he could have also started with something else besides Apple
Assuming he had a Woz, perhaps. Perhaps he would have found another engineer, or perhaps Woz had a unique combination of skills that really meant Jobs was in the right place at the right time.
Jobs failed in his vision - a lot. Had the Apple II not kept Apple plodding along - remember what Woz said about Jobs's desire to kill it - and some of the strategic investments along the way from outside (Microsoft's investment of $150M when Apple was on the verge of bankruptcy), Apple would be a memory today.
I know that violates the meme on HN and elsewhere that Apple's success is purely the result of Jobs's genius and vision, but that's a rewriting of history.
Assuming he had a Woz, perhaps. Perhaps he would have found another engineer, or perhaps Woz had a unique combination of skills that really meant Jobs was in the right place at the right time.
Jobs failed in his vision - a lot. Had the Apple II not kept Apple plodding along - remember what Woz said about Jobs's desire to kill it - and some of the strategic investments along the way from outside (Microsoft's investment of $150M when Apple was on the verge of bankruptcy), Apple would be a memory today.
I know that violates the meme on HN and elsewhere that Apple's success is purely the result of Jobs's genius and vision, but that's a rewriting of history.