DISQUS

Rishabh Mishra (possible248) · 11 months ago

Your post reminded me of the story of Tithonus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tithonus), a character in a Greek myth who received immortality, but not eternal youth. Tithonus eventually shriveled up into a cicada, grasshopper, or some other insect depending on the version of the myth you look at.

What I'm trying to get across here is that if Steve Jobs was immortal, some of the "magic" in his work would be lost. While I feel sorry for the man, I can't help but feel excited about what is next for the world.

Patrick Jordan · 11 months ago

Very well said ...

tacanderson · 11 months ago

It's ok Louis, we all know you're a total fanboi. All Apple fans should be. You're right that w/out Steve Apple (and the entire computer world) would not be what it is today. I am not an Apple fanboi, have a few products (who doesn't) and like them fine. I have issues with their being such a closed system (in every sense) but I don't want to see Steve go. And I doubt if Apple can survive w/out Steve, especially with, what could be, their most trying year in a long time directly upon them.

Louis Gray · 11 months ago

Apple isn't perfect. Steve Jobs isn't perfect. Apple can very possibly thrive without Jobs, if it needs to, but it will be much better with him, as will we.

ontarioemperor · 11 months ago

Louis, after reading both Robert Scoble's post about Apple's management team and your post about why Jobs matters to the world, I have to say that I lean toward Scoble on this one.

Not that I discount Jobs' past and present, and potential future contributions to the computing and entertainment industries in general and Apple in particular. In fact, it's fair to say that the original Macintosh (yeah, the one without a hard drive) could very be the most influential personal computer of the 20th century, and it's also fair to say that the iPxxx platform has revolutionized the 21st. And it's likely that Jobs could pull another rabbit out of the hat.

But let's say that, for whatever reason (maybe he'll discover FriendFeed!), Jobs never returns to Apple. The company will survive. It survived without him for a time, creating both more powerful Macintoshes and revolutionary new products such as HyperTalk.

Certainly there is only one Steve Jobs, but there was only one Henry Ford and the Ford Motor Company seems to have survived. (Whoops, bad example.) However, I suspect that there is enough talent within Apple to allow it to continue to do wonderful things.

Louis Gray · 11 months ago

I admit I hadn't read Robert's piece prior to this posting, but I think it is safe to agree with both. I believe Apple has a strong team and the process of innovation can be taught. But even with that, Jobs is unique. There are people who can transcend an entire industry - Steve Jobs, Henry Ford... and not many are in our lifetime. I'd put Stephen King in the same mix as a living legend, but of course, for different reasons.

ChangeForge | Ken Stewart · 10 months ago

Louis, this is a solid, well written article focusing on what Steve Jobs did for the personal computer and personal entertainment industry. Just to step back and give some perspective - look at what help he offered to small company no one had ever heard of called Pixar.

Wow! Was there anything this guy didn't touch that didn't have class. Where I think Apple has failed (read: in the enterprise) I think they have not only set the bar, but created a new paradigm, not thought possible before...

Technology is supposed to be your friend, supposed to make your life richer and easier, supposed to be invisible... All of this, Steve's team did. It was not Steve alone, but he caught his Moby in more ways than one - and we are all the better for it...

Every once in a small while, someone comes along to make the world just a little better. While many have their eyes turned towards the Steve Jobs that salvaged Apple, I think you hint at a man who was both icon and iconoclast to our industry as a whole.

bmbufalo · 10 months ago

Thank you Louis. I think you speak for every evangelical Apple fan boy out there with this one! Long live King Steve! I think they should start their search here... http://www.imminst.org/

jinkhet · 10 months ago

"This is the one and only Steve Jobs, who has cared about creativity, education, and users above everything else. The idea of a computer industry without Apple and without Steve Jobs should mortify us all."

Couldn't agree more - Jobs is one of the few CEOs who actually adds genuine value to his company's products, and the entire industry is better off for it. I'm really curious to see if he's done the other part of sound leadership: made contingency plans if/when he has to step down.

clarke thomas · 10 months ago

Steve will be immortal, and have the name plate like Bill Gates, Bob Metcalfe, et al. But for all good that he's done for Apple & its fanboy/girls. He's not made Apple anymore stable. Too much of apple is based around SJ, whereas it should be around Apple, with SJ as its navigator.

In addition; the handling of his announcement pre MacWorld & today, could've been handled more smoothly....but that's not he SJ way, it's curt and rash; and thus ends up with the current state of things.

Microsoft may not have the loyal following like Apple, and Balmer is no Bill Gates, but when Bill took lesser position it didn't affect the company as harshly.

Shashi Prabhakar · 10 months ago

Great post. I pray that Steve jobs will be back soon and in good health. For those who have commented - focusing on Apple the company- I think you people have a blind spot. You seem to assume that Companies should be the embodiment of ideals, and be detached from the individual. But it is almost never the case. It is people that make or break companies. Take Lehman Brothers- a ~100 year old company that was taken down the drain by stupid management, on the other hand Apple became great once again after the return of Steve Jobs. I say one thing- let us pray that sensible, visionaries that do the world good stay on in this world longer than the greedy, harm causing burden to the world people. Companies are irrelevant, great people are relevant. Long live Steve Jobs the Great.

Sebhelyesfarku · 10 months ago

That's why dumbass Mactards reminds me of Jehovah's Witnesses.