Wozniak Wows Crowd at Embedded Systems Conference

Electronics industry legend Steve Wozniak held forth ontopics ranging from innovation to creativity to education in a livelyquestion-and-answer session at the Embedded Systems Conferencehere yesterday.

Wozniak, best known as the co-founder of Apple Computer Inc.,was frequently interrupted by applause as he traced his evolution from a"nerdy" childhood to his days as a young engineer and, finally, to hisdevelopment of technologies that would help shape the personal computerrevolution.

"When you're a nerd, other kids start acting weird aroundyou," he told an audience of about 1,000 engineers at the San Jose ConventionCenter. "You're in your own social realm. I got used to working on my own."

Wozniak recalled getting an amateur radio license in sixthgrade, building crystal sets, learning about AND and NAND gates and thensecuring a job as an engineer at Hewlett-Packard when he didn't have a collegedegree. He told the audience that he all he ever wanted to be was an engineerand an inventor.

"I didn't want any credit for starting a company or changingthe world," he said. "I just wanted people to say, 'I read your code, and it'sunbelievable.'"

Describing his early years when he developed patentedtechnology for the computer industry, Wozniak said he often worked alone. "It'sbest if you're not into partying and you don't have a girlfriend of a wife," hesaid with a laugh. "I did my best work late at night, alone."

To foster creativity, Wozniak suggested that today'shigh-tech companies allow their engineers to work on their own projects afterthe workday is over. He even suggested that companies help with employees'private projects by offering tools and funding.

Wozniak encouraged engineers at yesterday's "fireside chat"to develop products that they believe in and products that are personallyimportant to them. "You've got to be motivated," he said. "You've got to have areason for doing something. The best reason is simply to please yourself."

Wozniak currently serves as chief scientist for Fusion-io, aSan Jose-based provider of solid state technology and high-performance I/Osolutions. He spends much of his time involved in the sport of "Segway polo"(playing polo on Segway transportation vehicles) and has faced teams from NewZealand, Germany and Barbados. "My total life is on Segways," he said. "I playevery chance I get."

Answering questions about the state of American primary andsecondary education, Wozniak said that good intentions and well-meaningpolicies aren't helping. "School is a restrictive force on creativity," hesaid. "It's the antithesis of creative thinking."

He suggested that American education might enjoy moresuccess in an automated setting. "Some day a computer could be a teacher," hepredicted. "I think we're getting very close to it."