If this article were actually true, Apple wouldn't exist as the company it is today. Steve Jobs, while not a developer, was undoubtedly brilliant, and most definitely a jerk.
It's unhelpful to pigeonhole people and then extrapolate out their actions from there, because for the most part people don't conform to whatever mental model of that stereotype you've built in your head. People are complex beyond imagining.
Besides, what's the author's sample size here? One? Two? It's an anecdote worth relating, to be sure, but I think it'd be better served by leaving the "Brilliant Jerk" bit out, and leaving it as a story about team morale being more important than the contributions of any single team member.
I think the argument is that most guys like Jobs or Gates aren't jerks. They might be a little abrasive but people often want to work with them over long periods of time.
It's unhelpful to pigeonhole people and then extrapolate out their actions from there, because for the most part people don't conform to whatever mental model of that stereotype you've built in your head. People are complex beyond imagining.
Besides, what's the author's sample size here? One? Two? It's an anecdote worth relating, to be sure, but I think it'd be better served by leaving the "Brilliant Jerk" bit out, and leaving it as a story about team morale being more important than the contributions of any single team member.