乔布斯传 第84期:丽萨的出世(2)

 The one they reverse-engineered was "local integrated systems architecture," and despite being meaningless it became the official explanation for the name.

他们把这个缩写逆推，得到了“本地集成系统架构”,尽管这个短语毫无意义，它还是成为了丽萨这个名字的官方解释。

Among the engineers it was referred to as "Lisa: invented stupid acronym¹."

工程师们私下把这个名字解释为“Lisa:编造的愚蠢缩写”。

Years later, when I asked about the name, Jobs admitted simply, "Obviously it was named for my daughter."

多年以后，当我向乔布斯问起这个名字的时候，他坦率地承认：“这很显然是以我女儿的名字命名的。”

The Lisa was conceived as a $2,000 machine based on a sixteen-bit microprocessor², rather than the eight-bit one used in the Apple II.

丽萨被定位成一台售价2000美元的电脑，采用16位微处理器，取代了Apple II上使用的8位微处理器。

Without the wizardry of Wozniak, who was still working quietly on the Apple II,

缺少了当时仍在Apple II项目中埋头苦干的沃兹尼亚克的才华，

the engineers began producing a straightforward³ computer with a conventional text display, unable to push the powerful microprocessor to do much exciting stuff.

工程师们开始制造一台中规中矩的电脑，它使用传统的文本显示，也无法释放微处理器的强大性能去完成激动人心的任务。

Jobs began to grow impatient with how boring it was turning out to be.

这款产品日渐显现出它的平庸，乔布斯开始失去耐心了。

There was, however, one programmer who was infusing the project with some life: Bill Atkinson.

然而，有一名叫比尔·阿特金森的程序员给这个项目注入了一些活力。

He was a doctoral student in neuroscience who had experimented with his fair share of acid.

他是神经系统科学专业的博士生，也尝试过不少迷幻剂。

When he was asked to come work for Apple, he declined.

最初受邀加入苹果的时候，他拒绝了。

But then Apple sent him a nonrefundable plane ticket, and he decided⁴ to use it and let Jobs try to persuade him.

但是后来苹果公司给他寄去一张不可退票的机票，于是他决定用上这张机票，让乔布斯设法说服他。

1 acronym   

n.首字母简略词，简称

参考例句：

• That's a mouthful of an acronym for a very simple technology.对于一项非常简单的技术来说，这是一个很绕口的缩写词。
• TSDF is an acronym for Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facilities.TSDF是处理，储存和处置设施的一个缩写。

2 microprocessor   

n.微信息处理机

参考例句：

• I've got a typerwriter with a microprocessor.我有一台装有微处理机的打字机。
• I decided to write a program for a microprocessor.我决定为微处理机编制一套程序。

3 straightforward   

adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的

参考例句：

• A straightforward talk is better than a flowery speech.巧言不如直说。
• I must insist on your giving me a straightforward answer.我一定要你给我一个直截了当的回答。

4 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。