The Steve Jobs Archive hopes to put a ding in the universe

Scheduled to take place alongside the iPhone 14 launch, the joint appearance of Laurene Powell Jobs, Tim Cook and Jony Ive at Kara Swisher’s last Code conference also saw the launch of the Steve Jobs Archive, which promises to be a rich resource of inspiration and more.

What is the archive?

Laurene Powell Jobs, Jony Ive and Tim Cook jointly launched The Steve Jobs Archive at Code. It is dedicated to celebrating the work and achievements of Steve Jobs. It also aims to further what he did.

As you might anticipate, the website is lightweight, elegant and currently relatively sparse. You’ll find rare images of Jobs along with selected quotes, videos and audio snippets capturing some of the memorable things he said. I imagine this collection is intended to expand over time.

The Archive certainly seems to have bigger plans. “With respect for the past and excitement for the future, the Steve Jobs Archive offers people the tools and opportunities to make their own contribution,” it says.

“We are building programs, fellowships, collections, and partnerships that reflect Steve’s values and carry his sense of possibility forward.”

It doesn’t (yet) explain the nature of these, but it seems likely they hope to make the archive an active space for inspiration and change.

What a historic and sentimental and beautiful way to end the second day of #CodeCon. @karaswisher speaking to Jony Ive, Laurene Powell Jobs and @tim_cook about Steve Jobs and his legacy. pic.twitter.com/i3tVNFGzYo

— Brooke Hammerling (@brooke) September 8, 2022

An active space for inspiration and change

“While we do have some artifacts and some actual real material, the archive is much more about ideas,” Powell Jobs said at Code.

She also explained the plans for the archive are

“Rooted in Steve’s long held notion that once you understand that, outside of the natural world, everything in the built environment and all the systems that govern our life on the planet were built and designed by other humans. Once you have that insight, you understand that you as a human can change it, can prod it, can perhaps, interrogate it and stretch it. In that way, human progress happens.”

[Also read: Here is why Apple’s Steve Jobs loved to walk and so should you]

In 1994, Steve Jobs explained this point of view when speaking to the Santa Clara Valley Historical Association. It remains one of my favorite clips featuring the man. You can watch it here.

There’s also this very interesting prediction piece some readers may enjoy:

Too many people misunderstood 

It is also interesting, at least, it is to me, that numerous bosses and managers always seem to look to Steve Jobs to as an inspiration for their approach. In many cases, the inspiration they seek is only to be dominant or indeed to bully staff, arguing that this is what Steve did. I think their understanding is shallow, one-dimensional, and nothing more than an excuse to justify their own desire for tyranny.

To my mind, that is a huge misunderstanding of the man, because on the very brief occasions I met him and having read widely about him, I consider that his exacting behaviour was also combined with a deep sense of spiritual humanity and coupled with extreme empathy.

I rather imagine large tracts of the business world would operate far more effectively if leadership focused on empathy, rather than exactitude. Because here’s to the crazy ones, the ones who move things forward. They don’t respect rules. Etc. I’ll be interested to see what else emerges at the Steve Jobs Archives.

Further reading

• Watch: Apple’s Steve Jobs explains what it takes to be smart
• Steve Jobs remembered, 65 years since birth
• Watch: Steve Jobs predict the future we live in today – in 1981
• Video: Steve Jobs talks iPhone with ABC in 2007
• VIDEO: Steve Jobs on designing the NeXT logo
• 12 new facts we learned about the legendary Steve Jobs
• Steve Jobs on Great Ideas And Craftsmanship
• Did You Know Steve Jobs Played ‘Special’ Chess?
• What Steve Jobs Said About The Future of Television
• Laurene Powell Jobs profiles Apple’s Tim Cook in Time 100

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