Tevanian out of retirement, joins Elevation Partners
Apple’s former software chief has resurfaced following several quiet years punctuated by family activities and very little professional activity — sounds like a really nice way to spend your time (and fortune).
News.com reports that Avie Tevanian, once Apple’s software vice president and the father of OS X, is back in the game, but this time on the investor side. He’s joined Elevation Partners, a venture capital firm that former Apple chief financial officer Fred Anderson helped found with money from folks like U2′s Bono.
Thereupon, News.com is running an interview with Tevanian, covering a wide range of topics.
Here’s an excerpt of the excerpt:
Q. There’s a lot of talk right now around new user interfaces, things like voice and touch. How big a deal you think that is going to be?
Tevanian: I think it’s already been a big deal. The whole touch interface is probably at its very early stages, which is interesting because I know when I was at Apple we were working on it many years ago, certainly before I had left. It’s good to see it getting out there. Everybody is starting to use it, but my guess is there is still a lot more to be done there.
Q. What kinds of things do you think we will be doing three, four, or five years from now in terms of how we interact with devices? Do you think the keyboard and mouse will still be there, just augmented?
Tevanian: Old technologies rarely go away quickly. They usually do, as you say, get augmented by other technologies and every technology has a purpose. You’re typing away at your keyboard right now. No matter how good somebody makes a touch interface on a phone, it’s going to be a while before you take your notes on a phone. Unless you find yourself in a place where that’s all you’ve got and now you are thankful you can jot a few things down. These things tend to generally be additive and they tend to find their proper roles. I think that’s what we’ll see happen.
Whereas it’s sublimely obvious why Tevanian made a super vice president and deserves to be know as the father Mac OS X, arguably the best operating system available, it’s just as clear he wouldn’t make much of blogger, being thoughtful and reasonable as he is…
What’s your take?
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