It took us three years to build the NeXT computer. If we'd given customers what they said they wanted, we'd have built a computer they'd have been happy with a year after we spoke to them - not something they'd want now.

Summary

This quote, often attributed to Steve Jobs, highlights the philosophy behind innovation. It suggests that simply giving customers what they explicitly ask for may result in a product that becomes outdated by the time it is released. By taking the time and effort to exceed customer expectations and anticipate their future needs, companies can create products that are not only satisfactory but also ahead of the curve, providing customers with something they want and may not have realized they needed. In this quote, the NeXT computer, developed by Jobs' company, exemplifies this approach towards building products.

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