Steve Jobs' claim about Apple II power supply design disputed
Steve Jobs' biography asserts Rod Holt's Apple II power supply was revolutionary, a claim now contested. While Jobs stated Holt's switching design, which operated at thousands of times per second, was copied by all modern computers, investigations suggest the concept predates the Apple II and modern designs differ significantly, challenging the notion of a rip-off.
Key points
- Steve Jobs' biography credits Rod Holt with a revolutionary switching power supply design for the Apple II.
- Jobs claimed this design was widely copied by all subsequent computers.
- Independent investigation suggests the switching power supply concept existed before the Apple II.
- Modern computer power supplies reportedly differ significantly from Holt's design.
- The claim challenges the narrative that Holt's specific design was foundational for current technology.
A new biography of Steve Jobs features his assertion that Rod Holt's design for the Apple II's power supply was a revolutionary innovation.
Jobs stated that Holt's switching power supply, which operated thousands of times per second compared to the typical sixty times, was so groundbreaking that every computer since has effectively copied his design. He emphasized that Holt deserved more historical recognition for this contribution, which Jobs equated in significance to the Apple II's logic board.
However, subsequent investigations into the history of power supply technology cast doubt on these claims. While switching power supplies did undergo significant development, sources suggest the core concept predates the Apple II's power supply. Furthermore, modern computer power supplies are described as technologically distinct from Holt's original design, leading to the conclusion that the claim of widespread adoption and copying of Holt's specific architecture may be inaccurate.
Sources
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