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Birth
Stephen Gary Wozniak was born in San José, CA. His father was working in the missile department of Lockheed Corporation. Therefor, he studied Electronics since he was a child. -
Gift in Mathematical Logic
Because he did study Electronics, he shows his gift in Mathematical logic when he was in middle school. He reciprocal Amateur Radio license when he was in 13 and DIYed a Hallicrafters Radio transceiver by him-self. In the same age, he built a binary adder and subtractor. -
Work in Sylvania Computer company
In his age of 18, his Electronics teacher recommend him to work for Sylvania Computer company. In there, he learned wrote code in Fortran. The opportunity of working in a computer company also gives he a chance to read user manual which contains the internal structure of a computer. He will then study drawing computer structure design on paper. -
Been kick out from University
Woz likes prank and he always gets in trouble because of it. After he graduate from high school, he began his first year of college in the University of Colorado at Boulder. He wrote a computer program at computer center which cause a printer keep printing things. This program did cost the university lots of money and Woz did get punish because of it. To keep this thing in secret, he had follow his father's willing, transfer to a community college near his home. -
The Cream Soda Computer
Woz did only attempt at community college for one year. He did then went to Tenet computer company for a programmer job. In the summer of 1970, a manager in that company get about 20 chips for Woz to help him finish the computer he designed. Woz built this computer in his neighbor Bill's garage. They did drinking Cream Soda while building the computer. After they finish the building, they named this machine "Cream Soda Computer". Because of this, Woz will then meet a men, who is Steve Jobs. -
The Blue Box
One day in 1971, before he went to UC Berkeley, he read a report of "Phreaking", and he get interested in with the "Blue Box" that can make free phone call. He and Jobs when to tech lib to find document to build the Blue Box. The first Product was not successful. After the start of university, Woz re-designed the blue box and the redesigned model works. In later day, Woz claims the design was a breakthrough to the tradition, and it is his most proud circuit design. -
Breakout Pong Game
One day, After Woz seen a “Pong” game console from Atari, he start to study how to display character in TV. He then used 28 chips to finish the design. All game was made only by hardware circuit with one piece of program in ROM. Woz then find Jobs who was working for Atari to show this game to engineer in Atari.
After few month, Jobs called Woz tell him the founder of Atari want them to build a single player version of Pong in 4 days. Woz and Jobs finished game in 4 days without any sleep. -
Period: to
Wozniak's day in Apple Computer Company
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Apple I
At the night of first day of Homebrew Computer Club, Woz showed the Apple I’s design. Woz used his off time to build the first gen Apple computer at HP’s office. At 10PM, Jun 29th , 1975, Apple I’s display first time shows character has been typed in by its keyboard, the new era of personal computer has came. -
Start A Company
At the end of 1975, Jobs suggest Woz to build a company to sell printed circuit board. Woz wasn’t into it in the first place, but Jobs convinced him eventually. Woz, Jobs and Ron Wayne started the new company called Apple computer company which now become Apple Inc. Apple Computer Company was found in Apr 1, 1976. Jobs soon get the first order from Paul Terrell’s PC retail store “Byte Shop”. -
Apple II
After Woz finished the Apple I, he started to design the Apple II. He had first time argue with Jobs about the design for the ability of extension. Woz wants more socket on computer for extension, however, Jobs think two is enough. Luckily, Woz won the argument.
The Apple II was first showed in West Coast Computer Faire. Few month later it has been sold over 300 units. Until 1993, Over 5,000,000 units has been sold. Until late 1990, Apple II was still very popular in the America’s classroom. -
Apple went Public
During the period of 1978 to 1979, the sales of Apple II growth from 1000/mo to 10000/mo. When Apple went public in 1980 at $22/share, “generating more capital than any IPO since Ford Motor Company in 1956, and immediately creating 300 millionaires.”(Dilger 2013) Apple Computer Company later became the one of Fortune Global 500 within five year after public. -
Plane crash
In Feb 1981, Woz just got his airplane license for half year and try to fly to San Diego to find Candy Clark’s uncle to design his wedding ring with Clark. “He climbed the plane too abruptly, stalled and careened through two fences into the car park of a skating rink. Woz later said he thought Candi might have accidentally leaned on the controls.” (DORMEHL 2018)
Woz wound up in hospital, lost his memory. After 5 weeks, he start to recover his memory. -
Fade out from Apple
After he found his memory back, he decided to not go back Apple company first but finish his study in University. He went back to UC Berkeley. Meanwhile, he married Candy Clark. In this year, Woz decided to organize a music festival. He started a company called UNUSON. However, he lost 24,000,000 in two US festival he organized. -
Leaving Apple
After the music festival and finishing school, Woz come back to Apple as a engineer, and be invited to participate in speech and charity events. In 1985, President Ronald Reagan awards him the National Medal of Technology. He was planned to develop Apple II X for premium user but canceled this project because of the price. In 1985, Woz and two of his colleagues leaved Apple Computer Company, started a new company called CL 9 for remote controller. -
Teaching School
Woz want to spend more time with his children, he leaved CL 9 and became a full-time father. Except teach his own children, he did also transfer his company build for music festival to an educational charity company. He helped local primary school to set up computer room and provide hardware for them. He picked 6 students from a class and teach them computer. He then started his teaching career for 8 years.
