Computers Quote by Joe Keenan
““Get your feet off my desk, get out of here, you stink, and we're not going to buy your product." -- Atari President Joe Keenan, responding to Steve Jobs' offer to sell him rights to the new personal computer he and Steve Wozniak developed (1976)””
About This Quote
Source Interview: Atari internal meeting, 1976, response to Steve Jobs
A dismissive rebuke rejecting a product offer, emphasizing personal disdain and business decision
In simple terms: Rejecting a proposal with contempt
Key Takeaway
Know when to decline offers decisively
Themes
business
rejection
ego
product development
Mood
defensive
assertive
Type
business
anecdotal
When to use this quote
- Corporate meetings
- sales pitches
- product negotiations
- entrepreneurial encounters
Key Concepts
Negotiation
power dynamics
personal boundaries
Questions to Reflect On
- What are the long‑term effects of harsh rejections?
- How could the same outcome be achieved more diplomatically?
A Different Perspective
Such bluntness can damage future relationships
![“Steve Wozniak admittedly would never like say the things he said to Steve Jobs [in the movie] in the context that he said them.” quote by Seth Rogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9f7/seth-rogen-1831_jobs_steve-wozniak-admittedly-would-never-lik_945516.jpg)
![“Along with reading as much as I could about Andy, several of the real folks came in besides Andy [Hertzfeld] - Joanna Hoffman and John Sculley and Steve Wozniak all came in and spoke with us - so we had the advent of being around the real people and feeling their spirit, in talking to them about…” quote by Michael Stuhlbarg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a1d/michael-stuhlbarg-12244_advent_along-with-reading-as-much-as-i-could-ab_3204663.jpg)
