So apparently Steve Jobs, the ruthless perfectionist and ex-CEO of Apple, was a major Willy Wonka fan. He adored Willy Wonka so much that he wanted to cosplay as the candy tycoon and personally freak out treat the millionth iMac buyer!

In Ken Segall's new book 'Insanely Simple: The Obsession That Drives Apple's Success', it was revealed that Jobs wanted to pull a Wonka by putting a golden certigicate into the box of a millionth iMac sold. The lucky buyer would then be flown to Cupertino for a free Apple campus tour.

Steve's idea was to do a Willy Wonka with it. Just as Wonka did in the movie, Steve wanted to put a golden certificate representing the millionth iMac inside the box of one iMac, and publicize that fact. Whoever opened the lucky iMac box would be refunded the purchase price and be flown to Cupertino, where he or she (and, presumably, the accompanying family) would be taken on a tour of the Apple campus.

Steve had already instructed his internal creative group to design a prototype golden certificate, which he shared with us. But the killer was that Steve wanted to go all out on this. He wanted to meet the lucky winner in full Willy Wonka garb. Yes, complete with top hat and tails.

All this would have been a dream come true if it wasn't for a California state law that requires the contest be open to non-purchasers as well. Jobs then killed the plan knowing that a non-Apple fan could potentially win.

Picture from CollegeHumor's "Charlie and the Apple Factory."