And yet there are people who followed him from Apple to NeXT and then came back to Apple, like Bud Tribble and George Crow. And people who went along from NeXT to Apple, or Pixar to NeXT to Apple. And people who were laid off from NeXT when they stopped making hardware, like Jon Rubenstein, who joined Apple in the Jobs era.

For being a prick, he seems to have managed to attract some long-term loyalty.

I think pricks are better-tolerated when they are trying to achieve something their underlings think is worthwhile and unique.