It is rare to find a person with the qualities of Steve Jobs - a visionary who could see well beyond his time; a revolutionary who had the daring and drive to bring his visions to life; a philosopher who believed in bringing simplicity and emotional experience into a world of technology that had neither; and an artist who could not and would not compromise on the perfection and beauty in everything he did. A man of unparalled standards and patience in a world full of compromise and quick wins - how dull and frustrating would technology be without him! How restrictive and oppressive it would be, accessible to only to the tech savey nerds, while the rest of the world is locked out (as it was until the 80s).
Apple is an amazing company. Its products are not only popular, they set the standard for popular. They are not only innovative, they set the standard for innovative. Apple sets the yardstick for the entire industry: tech pundits compare every smart phone to the iPhone; every tablet to the iPad. If imitation is the greatest form of flattery, then Apple must be the most flattered company on earth. And this spirit of innovation, the drive for excellence, this uncompromising strive for artistic perfection all came from Steve Jobs. We know this because in the years he was not there, Apple plummeted to near bankruptcy and technological irrelevance. Since he came back, it's become the biggest company in the world (bigger than Exxon Mobile), all by making cool stuff. Not by drilling for natural resources, or making weapons, or doing financial speculation, or monopolizing the industry with drab, boring and inferior products; just by making really cool stuff that people enjoy using. Isn't that a great legacy to leave behind?
Rest in peace, Steve, and thanks.
