Jobs takes third place in UK 'Engineering Heroes' list
updated 12:50 pm EDT, Mon May 9, 2011
Places above Tesla, Einstein, Edison
Apple CEO Steve Jobs has taken third place in a list of "Engineering Heroes" picked by UK engineering undergraduates. About 900 people in all were surveyed by General Electric. Jobs' selection is somewhat unusual in that the executive is not famous for his engineering skills; he is, however, known to be deeply involved in setting the design principles of Apple products, to the extent of controlling small details. His influence can be seen in devices such as the iMac, iPod and iPhone.
Top on the list was Isambard Kingdom Brunel, a British engineer famous for achievements like the Great Western Railway and the first propeller-based transatlantic steamship. Just above Jobs is James Dyson, known for his high-powered vacuum cleaners as well as supporting other engineering work.
Jobs is ranked above some more historically important figures, such as Nikola Tesla, the inventor of AC power, and Frank Whittle, the inventor of the jet engine. Other historical figures in the top 10 include Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, Charles Rolls, Henry Royce and Thomas Edison. Former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates is the only other high-tech representative on the list at #5, just underneath Tesla.
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Joined: May 2001
What?
Okay even I, the quintessential Apple fanboy, have to gag on this one. Steve Jobs an engineering hero, more valued than Einstein or Tesla? Give me a frigg'n break. Jobs is going down in history as one of most famous CEOs ever. Jobsonian business and marketing practices will be taught and discussed in business schools for decades. But an engineer Jobs ain't. Jobs is a visionary, an innovator, and a motivator. Every fanboy knows that Wozniak designed the hardware according to demands and input from Steve but Jobs hawked it up to see if anyone would buy it. Job's genius is in getting engineers to produce products that people find easy to use and want to buy, NOT engineering.