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(杰夫·拉斯金发起的麦金塔项目)
第十章我们的故事来到了Mac电脑。1984年问世的麦金塔电脑/苹果机(Mac)无疑是苹果电脑划时代的产品。麦金塔项目(Macintosh Project)的发起人是一位名叫杰夫·拉斯金(Jef Raskin)的经历传奇的图形界面专家,他有一个不同凡响的创意:开发一款廉价的易用型计算机(an inexpensive computer for the masses),麦金塔项目的名称恰是取自拉斯金最喜爱的一种苹果品种McIntosh。乔布斯在被逐出lisa项目后,开始逐步渗透渗出干涉干与麦金塔项目的进程。拉斯金与乔布斯在良多方面意见相左,固执的完美主义者乔布斯以为苹果机不用自降身价摆出平价的面孔讨好消费者。拉斯金终极在这场争斗中落败,失去对麦金塔项目的控制权,并在第二年申请辞职,这时间隔他心血倾泻的苹果机上市只有两年。麦金塔项目的其他成员又是怎么看待乔布斯的呢?
【英语原文】
Some on the team found Jobs impossible to work with. “Jobs seems to introduce tension, politics, and hassles rather than enjoying a buffer from those distractions,” one engineer wrote in a memo to Raskin in December 1980. “I thoroughly enjoy talking with him, and I admire his ideas, practical perspective, and energy. But I just don’t feel that he provides the trusting, supportive, relaxed environment that I need.” But many others realized that despite his temperamental failings, Jobs had the charisma and corporate clout that would lead them to “make a dent in the universe.” Jobs told the staff that Raskin was just a dreamer, whereas he was a doer and would get the Mac done in a year. It was clear he wanted vindication for having been ousted from the Lisa group, and he was energized by competition. He publicly bet John Couch $5,000 that the Mac would ship before the Lisa. “We can make a computer that’s cheaper and better than the Lisa, and get it out first,” he told the team.(Chapter 10 The Mac Is Born : Jef Raskin's baby)
【博文译文】
翻译公司团队里的有些人觉得根本没法与乔布斯共事。“乔布斯给整个项目带来了激烈紧张、权力斗争和冲突麻烦,而从来不会想着去化解这些让人分心的的事情。” 1980年12月,有一位工程师在交给拉斯金的工作备忘录中这样表示。“我当然很喜欢跟他聊天,我很赏识他的创意点子、实用性的观点和工作热情,但是我觉得他无法提供我想要的那种彼此信任、相互支持、轻松愉悦的工作环境。” 另一方面,也有一些人觉得,固然乔布斯有着喜怒无常的性格缺点,他身上仍是有一种独特的魅力和团队影响力,引导他们想要去改变世界。乔布斯对团队成员表示拉斯金只是一个空想家,而他自己却是实干家,他会在一年内完成Mac电脑。很显著,由于他从丽莎项目被夺权,他需要证实自己,竞争激发了他的斗志。乔布斯甚大公然与丽莎项目的负责人约翰·库奇打赌5000美元,赌Mac会比Lisa电脑先完成。“我们可以做一个比丽莎更廉价更好的电脑,我们必需抢先一步做出来。”他这样告诉整个团队。
【翻译笔记】
1. buffer:计算机术语指缓冲区/缓冲器,我们常看到的视频正在缓冲即可翻译成buffering。也可指车辆中的减震器。buffer同样也是个政治词汇,缓冲国(a buffer state)指夹在两个对立的或潜伏敌对的强权国家之间的国家,并通过它的存在来避免两国之间的冲突。文中使用的buffer表示缓解,缓和的意思。
President Barack Obama's popularity remains largely intact and acts as a kind of buffer against an uncontrolled explosion of anger.
贝拉克·奥巴马总统的支持率仍然居高不下。他在一定程度上缓解了民众的愤怒情绪。
Hong Kong is a natural "buffer zone" between China and global currency markets in which pilot programmes can be conducted.
香港是中国大陆和全球货泉市场之间一个自然的“缓冲带”,大陆可以在此试点。
India has long been influential in Nepal, which it regards as a buffer against China.
印度对于尼泊尔一直很有影响力,且视其为应对中国的缓冲国。
2. temperamental failings:喜怒无常的缺点
temperament是个中性名词,表示气质、性情和性格,但加上词尾变化成形容词则表示脾气喜怒无常、捉摸不定。
failings词根为动词fail(失败),表示失败、过失和缺点。failings还有一个比较特殊的用法,用作介词表示假如没有...
In fact, he was considered a terrible grouch, a very mean-spirited and temperamental person.
事实上,他是个出了名的坏脾气,大家都觉得他气量心胸狭窄、喜怒无常。
You may find her at home, or failing that, try the library.
她可能在家,假如没有,你就去藏书楼找找看。
3. make a dent in the universe: 在世界留下印记,改变世界。
dent的原意是指凹痕,make a dent in the universe,渺小的人在茫茫宇宙留下痕迹,用自己的气力改变世界。《乔布斯传》的中文译本的宣传语“活着就是为了改变世界”的原文等于:We are here to put a dent in the universe, (Otherwise why else even be here),这也是乔布斯一直以来的梦想和愿景,他做到了。
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