Bill Atkinson worked from home, showcasing his innovative oval routines to Apple at the Macintosh offices. Using a clever algorithm, he added code to QuickDraw to draw circles and ovals quickly on the Macintosh despite processor limitations. Surprising Steve Jobs, Atkinson was challenged to create rectangles with rounded corners, as Jobs pointed out their ubiquitous presence. Reluctant at first, Atkinson successfully developed the “RoundRects” primitive, which became a vital part of the user interface. His fast, efficient coding skills brought valuable and visually appealing elements to Apple products, leaving a lasting impact on the tech industry.
https://www.folklore.org/Round_Rects_Are_Everywhere.html