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Steve Jobs' Not-So-Minimalist Home Office

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Re: Steve Jobs' Not-So-Minimalist Home Office

#31
post #30
post #8

Actually his house, as presented on allaboutstevejobs.com, is very rustic and far away from Apple's clean industrial design. I'm actually surprised to find that kind of home in Palo Alto: I'd expect this in Normandy, not around here :) From that website too: the last picture of this set http://allaboutstevejobs.com/pics/places/paloalto/paloalto.h... shows that his home office hasn't changed much in many many years ba…

Jobs is only living in Palo Alto "temporarily" until he can tear down the Jackling house in Woodside and build anew on that property.

From what I've read that's already happening.

Re: Steve Jobs' Not-So-Minimalist Home Office

#32

That office is pretty minimalist! It only looks busy because of the clutter which is not part of the office design so much as just some stuff he hasn't found time to clean up. The clutter is all temporary stuff for work, not permanent features of the office.

Considering the photos were taken several weeks after his pancreatic tumor surgery, I doubt keeping his office tidy was a top priority.

Re: Steve Jobs' Not-So-Minimalist Home Office

#34

That office is pretty minimalist! It only looks busy because of the clutter which is not part of the office design so much as just some stuff he hasn't found time to clean up. The clutter is all temporary stuff for work, not permanent features of the office.

That clutter was artfully arranged by Japanese craftsmen. It's a mix of fine handmade rice paper, and paper-thin sheets of perfectly white marble. Possibly also sheets of tanned fetal unicorn skin.

Re: Steve Jobs' Not-So-Minimalist Home Office

#36

The chair looks uncomfortable. I wonder how much sitting and concentrating someone like Jobs does, though.

Not all humans sit alike.

At work, I've had an Herman Miller Aeron for about 18 months. It's a solid chair, as is the Think, the Leap, the Mirra... except for me. I don't sit completely upright, and I tend to have my posture degrade into a half-slouch at times. I need a very firm surface. Sometimes I tend to sit on one of my legs, and that non-uniform pressure eventually forces the thigh support foam out and onto the floor.

With this in mind, the Aeron, and the other aforementioned chairs, fall short since I don't fit the intended use case. It'd be like teaching me to "type correctly" despite being able to type at 90-100wpm with a horrible, bastardized technique.

I use an Eames molded armchair. It's polyethylene with aluminum wire legs. The arms are at the perfect height, and provide enough support, but the polyethylene still has enough flex in it. It shrugs off my shoes. And it's much cheaper than any of the other chairs, will outlive me, as well as being better looking and 100% recyclable. If you presented it as an original option, I wouldn't of even considered it. However after hours and hours of sitting in chairs, I struggle to think of one that might suit me better.

I also don't have lounge chairs that force an upright posture (van de Rohe's "Barcelona", and Jacobsen's "Egg" come to mind). Sometimes I want to slouch, even if I'm talking to you. And when no one's around, I guarantee you I'll be slouching.

Re: Steve Jobs' Not-So-Minimalist Home Office

#37
post #36

The chair looks uncomfortable. I wonder how much sitting and concentrating someone like Jobs does, though.

Not all humans sit alike. At work, I've had an Herman Miller Aeron for about 18 months. It's a solid chair, as is the Think, the Leap, the Mirra... except for me. I don't sit completely upright, and I tend to have my posture degrade into a half-slouch at times. I need a very firm surface. Sometimes I tend to sit on one of my legs, and that non-uniform pressure eventually forces the thigh support foam out and onto the…

I sit like that too, but tried not sitting like that for a while, and decided I could get a lot more comfortable if I ignored my desire to fold one leg under the other.

I've noticed the same thing in bed. My body wants to sleep on its side, but if I force myself to sleep on my back, I'm much more comfortable and sleep better. It's very odd.

(I guess it's the same as wanting to drink 24 cans of soda, eat eight pizzas, and finish it off with a slice of deep-fried chocolate cake. What leads to short-term pleasure is not necessarily what's best in the long term. brain--.)

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