Steve Jobs (1955-2011)

[markseven]

where the fuck do you live?

For some reason this really cracked me up.

[scabzzzz]

8=====d ~ ~

[markseven]

Well, sorta.. but that's like saying ford stole the idea for the model T from horse drawn carriages.

And then turned it into a Fiat by way of the round mouse that shipped with the iMac.

[cg138]

RIP Steve Jobs. You will be missed.

[cale]

Yea it's sad he died, to claim he's the most influential man of our generation...you're an idiot.

Fuck you. RIP Steve Jobs.

Why, because I have an opinion that differs from yours? Quit being a whiny little bitch.

[Earendil]

He was a great visionary, but he didn't "invent" anything. He just had a knack for realizing when an idea had potential and selling the hell out of it.

I and the US patent office beg to differ.

From Wikipedia, with citations to back it up if you want to click through.

"Jobs is listed as either primary inventor or co-inventor in 338 US patents or patent applications related to a range of technologies from actual computer and portable devices to user interfaces (including touch-based), speakers, keyboards, power adapters, staircases, clasps, sleeves, lanyards and packages."

[Earendil]

"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart."

-Steve Jobs, 2005 in a commencement speech at Standford


Just look at the number of people that are thanking this guy. The number of people that Steve Jobs has influenced is ASTOUNDING. Even if you don't like the products, the products have pushed other companies to compete and/or copy.


Jobs started Apple when he was 20 years old. By the time he was 30 the company had 4000 employees.


From Stephen Wolfram (of wolfram Alpha)
"And as a curious footnote to history (which I learned years later), one batch of NeXTs bought for the purpose of running Mathematica went to CERN in Geneva, Switzerland—where they ended up having no less distinction than being the computers on which the web was first developed."

If you don't know what NeXT was, you know little about Steve Jobs.


Did you know that Steven Jobs bought Pixar off IL&M, and turned it into a studio with the audacity to think you could create an entirely digitally animated film?

From John Lasseter, Chief Creative Officer & Ed Catmull, President, Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios: [great picture at that link too]

"Steve Jobs was an extraordinary visionary, our very dear friend and the guiding light of the Pixar family. He saw the potential of what Pixar could be before the rest of us, and beyond what anyone ever imagined. Steve took a chance on us and believed in our crazy dream of making computer animated films; the one thing he always said was to simply 'make it great.' He is why Pixar turned out the way we did and his strength, integrity and love of life has made us all better people. He will forever be a part of Pixar’s DNA."

He was far from a perfect man. But it's rather sad that for all he did, he will be remembered only for the iPod and iPhone, and that the naive public and pundits will hate his products and somehow use that to justify disliking him.

And a note on Woz... He was great. The two of them together were amazing. But Steve had the vision, the ideas, the drive to actually make it happen. And I type this out as a Woz person.

I've never quoted the president before, but I will this once because I think it sums up Steve Jobs the best:

"Steve was among the greatest of American innovators - brave enough to think differently, bold enough to believe he could change the world, and talented enough to do it."


Now, some of you may have an irrational emotional reaction to Apple products in the form of "hate", and that may somehow translate to a dislike for the man in your head. But for at least a little while can we show some respect? Maybe take this opportunity (like I just did) to go learn a thing or two about him before either claiming him as a god, or suggesting that he did nothing to change the world?

Whoops. I forgot I was on r3v. I'll shutup now :)

[george graves]

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/08/24/technology/steve-jobs-patents.html?pagewanted=all

[Earendil]

George, great link.

Since I work in the tech industry, I haven't had anyone else in my life question the importance of (despite personal feelings for) Steve Jobs. But you guys have, so when I found this link I thought of y'all :)

Samsung and Google cancel launch event out of respect for Steve Jobs.
"Samsung and Google have decided to postpone an event announcing their next jointly-developed device because of the death of Steve Jobs."

I understand that not everyone has been impacted by Jobs, or understands how they have. But the industry does. At a time when Apple is launching a new phone, Apple's competitors are delaying there's. Would anyone skip a beat if Acer's CEO died? Does anyone know the guy's name off the top of there head?

The industry will certainly be different without him around.

[Earendil]

I think you are forgetting about the Woz too, without him there would be no Apple. Steve Jobs was a great business man and big picture guy, and you need those people, but the people who idolize him forget that he didn't actually design any of these things that make Apple a world power.

Define design. We've gone over the fact that Steve has his name on a ton of patents (which are ideas). Did he design CPU circuitry? No, of course not. Did he design ideas and products? Very much yes.

Check out this interview with Woz.

http://devour.com/video/steve-wozniak-remembers-steve-jobs/

For funzies for anyone that's interested, here are a bunch of video's of Steve Jobs dating back to "Nervous Steve" when he was quite young.

http://devour.com/tag/steve/

[grahamsy2k]

sad stuff

[Eecen]

[george graves]

I'm reading (listening actually) to the new "official" bio by Walter Isaacson.

It's surprising how unflattering it is - it's peaty raw - but lots of great inside stores that I've never head before.