In early 1982, Apple engineer Chris Espinosa faced a challenge familiar to many: how to satisfy Steve Jobs’s relentless perfectionism. Jobs spent days scrutinizing the Macintosh’s calculator interface, pushing for a more intuitive and elegant solution. To break the deadlock, the 21-year-old developer created a playful prototype called the “Steve Jobs Roll Your Own Calculator Construction Set,” allowing Jobs to craft the interface himself.

This anecdote, shared on Andy Hertzfeld’s renowned tech history site Folklore.org, highlights how a spontaneous experiment can influence a product’s design. It underscores the importance of user-friendly menus and simplicity — principles that Apple has championed since its early days.

Chris Espinosa joined Apple at just 14 and became the youngest employee in the company’s history. His collaboration with Jobs, especially during the Macintosh’s development, demonstrates how a combination of creativity and direct engagement can shape groundbreaking technology.

Experts note that innovative user interface ideas often stem from informal testing and trial-and-error rather than rigid committee decisions. This story illustrates how a brief, playful interaction can lead to a design that becomes iconic for decades.

David Nield

Dave is a freelance tech journalist with over 20 years covering gadgets, apps, and the web. From Stockport, England, he covers news, features, and reviews for TechRadar, focusing on phones, tablets, and wearables. He ensures top weekend breaking news and has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci, and others. He edited PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook for years. Read me on x.com or linkedin.