Joining Apple Computer (2018)

Psychedelics, creativity, and risk

• Several comments latch onto the author’s mention of an LSD-inspired insight for HyperCard and compare it to artists like the Beatles and R. Crumb.
• People debate whether psychedelics are necessary for “genius,” noting plenty of great pre‑LSD artists and suggesting survivorship bias.
• Traditional set/setting (preparation, mindset, environment, sober sitters) is emphasized as critical for safe use.
• There is disagreement over whether LSD or psilocybin cause “permanent” brain changes; some cite research on neuroplastic effects, others insist “permanent” is a very strong and unclear term.
• Personal anecdotes range from beneficial use to severe harm, including a story of a friend’s psychosis and suicide. Several stress predisposition to mental illness and the typical age of onset as important confounders.

HyperCard, empowerment, and the loss of an open playground

• HyperCard is praised as visionary: letting non‑programmers build interactive media and giving “keys to the kingdom” to ordinary users.
• Many feel modern platforms (walled gardens, app stores, ad‑driven ecosystems) represent a regression from that spirit of empowerment.
• There’s debate over how much capitalism and hardware supply chains inevitably push control toward large corporations, versus how much is just human preference to consume rather than create.
• Some argue creation tools did exist (e.g., bundled suites) but were barely used; others counter that better, simpler tools for popular creativity are still missing.

Nostalgia, boredom, and the joy of early computing

• Multiple commenters reminisce about first encounters with early Macs, Lisa, HyperCard, MacPaint, and the feeling that “anything was possible.”
• A recurring theme: creativity often emerged from boredom and offline exploration; several say that to recapture that magic now, you likely need to turn off the internet.
• Others push back on pure nostalgia, claiming each era (including today’s AI boom) has its own unique opportunities and that this period might be especially rich for small, determined teams.

Light mode vs dark mode

• The story about switching from white‑on‑black Apple II text to paper‑like white backgrounds sparks a light/dark mode debate.
• Some jokingly call this the “original sin” of light mode; others defend it as critical for graphics and readability.
• A more technical comment notes that eye strain often comes from contrast between screen and room lighting rather than light vs dark itself.

Apple’s mission: empowering creatives vs enclosing them

• Many see the author’s description of “making tools to empower creative people” as the original appeal of Apple and early personal computing.
• There’s disagreement over whether this still describes Apple today: critics say the primary mission is now maximizing consumer device sales; defenders argue that creative workflows and features remain central to Apple’s products.
• Walled gardens and restricted runtimes are criticized as undermining the empowerment ethos, even as some secure, constrained environments are acknowledged as a response to past malware and abuse.

General Magic and missed chances

• The move from Apple to General Magic is discussed as an example of early “personal communicator” vision that was right but too early or poorly productized.
• Commenters argue the company had brilliant technologists but lacked strong product leadership and “adult supervision,” and critically missed the web/Internet wave.

Networks, capital, and who wins

• The tight web of connections (e.g., between founders and powerful figures in finance and big tech) prompts frustration from those who feel talented but under‑funded.
• Several argue that access to capital, talent networks, and distribution channels is often more decisive than raw ability.
• Historical analogies (scientific conferences, regional tech hubs like Massachusetts vs California) are used to show how geography and institutions cluster opportunity, potentially wasting talent elsewhere.

Meaningful work and modern software culture

• The author’s reflection on building things used by millions leads to broader discussion about meaning: many value working where they believe “if we win, the world is better,” and deeply regret years spent on harmful or pointless products.
• Others note that even noble efforts can fail to visibly improve the world, and that this may be inevitable.
• There is criticism of modern software process overhead (sprints, JIRA, meetings, stakeholder management) as crowding out deep work and making it hard to do “amazing” engineering like the small, focused teams of earlier eras.