乔布斯传 第235期:NeXT计算机(5)

 　　Joanna Hoffman, the veteran of the Macintosh team who was among those willing to challenge Jobs, did so.

　　麦金塔团队的老成员乔安娜·霍夫曼是敢于挑战乔布斯的人之一，她又一次这样做了。

　　"Reality distortion has motivational value, and I think that's fine," she said as Jobs stood at a whiteboard.

　　“现实扭曲具有激励价值，我觉得这很好。”她说，当时乔布斯站在白板前，

　　"However, when it comes to setting a date in a way that affects the design of the product, then we get into real deep shit."

　　“但是，出货日期会影响产品的设计，所以在设定这种日期的时候，如果还扭曲现实就会带来大麻烦。”

　　Jobs didn't agree: "I think we have to drive a stake in the ground somewhere,

　　乔布斯不同意，“我觉得我们必须赌一把，

　　and I think if we miss this window, then our credibility starts to erode¹."

　　而且，我认为，如果错过了这个时间，我们的信誉就会受损。”

　　双语有声读物 乔布斯传

　　What he did not say, even though it was suspected by all,

　　尽管很多人都怀疑之所以不能推迟

　　was that if their targets slipped they might run out of money.

　　是因为目标如果没有实现就可能资金短缺，但乔布斯并没有提及这个原因。

　　Jobs had pledged $7 million of his own funds,

　　他自己在NeXT公司投了700万美元，

　　but at their current burn rate that would run out in eighteen months

　　但是按照他们当时的资金消耗速度，这笔钱只能撑18个月；

　　if they didn't start getting some revenue from shipped products.

　　如果那时还无法通过出货获得收入，他们就没钱了。

　　Three months later, when they returned to Pebble² Beach for their next retreat,

　　3个月后，他们为又一次外出集思会回到了圆石滩，

　　Jobs began his list of maxims³ with "The honeymoon⁴ is over."

　　乔布斯训话时开场说道：“蜜月结束了。”

　　By the time of the third retreat, in Sonoma in September 1986,

　　1986年9月，第三次外出集思会，

　　the timetable was gone, and it looked as though the company would hit a financial wall.

　　整个时间表已不见踪影，看上去NeXT已经走上了财政末路。

1 erode   

v.侵蚀，腐蚀，使...减少、减弱或消失

参考例句：

• Once exposed,soil is quickly eroded by wind and rain.一旦暴露在外，土壤很快就会被风雨侵蚀。
• Competition in the financial marketplace has eroded profits.金融市场的竞争降低了利润。

2 pebble   

n.卵石，小圆石

参考例句：

• The bird mistook the pebble for egg and tried to hatch it.这只鸟错把卵石当蛋，想去孵它。
• The pebble made a ripple on the surface of the lake.石子在湖面上激起一个涟漪。

3 maxims   

n.格言，座右铭( maxim的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Courts also draw freely on traditional maxims of construction. 法院也自由吸收传统的解释准则。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• There are variant formulations of some of the maxims. 有些准则有多种表达方式。 来自辞典例句

4 honeymoon   

n.蜜月（假期）；vi.度蜜月

参考例句：

• While on honeymoon in Bali,she learned to scuba dive.她在巴厘岛度蜜月时学会了带水肺潜水。
• The happy pair are leaving for their honeymoon.这幸福的一对就要去度蜜月了。