know as opposed to strangers?). Our objective is to help make good men even better. I am sure there are probably many men in your community that are masons that you might talk to for better information. We are an organization with secrets, not a secret organization. Dan
Re:Can Apple survive and/or flourish w/o Steve Job (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Where Are Today's Hobbyists? (Score:5, Informative)
Back in the days when we bought parts and built our own devices there was great variation. Not many in a single school had that 'build' life. And most of it was constructing kits according to instruction, not creating new things yourself. So if you built your own things from nothing but a goal, you were unusual when young. The same thing is the case today, with the Make crowd, formal and informal. It may not be reduced. It's just that the simplicity of the early days is gone so to us who have lived through it, things are not similar and available to all.
Humans all have similar brains, and the inner tinkerer refers to a slice of our brains. On the average, I believe that it's fairly constant, this slice. If there is less room to build something impressive enough to motivate you, then the creativity looks for other outlets, like outstanding Facebook pages, blogs, YouTube videos, etc.
Re:New stuff? (Score:5, Informative)
Same as always my whole life. It's the fun 'toy' aspect of technology. I would take my kids to carnivals and spend $40 throwing darts or $40 tossing ping pong balls. Now we just download an app at home or on the sidewalk and it's free or nearly free and benefits our lives and leads us to love our technology, so the toys we adults have are very inexpensive!
Re:Why Freemason? (Score:5, Informative)
A lot of things about me don't get filtered. My wife at the time, in early Apple days, was in Eastern Star. If I became a Freemason I could go to more events with her. I did become a Freemason and know what it's about but it doesn't really fit my tech/geek personality. Still, I can be polite to others from other walks of life. After our divorce was filed I never attended again but I did contribute enough for a lifetime membership. There is nothing wrong with the Freemasons. It's like any group or religion or cult with various rituals. They may make no sense to many but they are fun for those who participate. There's no real political or institutional standing that can impress values on others, but I couldn't say that Freemasonry has explicit values beyond what any member perceives.
Re:3D printers (Score:5, Informative)
I think 3D printers may be a big factor in the future hobby market. But sometimes such products have application outside of the hobby market, applications which you can't pin down at first. The Apple ][ could do a lot of things but the unseen killer app Visicalc really changed things. Maybe for 3D printers it's low cost and high resolution that will lead to something we can't imagine now. When we started Apple we didn't imagine enough memory to hold a song.
Re:Why Freemason? (Score:4, Informative)
They discuss a light version of enlightenment-era philosophy. Liberty, equality and fraternity... you get the deal. Add a bunch of ritual (because that is a psychologically satisfying way of doing things) and that's pretty much Freemasonry.
FWIW, the only ex-Freemason groups blowing the whistle on the evils of Freemasonry that seem to exist are entirely populated by people who converted to fundamentalist forms of Christianity and seem to be exclusively concerned with why Freemasonry ruins your personal salvation relationship with Fundamentalist Jesus.
I'm yet to see a normal person who is a former/lapsed Freemason who actually thinks it's bad or dangerous. Not for them, yes. A little silly in retrospect, perhaps. But damaging, no.