by Steve Wozniak with Gina Smith, W. W. Norton and Co., New York, NY. 2006. 313 pages. $15.95. ISBN: 978-0-393-06143-7 (www.wwnorton.com)
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Most engineers involved with computers know Steve Wozniak designed the Apple I and Apple II computers and co-founded Apple Computer with Steve Jobs. But press accounts make it seem that talented people like Jobs and Wozniak appear from nowhere and just happen to do creative and interesting things. Fortunately for us, Woz led an interesting pre-Apple life that set the stage for his later endeavors. He also continued to have fun after he left Apple.
Wozniak wrote this book not so much as an autobiography, but as an explanation and narrative of the "cool" things he did as a youngster and young man. He did not just wake up one day and design the Apple I and write a Basic interpreter for it. Woz gives his father ample credit for sharing practical knowledge and carefully explaining science and engineering fundamentals in ways a kid could understand. His dad introduced him to electricity and eventually to NAND, NOR, and inverter circuits and laid the groundwork for his son's plunge into computers. Along the way many electronic projects came into being and descriptions of these make the book worth reading. Unfortunately, Wozniak hardly mentions his mother.
I found descriptions of youthful pranks and projects humorous and revealing. Whether designing a tic-tac-toe machine or creating a Magic-Marker TV jammer, Woz always seemed to enjoy himself and learn something new. His recollections stress the need to learn basic skills and then apply them. I had hoped for more information about the electronic design of the original Apple computer, but the book still captures his excitement while designing the Apple's circuits and software. When it came to promoting his computer, Woz deferred to Jobs, an extrovert, the opposite of Woz's personality.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and think most engineers will too. At times the breezy light passages make the text read like sketchy interview notes rather than an in-depth story, but I got used to the style and breathless rush. As to the claim of "inventing" the personal computer, readers can draw their own conclusion. Many of today's "old timers" had designed with microprocessors before Woz discovered them.
In 2002 I had the good fortune to spend time with a group that included Wozniak. I enjoyed talking with him and found his personality much as he describes himself in the book: A hard-core techie with a good sense of humor, but a bit of a loner. Steve enjoyed working on paper designs and puzzles rather than joining informal discussions. Who knows what project he had in mind then?