(Apple IIc的特殊灰白色雾外观只为凸显出白雪公主设计)

第十二章中强调了乔布斯的设计美学理念。他一直在实践着他对简单的追求:大道至简(Real artists simplify)。简约化设计理念使得乔布斯强调苹果的产品必须干净简洁(clean and simple)。随着乔布斯设计鉴赏力的提升,他开始青睐日式风格。乔布斯的设计关注集中体现对麦金塔电脑外形的完美要求,小组成员对模型一改再改。当然他也没有放过屏幕上显示的内容,乔布斯对字体等版面设计(typography)的痴迷让马库拉等人无法欣赏。乔布斯也在为所有的苹果产品寻求统一的设计风格,他举办一次名为“白雪公主”的选拔赛,想为苹果挑选一位世界顶级的设计师(world-class designer)。最终的赢家是德国设计师哈特姆特·艾斯林格(Hartmurt Esslinger)。他的设计理念又是如何得到乔布斯青睐的?

【英语原文】

Even though he was German, Esslinger proposed that there should be a “born-in-America gene for Apple’s DNA” that would produce a “California global” look, inspired by “Hollywood and music, a bit of rebellion, and natural sex
appeal.” His guiding principle was “Form follows emotion,” a play on the familiar maxim that form follows function. He produced forty models of products to demonstrate the concept, and when Jobs saw them he proclaimed, “Yes, this is it!” The Snow White look, which was adopted immediately for the Apple IIc, featured white cases, tight rounded curves, and lines of thin grooves for both ventilation and decoration. Jobs offered Esslinger a contract on the condition that he move to California. They shook hands and, in Esslinger’s not-so-modest words, “that handshake launched one of the most decisive collaborations in the history of industrial design.” From then on every Apple product has included the proud declaration “Designed in California.”(Chapter 11 The Design: Like a Porsche)

【沪江译文】

艾斯林格虽然是德国人,但他认为苹果的设计骨子里必须有土生土长的美国基因,散发出独特的加州全球化的风情。苹果设计的灵感应该来自于“好莱坞和音乐,稍带一些叛逆,又有着自然的性感魅力”。他的设计指导原则是“形式服从情感”,这其实是妙用了现代建筑设计的金科玉律“型随功能而生”。他制作了40个模型产品来展示自己的概念,当乔布斯看到这些模型时,他赞赏有加:“对,就是这个!” 这个白雪公主设计立即被Apple II的第四套机型采用:白色的机箱,紧致圆润的曲线,兼顾通风和装饰作用的超薄通风槽。乔布斯为艾斯林格提供了一份合同,条件是他必须搬到加州来。他们握手达成了协议。用艾斯林格不太谦虚的话说起来就是:“那次握手开启了工业设计历史上一次起着决定性作用的合作。”从那时起,每台苹果电脑上都会镶嵌着这样一句骄傲的宣言:“加利福利亚设计”。

【翻译笔记】

1. propose: 建议,打算,求婚。propose有很多短语的用法需要注意:

propose a toast敬酒,举杯,为...举杯庆祝propose a toast for/to sth.

propose marriage求婚,向某人求婚使用的是propose to sb.

propose countermeasures提出相应对策

May I propose a toast to our friendship and cooperation.
我提议,为我们的友谊和合作,碰杯!

I think it might be the most romantic thing to propose to her at the end of such a fantastic performance.
所以我想在这样一场精彩的表演之后向她求婚是一件最浪漫的事情。

The proposed deal is that rich countries essentially bribe poorer countries to cut emissions and adopt cleaner technologies.
拟议的交易实质上是,富国贿赂穷国,让他们削减排放和采用更清洁的技术。

2. launch:发射(导弹、火箭);发动、启动(项目);发行投放市场。

launch event 发布会 launching ceremony 启动仪式

Professor Yang has lots of experience helping new graduates lauch their own start-ups.
杨教授在帮助应届毕业生创业方面有着非常丰富的经验。

The United States Department of Education recently lauch the launched a free Web site design designed to help immigrants learn English.
美国教育部最近发布了一个帮助移民免费学习英语的网站。

3. form follows function: 型随功能而生

现代建筑的发源地德国包豪斯(Bauhaus)倡导的建筑设计哲学,深远的影响了现代建筑设计,也是世界艺术设计史上的一座里程碑。包豪斯的简约哲学正是乔布斯一直来所推崇的。Less is more:少则为多。

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