Linux creator turned down Apple job offer from Steve Jobs (2024)

In an interview with Wired, Linus Torvalds said that around 2000, Steve Jobs offered him a place at Apple working on its Unix-based kernel. "Unix for the biggest user base: that was the pitch," Torvalds says. However, he was no fan of Mac OS’s Mach kernel, and Jobs insisted that he drop working on Linux, something Torvalds refused to do. Instead, he continued his work with the open-source platform and now helps manage it on behalf of the Linux Foundation.

Torvald's business ventures haven't netted him the kind of wealth or fame that Jobs received, but he says he's glad he concentrated on the technical aspects of Linux. "I’m very happy with feeling that I’ve done the right thing." Linux has likely been better off for it: everything from the Android smartphone system to Red Hat's enterprise OS has been built from the platform. There's plenty more about Torvalds, including obsessive coffee-machine troubleshooting and open-source diving software development, in the interview and profile below.

Linux creator turned down Apple job offer from Steve Jobs (2024)

FAQs

Linux creator turned down Apple job offer from Steve Jobs? ›

Steve offered Linus Torvalds a job to work on a new kernel based on the Linux kernel, but he declined because he didn't want to work on a closed-source system, regardless of the paycheck. This left Steve with no option but to turn to FreeBSD as the only alternative, and so he hired many programmers to work on it.

Who inherited Steve Jobs money? ›

Only two people received inheritance after Steve Jobs' death, his wife Laurene and Lisa Brennan. Brennan was his first daughter, the fruit of a previous relationship, but she did not recognize him as her father until after many years.

What was the effect of Steve Jobs return as CEO at Apple? ›

With his return to Apple as interim CEO, Jobs embarked on a mission to reinvent the company and restore its former glory. He streamlined Apple's product line, focusing on core strengths and discontinuing underperforming projects. The result was a leaner, more focused company poised for innovation.

What was the cause of Steve Jobs death? ›

Steve Jobs — an American inventor, entrepreneur and co-founder of Apple Inc. — died of complications from pancreatic cancer at the age of 56 on Oct. 5, 2011.

What was Steve Jobs net worth at the time of his death? ›

At the time of his death in 2011, founder Steve Jobs was worth around $10.2 billion, but interestingly, most of this wealth was in the form of Disney (DIS) . The Steven P. Jobs Trust owned over 7% of Disney.

Did Steve Jobs leave Lisa any money? ›

In her autobiography, Lisa recounted many episodes of Jobs failing to be an appropriate parent. He remained mostly distant, cold and made her feel unwanted, and initially refused to pay her college fees. According to Fortune magazine, in his will, Jobs left Lisa a multi-million dollar inheritance.

How much money did Steve Jobs leave his children? ›

To ensure his children would make their own way in life like he did, Jobs reportedly didn't leave them any inheritance.

Did Steve Jobs get his job back at Apple? ›

When Steve Jobs returned to Apple, the company was in dire straits. He became CEO again and turned Apple around via new products and a Microsoft investment. During Jobs' tenure, Apple launched the iMac, iBook, iPod, Mac OS X, iPhone, iPad, and more.

Who brought Steve Jobs back to Apple? ›

Instead, he quickly concluded that Apple was in “a total death dive.” Within 13 months, Woolard became the board's de facto leader, organized the ouster of Gil Amelio as chairman and chief executive in July 1997, and brought back Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, initially as an adviser and later as CEO.

Who took over Apple after Steve Jobs? ›

Tim Cook became CEO of Apple in August 2011. At the time, many wondered if he could fill the shoes left by his predecessor Steve Jobs. But Cook has made his mark at Apple, overseeing the launch of AirPods, the Apple Watch, and Apple TV+.

What disease Steve Jobs had? ›

This blog, published two years ago, discusses the rare form of pancreatic cancer Jobs had, pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor. It's been 10 years since legendary Apple Inc., Co-founder Steve Jobs passed away at only 56 years old after battling pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, a rare form of pancreatic cancer.

Why did Steve Jobs refuse treatment? ›

In advance of the Monday release of his book, "Steve Jobs: A Biography," Isaacson told the CBS News program "60 Minutes" that Jobs said he initially felt the surgery would be too invasive. "I've asked [Jobs why he didn't get an operation earlier] and he said, 'I didn't want my body to be opened...

Did Steve Jobs have a wife? ›

Laurene Powell was a new MBA student and sneaked to the front of the lecture room and started up a conversation with Jobs, who was seated next to her. They subsequently had dinner together that night. A year and a half later, on March 18, 1991, they married in a ceremony at the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park.

What is the IQ of Steve Jobs? ›

"Steve Jobs likely had an IQ roughly 160 or above. Near the end of 4th grade Jobs was tested. Jobs said: 'I scored at the high school sophom*ore level. ' This means he was a 4th grader performing at the 10th grade level.

At what age was Steve Jobs rich? ›

Time also noted that "the baby girl and the machine on which Apple has placed so much hope for the future share the same name: Lisa". In 1978, at age 23, Jobs was worth over $1 million (equivalent to $4.67 million in 2023). By age 25, his net worth grew to an estimated $250 million (equivalent to $838 million in 2023).

Did Steve Jobs come from a wealthy family? ›

However, he was put up for adoption soon after birth. His biological mother went through great efforts to ensure he was to be adopted by a well-educated and wealthy family. Yet, as fate would have it, Steve Jobs would ultimately get adopted by Paul and Clara Jobs a loving couple with little to no college education.

Who owns Steve Jobs shares in Apple? ›

Does Steve Jobs still own Apple's stocks? Steve Jobs no longer had any Apple shares after selling off his holdings when he left the company in 1985. He used the money from selling his stocks to purchase Pixar, which was sold to Disney in 2006, granting Steve Jobs an 8% stake in the company.

How much of Apple does Steve Wozniak own? ›

After Wayne's departure, Jobs owned 65.4% of the newly registered Apple Computer Company, and Wozniak owned 34.6%. If he held on to his 10% stake in Apple, it would have been worth around $270 billion based on Apple's current market cap of $2.71 trillion.

How many shares of Apple does Wozniak own? ›

Given his present day estimated net worth of 100 million dollars (and the fact he is not listed as one of the top 5 individual shareholders), Wozniak's exact shareholding in Apple today (if he still owns stock in the company at all), would be relatively minor and less than 108,000 shares owned directly.

How much is Mrs Jobs worth? ›

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