与英特尔CEO安迪·格罗夫及工程师的邮件往来

原文标题: Email Exchange Between Steve, Intel CEO Andy Grove, and an Intel Engineer

核心概念

  1. 安迪·格罗夫 (Andy Grove) - 乔布斯的导师和英特尔CEO
  2. 英特尔 (Intel) - 希望学习皮克斯3D技术
  3. 皮克斯 (Pixar) - 十年投资积累的3D图形技术
  4. 艾德·卡特穆尔 (Ed Catmull) - 皮克斯技术负责人

内容

中文翻译

[英特尔工程师1] 致史蒂夫：

安迪让我研究我们应该如何大幅提升英特尔架构平台的3D图形性能。他指出你和皮克斯的关键人物如艾德·卡特穆尔在这个领域有很多好想法。实际上我几个月前联系了艾德，但他很忙，要九月后才能会面。你知道，我负责英特尔的微处理器。

我找到了几位关键的英特尔3D专家。其中一人[工程师2]一年多前从Sun过来。我想安排一次会议（在NeXT、英特尔或皮克斯）与你、卡特穆尔和其他人，以及我和我的图形专家，讨论你们的想法并制定我们的行动计划。我下周在东京，但10月2日周一会回办公室。我会让我的行政助理联系你的办公室安排会议。

谢谢。

史蒂夫致[工程师1]：

皮克斯确实拥有使英特尔处理器以更高性能和质量渲染3D图形的知识。这些"秘密"绝对可以进入未来的英特尔通用处理器硬件。

我们相信这一单一能力是英特尔显著扩大PC在消费市场市场份额的关键——通过显著超越专用游戏机（世嘉、任天堂、PlayStation等）的图形能力。

皮克斯的秘密是通过十多年的重大投资发明的，我们高度重视它们。即使没有把秘密实现在处理器中，皮克斯也可以通过在软件中实现它们获得显著的竞争优势和差异化。通过披露进行高质量、高性能图形的"正确"方法，皮克斯将失去大部分这种优势给任何和所有竞争对手，而他们无需付出任何努力。因此，需要补偿。

英特尔提议给皮克斯什么来换取披露和授权其秘密给英特尔？

[工程师1]致史蒂夫，抄送安迪·格罗夫：

史蒂夫，

我们非常想开会，但根据你的意见我会暂时搁置。我们与许多关键人物讨论了改进微处理器能力的想法，目的是这将造福整个行业，每个人都会受益。我们过去没有为微处理器的好想法达成任何财务安排，未来也没有这个意图。

史蒂夫致[工程师1]，抄送安迪·格罗夫：

这种做法过去对你服务不好，你们糟糕的图形架构和性能就是证据。也许你们应该考虑为未来改变它……

史蒂夫致安迪·格罗夫：

安迪，

也许只是我个人感觉，但我觉得[工程师1]的方式极其傲慢，考虑到英特尔（他？）在过去理解计算机图形架构问题上的惨淡表现……

如果我要制造数亿个什么东西，我肯定会愿意花钱买最好的建议……无论如何，这不是推销；我只是想让你知道我的想法，一如既往。

安迪·格罗夫致史蒂夫：

史蒂夫，

这次我坚定地站在[工程师1]这边。他对你要帮助我们的提议非常认真，召集了最好的技术人员，准备出发时，你却在讨论中引入了一个全新元素：金钱。

你和我多次谈论这个话题；你从未建议或暗示这是商业交换。我把你的帮助理解为帮助，不是商业关系的提议。

你可能记得，我时不时提供与你们业务相关的建议。例子包括将NextStep移植到486——这也符合我们的利益——到我向你的员工做的关于将NextStep重新定位的演讲。我不是说这些与你的图形专业知识价值相当，但我尽我所能，对我看到的问题投入一些思考——而我从未想过要收费。在我看来，这就是友好公司（和朋友）为彼此做的事。从长远来看，这些事情会平衡的。

我很遗憾你不这样认为。结果我们都会更糟，行业也会。

史蒂夫致安迪·格罗夫：

安迪，

我有很多缺点，但不感恩不是其中之一。而且，我同意你"从长远来看，这些事情会平衡的"。

因此，我已将我的立场180度转变——我们将免费帮助[工程师1]使他的处理器在3D图形方面变得更好。请让[工程师1]打电话给我，我们将安排会议，只要皮克斯的技术人员能从电影中抽出时间。

感谢更清晰的视角。

史蒂夫

英文原文

Email Exchange Between Steve, Intel CEO Andy Grove, and an Intel Engineer, Make Something Wonderful

Email Exchange Between Steve, Intel CEO Andy Grove, and an Intel Engineer

"I have changed my position 180 degrees."

As Pixar became a leader in graphics, Steve and his mentor, Intel CEO Andy Grove, discussed how Intel might learn from Pixar. When an Intel engineer tried to follow up, Steve resisted.

[Engineer 1 at Intel] To: Steve Jobs Cc: Andy Grove Subject: Pixar-3D graphics Date: September 22, 1995, 2:04 p.m.

Steve,

Andy asked me to look into what we should do in dramatically improving the Intel architecture platform's 3D graphics performance. He indicated that you and key people at Pixar like Ed Catmull have lots of good ideas on what we should do in this area. I actually contacted Ed several months ago but he was real busy and cannot commit to meeting until after Sept. As you know, I am in charge of microprocessors at Intel.

I have located several key Intel 3D experts. One of them, [Engineer 2], came from Sun over a year ago. I would like to have a meeting (at Next, Intel or Pixar) with you, Catmull, and others with me and our graphics experts to discuss your ideas and map out what our action plans are. I am in Tokyo next week but will be back in my office on Monday Oct. 2. I will ask my admin to contact your office to set that meeting up.

Thanks.

---

Steve Jobs To: [Engineer 1] Subject: Pixar-3D graphics Date: September 23, 1995, 7:11 p.m.

[Engineer 1],

Pixar does indeed possess the knowledge to enable Intel's processors to render 3D graphics at much high performance and quality. These "secrets" could definitely make their way into future Intel general purpose processor hardware.

We believe this single capability is the key for Intel to dramatically enlarge the PCs market share in the consumer market – by significantly surpassing the dedicated gaming machines (Sega, Nintendo, Playstation, etc) graphics capabilities.

Pixar's secrets were invented through significant investment over ten years or more, and we value them highly. Even without the secrets implemented in the processor, Pixar can gain significant competitive advantage and differentiation through implementing them in software. By disclosing the "correct" way to do high quality, high performance graphics, Pixar will lose much of this to any and all competitors, with no work on their part. Hence, the need for compensation.

What does Intel propose to give Pixar for disclosing and licensing its secrets to Intel?

Steve

---

[Engineer 1] To: Steve Jobs Cc: Andy Grove Subject: Re: Pixar-3D graphics Date: September 25, 1995, 11:22 a.m.

Steve,

We would very much like to have our meeting, but I will put that on hold based on your input. We talked to many key people on ideas to improve the microprocessor capability with the aim that this will benefit the whole industry, and everyone will benefit. We have not entered into any financial arrangement in exchange for good ideas for our microprocessors in the past and have no intention for the future.

[Engineer 1]

---

Steve Jobs To: [Engineer 1] Cc: Andy Grove Subject: Re: Pixar-3D graphics Date: September 25, 1995, 5:29 p.m.

This approach has not served you well in the past, as evidenced by your poor graphics architectures and performance. Maybe you should think of changing it for the future…

Steve

---

Steve Jobs To: Andy Grove Subject: Re: Pixar-3D graphics Date: September 25, 1995, 10:27 p.m.

Andy,

Maybe it's just me, but I find [Engineer 1]'s approach extremely arrogant, given Intel's (his?) dismal showing in understanding computer graphics architectural issues in the past…

If I were going to make hundreds of millions of something, I sure as hell would be willing to pay for the best advice money could buy… Any[way], this isn't a sales pitch; I just wanted you to know what I thought, as always.

Best,

Steve

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Andy Grove To: Steve Jobs Subject: Re[2]: Pixar-3D graphics Date: September 26, 1995, 3:12 p.m.

Steve,

I am firmly on [Engineer 1]'s side on this one. He is taking your offer to help us very seriously, rounded up the best technical people and was ready to go when you introduced a brand new element into the discussion: money.

You and I have talked many times about this subject; you never suggested or hinted at this being a commercial exchange. I took your offer to help exactly as that: help, not an offer of a commercial relationship.

You may remember, that from time to time I offered suggestions that pertained to your business. Examples range from porting NextStep to the 486 - - which was in our interest too - - to my presentation to your staff on repositioning NextStep beyond that. I am not suggesting that these are comparable in value to your expertise in graphics, but I gave what I had, put some thought into the problem I saw you were facing - - and it never entered my mind to charge for it. In my view, that's what friendly companies (and friends) do for each other. In the long run, these things balance out.

I am sorry you don't feel that way. We will be worse off as a result, and so will the industry.

Regards,

a

---

Steve Jobs To: Andy Grove Subject: Re[2]: Pixar-3D graphics Date: October 1, 1995, 3:50 p.m.

Andy,

I have many faults, but one of them is not ingratitude. And, I do agree with you that "In the long run, these things balance out."

Therefore, I have changed my position 180 degrees - - we will freely help [Engineer 1] make his processors much better for 3D graphics. Please ask [Engineer 1] to call me, and we will arrange for a meeting as soon as the appropriate Pixar technical folks can be freed up from the film.

Thanks for the clearer perspective.

Steve

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