Presentation-Secrets-Of-Steve-Jobs
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REVEAL A “HOLY SHIT” MOMENT 153<br />
computer industry in the eighties. A computer with a mouse<br />
and graphical user interface was a major transformation from<br />
the old command-line interfaces prevalent then. The Mac<br />
was much easier to use than anything IBM had at the time.<br />
The Mac’s introduction was also one of the most spellbinding<br />
product launches of its day. The unveiling took place a quartercentury<br />
earlier during the Apple shareholders meeting, held at<br />
the Flint Center at De Anza College, near the Apple campus. All<br />
2,571 seats were filled as employees, analysts, shareholders, and<br />
media representatives buzzed with anticipation.<br />
<strong>Jobs</strong> (dressed in gray slacks, a double-breasted jacket, and<br />
bow tie) kicked off the presentation with a quote by his favorite<br />
musician, Bob Dylan. After describing the features of the<br />
new computer, <strong>Jobs</strong> said, “All of this power fits into a box that<br />
is one-third the size and weight of an IBM PC. You’ve just seen<br />
pictures of Macintosh. Now I’d like to show you Macintosh<br />
in person. All of the images you are about to see on the large<br />
screen are being generated by what’s in that bag.” He pointed to<br />
a canvas bag in the center of the stage. After a pause, he walked<br />
to center stage and pulled the Macintosh computer out of the<br />
bag. He plugged it in, inserted a floppy disk, and stood aside.<br />
The lights darkened, the Vangelis theme from Chariots of Fire<br />
began to play, and a series of images scrolled across the screen<br />
(MacWrite and MacPaint, which came free with the Mac). As the<br />
music faded, <strong>Jobs</strong> said, “Now, we’ve done a lot of talking about<br />
Macintosh recently, but today for the first time ever, I’d like to<br />
let Macintosh speak for itself.” On that cue, Macintosh spoke in<br />
a digitized voice:<br />
“Hello, I am Macintosh. It sure is great to get out of that bag.<br />
Unaccustomed as I am to public speaking, I’d like to share with<br />
you a maxim I thought of the first time I met an IBM mainframe:<br />
Never trust a computer you can’t lift. Obviously, I can<br />
talk right now, but I’d like to sit back and listen. So, it is with<br />
considerable pride that I introduce a man who has been like a<br />
father to me: <strong>Steve</strong> <strong>Jobs</strong>.” 3 The crowd went wild, standing, cheering,<br />
hollering.<br />
Letting Macintosh speak for itself was a brilliant technique to<br />
garner the most buzz and publicity. Twenty-five years later, the