The lore of Steve Jobs has gotten so big that you probably wouldn’t be hard pressed to find people who think Jobs single handedly created both the iPod and the iPhone, maybe even while sleeping. Truth be told, Jobs is not and has never been a serious programmer and lacks any formal engineering training. Still, he’s been described as a serious hobbyist, and while Jobs may not know the intricacies of the code running OS X, he more than makes up for that with an uncanny vision as to how software should run, operate, and where technology is taking us.
That notwithstanding, it’s still a little bit surprising that a GE conducted survey of 900 UK engineering students asked to rank their engineering heroes, Jobs came in third – ahead of famed inventor Nikola Tesla and Microsoft’s Bill Gates.
Coming in first and second were Isambard Kingdom Brunel and James Dyson respectively. Brunel was a well regarded British Civil engineer responsible for building bridges, tunnels, steamships, and the Great Western Railway. Dyson, meanwhile, is an industrial designer who came up with the concept of the Dual Cyclone bag-less vacuum cleaner.
In a statement accompanying the results, GE UK CEO Mark Elobrne said: “Our research shows that iconic figures – both historic and modern – continue to inspire a new generation of engineers. We continue to see the impact of these icons all around us today; and our research shows that we have a proud tradition of pioneers and innovators in this country, which should be celebrated.”
Rounding out the list were Frank Whittle, Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, Charles Rolls, Henry Royce, and Thomas Edison.
It’s surprising to see Edison so far down on the list, though Tesla enthusiasts are probably giddy that they outranked Edison for once.
via MacWorld UK
Tue, May 10, 2011
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