乔布斯传 第228期:靠自己(7)

　　Jobs decreed that the computer should be an absolutely perfect cube,

　　乔布斯规定，计算机必须是绝对完美的立方体，

　　with each side exactly a foot long and every angle precisely¹ 90 degrees.

　　每条边都正好一英尺长，每个角都是90度。

　　He liked cubes. They had gravitas but also the slight whiff of a toy.

　　他喜欢立方体，它们庄严但也有玩具的感觉。

　　But the NeXT cube was a Jobsian example of design desires trumping² engineering considerations.

　　但是，NeXT立方体是乔布斯式功能适应形式的例子。

　　The circuit boards, which fitted nicely into the traditional pizza-box shape,

　　本来电路板能够很好地契合传统的比萨饼盒的形状，

　　had to be reconfigured and stacked in order to nestle into a cube.

　　为了适应立方体的结构，电路板必须重新配置和安装。

　　Even worse, the perfection of the cube made it hard to manufacture.

　　更糟的是，完美的立方体生产起来也很困难。

　　乔布斯传

　　Most parts that are cast in molds have angles that are slightly greater than pure 90 degrees,

　　大部分模具铸造出来的零件都不是纯直角，而是会稍微超过90度，

　　so that it's easier to get them out of the mold

　　因为这样会比较容易把零件从模具中拿出来。

　　just as it is easier to get a cake out of a pan that has angles slightly greater than 90 degrees.

　　就像平底锅锅沿的角度稍微超过90度，煎饼会比较容易拿出来一样。

　　But Esslinger dictated³, and Jobs enthusiastically agreed,

　　但是，艾斯林格下了如下命令，乔布斯对此表示狂热支持。

　　that there would be no such "draft angles" that would ruin the purity and perfection of the cube.

　　即不能有这种拔模角度，不能破坏立方体的纯粹和完美

　　So the sides had to be produced separately, using molds that cost $650,000, at a specialty⁴ machine shop in Chicago.

　　因此，每一面都必须分开制作，使用价格65万美元的模具，在芝加哥的一家专业机器加工厂制作。

1 precisely   

adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地

参考例句：

• It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
• The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。

2 trumping   

v.（牌戏）出王牌赢（一牌或一墩）( trump的现在分词 )；吹号公告，吹号庆祝；吹喇叭；捏造

参考例句：

• Reality has a way of trumping art, and human-climate change is very real indeed. 现实总有它的王牌艺术，受人类影响的气候变化的确成了事实。 来自互联网
• This quirky aversion may be a case of psychological security trumping physical comfort. 这种奇怪现象可能是缘于一个心理上的安全感战胜生理上的舒适感的例子。 来自互联网

3 dictated   

v.大声讲或读( dictate的过去式和过去分词 )；口授；支配；摆布

参考例句：

• He dictated a letter to his secretary. 他向秘书口授信稿。
• No person of a strong character likes to be dictated to. 没有一个个性强的人愿受人使唤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 specialty   

n.(speciality)特性，特质；专业，专长

参考例句：

• Shell carvings are a specialty of the town.贝雕是该城的特产。
• His specialty is English literature.他的专业是英国文学。