Memories of the late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs are still pouring in, the latest from Stephen Wolfram, the heart and brain of Siri. Wolfram told British interviewers Jobs “will always be a remarkable inspiration.” The former CEO laid the foundation of Apple’s future growth through “great tenacity and dramatic ultimate growth,” said Wolfram.
Even back when the men were toiling away in relative obscurity, both had bigger plans. The two first met after Jobs was fired from Apple and founded NeXT. “He explained that he expected that what he was doing would change the world, and, by the way, make a lot of money too,” Wolfram recently told the Observer. Jobs told Wolfram he wanted his Mathematic software to be part of his new computer.
In another encounter, Jobs rebuffed Wolfram’s attempt to get the Apple head’s quote for his new book A New Kind of Science. “Isaac Newton didn’t have back-cover quotes; why should you?” Jobs reportedly replied.
Jobs’s well-known perfectionism and attention to small details was present even when writing emails. Wolfram described receiving “remarkably detailed emails and phone calls” covering all sorts of topics. The Apple co-founder even suggested the name for Wolfram’s landmark software: Mathematica.
But Jobs could also let his guard down, as when he expressed nervousness before going on a date. “Suddenly, all his confidence as a technologist and businessman melted away,” Wolfram said. “Happily, the date worked out and the woman he met became his wife for the rest of his life.”
Wolfram may be best known for his search engine which lies at the heart of Siri, the voice-activated digital assistant able to provide some remarkable replies to complex questions.
