Not really. By '85, the idea that an all-encompassing global computer network was coming was pretty well established. SMTP and DNS were up and (as tdicola noted) there were already a fair number of people on a recognisable modern Internet. The ITU was already well into a very serious and high-profile push for its own alternative to TCP/IP. Sun Microsystems had already launched, and afaik had already made "the network is the computer" its slogan. CompuServe CIS was running two-page ads http://www.amazon.com/CompuServe-Computer-Information-Servic... ; Minitel was several years old. Doug Engelbart and Ted Nelson had been celebrated or mocked figures in computing circles for many years. Flipping Neuromancer had come out the previous year.

(Speaking of Ted Nelson and ubiquitous microcomputers, the desirability of microcomputers in homes and schools was already received wisdom; the BBC had been evangelising it since 1981. I have colour-printed computer-programming books released by a major children's publisher (Usborne) around 1983-5 sitting behind my monitor here.)

So Jobs' statement wasn't remarkably prescient. Certainly, a lot of other people weren't as clearly aware of what was coming in 1985; but for someone whose job was to be the leader and chief visionary of a forward-looking computer company, "respectably well-informed" would be closer to it.

(I didn't downvote you.)

I recall it being fairly obvious to everyone who was familiar with them that things were going that direction. It was prevalent enough that Neuromancer pretty much nailed it, a year before this interview, despite Gibson not having ever touched a computer.

Shockwave Rider covered it in 1975, and described a network worm.

> Most people didn't even think a PC would be important for everybody

Literally every single teacher I had in elementary school (which overlapped the time of this interview) raised this -- that learning to use and deeply understand computers would be broadly important for everyone was, if anything more prevalent in the 1980s than today (while its assumed today that everyone will use computers, its controversial that anyone but the tech high priesthood will need to learn to use them specifically.)

> much less internet.

The internet specifically, maybe not; people were widely recognizing the value to the public of consumer-focussed online information services like CompuServe, but "the internet" -- while it existed -- hadn't yet connected with the consumer-focussed world.

>(as a fad, novelty, for nerds only, etc)

You mean exactly the same way that electric cars were being addressed over the last 4 years or so?