乔布斯传 第424期:产品线评估(2)

 The product review revealed how unfocused Apple had become. 产品评估显示出苹果的产品线十分不集中。

The company was churning out multiple versions of each product because of bureaucratic¹ momentum² and to satisfy the whims³ of retailers⁴. 这个公司在官僚作风的驱动下对每个产品炮制出若干版本，去满足零售商的奇思怪想。

"It was insanity," Schiller recalled. "Tons of products, most of them crap, done by deluded⁵ teams." “真是荒谬，”席勒回忆说，“无数的产品，大部分都是垃圾，由迷茫的开发团队制造。”

Apple had a dozen versions of the Macintosh, each with a different confusing number, ranging from 1400 to 9600. 光是麦金塔就有很多个版本，每个版本都有不同的、让人困惑的编号，从1400到9600。

"I had people explaining this to me for three weeks," Jobs said. "I couldn't figure it out." “我让他们给我解释了三个星期，”乔布斯说，“我还是搞不明白。”

He finally began asking simple questions, like, "Which ones do I tell my friends to buy?" 最后他干脆开始问一些简单的问题，比如：“我应该让我的朋友们买哪些？”

When he couldn't get simple answers, he began slashing⁶ away at models and products. Soon he had cut 70% of them. 当无法得到简单的回答时，他就开始大刀阔斧地砍掉不同的型号和产品。很快他就砍掉了70%。

"You are bright people," he told one group. "You shouldn't be wasting your time on such crappy products." “你们是聪明人，”他对一个小组说，“不应该把时间浪费在这样的垃圾产品上。”

Many of the engineers were infuriated at his slash-and-burn tactics, which resulted in massive layoffs⁷. 很多工程师被他这种粗暴、严苛的手段激怒了，因为这样会导致大规模的裁员。

But Jobs later claimed that the good engineers, including some whose projects were killed, were appreciative⁸. 但是乔布斯后来宣称，优秀的员工，包括有些项目被毙掉的员工，都赞成这种做法。

He told one staff meeting in September 1997, 他在1997年9月的一次员工会议上说：

"I came out of the meeting with people who had just gotten their products canceled and they were three feet off the ground with excitement “工程团队无比兴奋，开完会，有一些产品刚被砍掉的人激动得一跳三尺高，

because they finally understood where in the heck we were going." 因为他们终于明白了我们在朝哪个方向前进。”

1 bureaucratic   

adj.官僚的，繁文缛节的

参考例句：

• The sweat of labour washed away his bureaucratic airs.劳动的汗水冲掉了他身上的官气。
• In this company you have to go through complex bureaucratic procedures just to get a new pencil.在这个公司里即使是领一支新铅笔，也必须通过繁琐的手续。

2 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

3 WHIMS   

虚妄，禅病

参考例句：

• The mate observed regretfully that he could not account for that young fellow's whims. 那位伙伴很遗憾地说他不能说出那年轻人产生怪念头的原因。
• The rest she had for food and her own whims. 剩下的钱她用来吃饭和买一些自己喜欢的东西。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

4 retailers   

零售商，零售店( retailer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• High street retailers reported a marked increase in sales before Christmas. 商业街的零售商报告说圣诞节前销售量显著提高。
• Retailers have a statutory duty to provide goods suitable for their purpose. 零售商有为他们提供符合要求的货品的法定义务。

5 deluded   

v.欺骗，哄骗( delude的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Don't be deluded into thinking that we are out of danger yet. 不要误以为我们已脱离危险。
• She deluded everyone into following her. 她骗得每个人都听信她的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 slashing   

adj.尖锐的；苛刻的；鲜明的；乱砍的v.挥砍( slash的现在分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减

参考例句：

• Slashing is the first process in which liquid treatment is involved. 浆纱是液处理的第一过程。 来自辞典例句
• He stopped slashing his horse. 他住了手，不去鞭打他的马了。 来自辞典例句

7 layoffs   

临时解雇( layoff的名词复数 )； 停工，停止活动

参考例句：

• Textile companies announced 2000 fresh layoffs last week. 各纺织公司上周宣布再次裁员两千人。
• Stock prices broke when the firm suddenly announced layoffs. 当公司突然宣布裁员时，股票价格便大跌

8 appreciative   

adj.有鉴赏力的，有眼力的；感激的

参考例句：

• She was deeply appreciative of your help.她对你的帮助深表感激。
• We are very appreciative of their support in this respect.我们十分感谢他们在这方面的支持。