Ronald Wayne facts for kids

Ronald Gerald Wayne (born May 17, 1934) is an American business executive who is now retired. He helped start Apple Computer Company (now Apple Inc.) with Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs. This happened on April 1, 1976. Ronald Wayne helped by managing paperwork and keeping records for the new company.

Just twelve days later, he sold his 10% share of Apple back to Jobs and Wozniak for US$800 (equivalent to $4,100 in 2022). A year later, he received another $1,500 (equivalent to $7,700 in 2022). This meant he gave up any future claims to the company.

Early Life and Education

Ronald Wayne was born in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. His birthday is May 17, 1934. He learned how to be a technical draftsman. This means he was trained to draw detailed plans and designs. He studied at the School of Industrial Art High School in New York City.

Career Journey

In 1956, when he was 22, Ronald Wayne moved to California. In 1971, he started his first business. He designed and made slot machines. However, this business did not succeed and failed within its first year.

Working at Atari (1973–1976)

Ronald Wayne became a Senior Designer at Atari. He created the official systems for documents and materials. This system helped Atari keep track of its inventory. It made manufacturing more efficient. It also stopped the company from losing money. This was because materials were no longer lost or misfiled.

His documentation system included instructions for games. It also had circuit diagrams and designs for arcade game cabinets. As a product development manager, he designed video game cases. He also helped develop games like Gran-Track Racing. His time at Atari ended after Warner Communications bought the company.

Starting Apple (1976–1977)

In 1976, Ronald Wayne was well-known for his excellent documentation systems. He worked at Atari, where he met Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. Jobs and Wozniak often had intense discussions about computer design. Wayne invited them to his home to help them talk things through.

During their two-hour talk, Jobs suggested starting a computer company. Wozniak and Jobs would each own 45% of it. Wayne would get a 10% share. This was so he could help make decisions if Jobs and Wozniak disagreed. Wayne, who was 41, wrote the first partnership agreement. The three of them officially started Apple Computer on April 1, 1976.

Wayne also drew the first pictures for the Apple logo. This logo was known as Apple Newton. He also wrote the instructions manual for the Apple I computer.

Why Wayne Left Apple

Ronald Wayne had a bad experience with his earlier slot machine business. He had spent a year paying off debts from it. This made him careful about taking risks with money. Steve Jobs got a $15,000 line of credit for Apple. This money was to buy parts for Apple's first order. The order came from a company called the Byte Shop. This company was known for paying slowly.

This made Wayne very worried about his own money. In a partnership, all members are personally responsible for any debts. Unlike Jobs and Wozniak, who were younger, Wayne had personal assets. These assets could be taken by creditors if the business failed. Also, Wayne loved designing products, not managing paperwork. He felt he was "standing in the shadow of giants" when it came to product design.

He wanted to protect his money. So, he left the company. Twelve days after creating the document that started Apple, he officially withdrew his name. Wayne was later paid $800 for giving up his share. Steve Wozniak later said that Wayne left after a few months, not just twelve days.

No Regrets

In the years that followed, Wayne said he does not regret selling his share. He felt it was the "best decision based on the information available at the time." He believed Apple would be successful. However, he also thought there could be big problems along the way. He felt he "couldn't risk it."

He said he was "getting too old" for the fast pace of Jobs and Wozniak. He described them as "whirlwinds." He felt he "couldn't keep up with these guys." Even though Apple became one of the most valuable companies, he said that staying with Apple would have been too risky and stressful. He joked he "probably would have wound up the richest man in the cemetery."

Key Contributions to Apple

• Ronald Wayne created internal system documents and inventory tracking systems for Atari. These systems were quickly used by Apple.
• He designed the first company logo, which was called Apple Newton.
• The first Apple I computer was built using a special wiring method. Ronald created the detailed drawings for the circuit board. These drawings were in the Apple-1 Operations Manual.
• These detailed drawings allowed others to create the final circuit board designs. This helped Apple make many circuit boards, or motherboards. Motherboards were important for mass-producing Apple I computers.
• Ronald wrote the Apple-1 Operations Manual. This book gave early customers instructions on how to put together and use their new home computer. In 1976, home computers were very new.
• The first Apple I did not have a proper case. Some buyers used briefcases as a temporary case. For the Apple II, a better case was needed to protect the parts.
• To make the computer smaller and cheaper, he designed a new way to place the motherboard horizontally. This allowed the monitor to sit on top of the computer. It also helped more parts fit inside one case.

After Leaving Apple

After leaving Apple, Ronald Wayne stayed at Atari until 1978. He did not return to Apple, even when Steve Jobs tried to get him back. Later, he joined Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. He also worked at Thor Electronics, an electronics company in Salinas, California.

In the late 1970s, Wayne ran a stamp shop in Milpitas, California. He closed it after several break-ins. He then moved his stamp business to his home.

Steve Jobs later asked Wayne to help with a business deal for Apple. Jobs wanted to buy a friend's company. But Wayne told his friend to keep the company. He suggested his friend license the technology to Apple instead of selling the whole business. Wayne later said he regretted interfering with this decision. He felt he should have let Jobs and his friend talk directly.

Media Appearances

Ronald Wayne was in a documentary called Welcome to Macintosh in 2008. In the film, he talks about his early experiences with Jobs and Wozniak.

In July 2011, Wayne wrote a book about his life called Adventures of an Apple Founder. He had planned for it to be sold only on the Apple Books store at first, but this did not happen.

Wayne also wrote a book about society and economics. It is called Insolence of Office and was released on October 1, 2011.

See also

In Spanish: Ronald Wayne para niños