RDF Revealed


Abstract:
Turns out Woz invented it.

Body:
Yes, I know it's April 10th and I'm still covering Apple-related April Fool's material. I just came across a blog entry by Chuq Von Rospach, who claims to run Steve's famous Reality Distortion Field. Joy of Tech revealed a small glimpse of it a few months ago, but this blogger explains it in great detail.

One interesting note is that when comparing two sources on the subject, the date of the RDF's invention is uncertain. Both Moltz and Rospach agree that the RDF was brought to Jobs by Woz, but Rospach gives Sunday, 1982 as the date, while Moltz asserts that Woz actually discovered the underlying technology eight years earlier at HP.

While these accounts appear to be in conflict, I think I have it figured out. Woz acquired the HP technology in 1974, but kept it hidden away for several years so the few at HP who knew about its existence could forget about it. Then, in 1982, Woz knew that enough time had passed, and he could create inventions without them being associated with the technology simply by timing. He brought the technology out of its secret location, and later that day had the toaster incident as described by Rospach.

It's now past 6 AM... I should really stop thinking about this. I'm such a weirdo.

Posted: Monday - April 10, 2006 at 03:10 AM          

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