Recent co-fondatorul Oracle, Larry Elisson, a tinut un discurs in fata studentilor unei universitati americane, iar in el a povestit unul dintre momentele mai putin cunoscute ale relatiei pe care el a avut-o cu Steve Jobs inca din perioada in care co-fondatorul Apple conducea NeXT.
Jobs si Elisson obisnuiau sa mearga in drumetii printr-un parc natural din apropierea Silicon Valley, iar intr-una dintre plimbari Jobs a adus in discutie ideea de a salva compania Apple, care in acea perioada era aproape de a intra in faliment.
Elisson a propus un plan de a cumpara compania Apple, care valora atunci aproximativ 5 miliarde de dolari, insa Steve Jobs avea altceva in minte, el dorind ca Apple sa cumpere NeXT si ca el sa faca parte initial din consiliul director, iar mai apoi sa devina CEO.
Elissonera totusi interesat sa faca bani din acest plan si intrebandu-l pe Steve Jobs cum vor castiga ei bani daca nu cumpara Apple, co-fondatorul Apple i-a spus ca el nu face totul pentru bani, ci pentru a le demonstra celor care conduc compania ca inlaturarea sa a fost o decizie proasta.
De aici incolo stiti cu totii ce s-a intamplat, Jobs alegand sa se foloseasca de Bill Gates pentru a salva Apple, compania fiind acum cea mai valoroasa de pe planeta.
My idea was simple, buy Apple, and immediately make Steve CEO. Apple wasn’t worth much back then, about $5 billion dollars. We both had really good credit and I had already arranged to borrow all of the money. All Steve had to do was say yes.
Steve proposed a somewhat more circuitous approach. First, persuade Apple to buy NeXT computer, then Steve would join Apple’s board and over time the board would recognize that Steve was the right guy to lead the company.
I said, ‘Ok, that might work, but Steve if we don’t buy Apple how are we going to make any money.’ Suddenly, Steve stopped walking and turned toward me. We were facing each other when he put his left hand on my right shoulder and his right hand on my left shoulder. Starring unblinking into my eyes, Steve said, ‘Larry, this is why it’s so important that I’m your friend. You don’t need any more money.’ I said, ‘Yeah, I know, I know.’ Then I said, ‘but we don’t have to keep it. We could give it all away.’ I was whining.
Steve just shook his head and said, ‘I’m not doing this for the money. I don’t want to get paid. If I do this, I need to do this standing on the moral high ground.’
