Early in Apple Computer's history, employees became aware that working for Steve Jobs was quite unlike working for any other boss. Andy Hertzfield, one of Apple's very early hires, recalls his manager presenting a software schedule for the new Macintosh project that looked impossible. When Hertzfield queried the ridiculously short time frame, his boss d Tribble - looked sheepish.

"Well, it's Steve. Steve insists that we're shipping in early 1982 and won't accept answers to the contrary. The best way to describe the situation is a term from Star Trek. Steve has a reality distortion field. In his presence, reality is malleable. He can convince anyone of practically anything. It wears off when he's not around, but it makes it hard to have realistic schedules."