Month: January 2020

The Smart Torch™

The Smart Torch™

When I worked on the Mail Team, we had this gorgeous styrofoam and paper thing we called the Smart Torch. It had a realistic flame on the side made out of a sticker. Here’s what it looked like:

Smart Torch, appropriately displayed on a native Sycamore bench.

I have no recollection who made it. The important thing was what it represented. It was conceptually brilliant.

Here’s how it worked.

  1. Someone was always the current keeper of the Smart Torch. It’s a bit of a chicken and egg thing about who the original keeper was.
  2. Whenever the keeper of the Smart Torch observed another team member doing something really smart, they awarded them the Smart Torch.
  3. Then, the cycle repeated itself.

Having the Smart Torch was a great honor, and of course, how long you had it was also a matter of great pride. I mean look at it. It’s …

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Eye Candy QA (2005-2011)

Eye Candy QA (2005-2011)

All in-depth articles about my Apple career:

My longest job at Apple was about 7 years and there were many great reasons for it.

The unusual thing about my team is that my boss and other team members all worked out of home offices, while I worked out of Cupertino (and often at home).

How did I get on this team?

This is one of my favorite personal stories at Apple. When I first started on the Mail team, Scott Forstall was one level above the manager of the Mail team. Although we frequently butted heads, he was instrumental in my career.

I was wanting to flee the Aperture…

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