Steve Jobs

[duccarlos]

+1

He didn't create the internet like Al Gore 

[derby]

+1

He didn't create the internet like Al Gore 

that makes for a really cute soundbite, but the first web server and client were actually built with NeXTSTEP.

if you're unfamiliar with NeXT, it was the company steve jobs founded between his two stints at apple.

did he personally create the internet? of course not, it's the culmination of a lot of work from a lot of people.

but it is quite possible that the internet we take for granted today would look and behave much different if it weren't for the companies that steve jobs founded.

for that matter, his companies have had direct impact on the music industry (in both how people produce,  purchase and experience their music), the tv/movie industry (in production, purchase, and experience), "personal" computing (popularizing the graphical user interface and the mouse, options for typefaces, not to mention tablet computers), as well as revolutionizing mobile phone hardware/software.

sure, you could argue that he didn't do that all by himself, but even the people that work with/for him acknowledge that steve was involved with everything that was done at apple and it was, indeed, his vision.

[The Bearded Duc]

that makes for a really cute soundbite, but the first web server and client were actually built with NeXTSTEP.

if you're unfamiliar with NeXT, it was the company steve jobs founded between his two stints at apple.

did he personally create the internet? of course not, it's the culmination of a lot of work from a lot of people.

but it is quite possible that the internet we take for granted today would look and behave much different if it weren't for the companies that steve jobs founded.

for that matter, his companies have had direct impact on the music industry (in both how people produce,  purchase and experience their music), the tv/movie industry (in production, purchase, and experience), "personal" computing (popularizing the graphical user interface and the mouse, options for typefaces, not to mention tablet computers), as well as revolutionizing mobile phone hardware/software.

sure, you could argue that he didn't do that all by himself, but even the people that work with/for him acknowledge that steve was involved with everything that was done at apple and it was, indeed, his vision.

I won't deny the fact that he's quite a brilliant man and one of the most iconic business men that ever lived but to keep it in perspective, he's not really any different than the person who invented the washing machine. Sure, we could all take a day and go wash our clothes in the local stream buts it's much more convenient to have them done for us in 25 minutes. It's a lifestyle amenity not a necessity.

[Speedbag]

I'm not one to look at the guy like he was godlike. That's a little ridiculous.....

Rather, more of a Thomas Edison or Henry Ford type of our time.

[Grappa]

I'd hate to be the asshole but some of this "Steve Jobs is the greatest" stuff is a little ridiculous. He didn't free a country or stave off world hunger with his net worth of $8.3 billion, he created a computer company. In fact, unless he was donating anonymously, he wasn't much of a philanthropist at all. This is a quote from Fortune Magazine...

Agreed, he is no Saint.  And Hero Worship is always foolish.   However... running a successful company that creates jobs and employs many people directly and many more indirectly (parts suppliers, shippers, accessory makers, etc.) while creating products that many people use in their line of work and creating value and income for investors is philanthropy enough.

I am sad for the guy.  Seems really sad that someone still young and productive succumbed to cancer even though he had access and funds for the best medical care on the planet.

RIP Steve Jobs.

[Speeddog]

http://www.pancreatic.org/site/c.htJYJ8MPIwE/b.891917/k.5123/Prognosis_of_Pancreatic_Cancer.htm

Survival Rates
According to the American Cancer Society, for all stages of pancreatic cancer combined, the one-year relative survival rate is 20%, and the five-year rate is 4%. These low survival rates are attributable to the fact that fewer than 20% of patients' tumors are confined to the pancreas at the time of diagnosis; in most cases, the malignancy has already progressed to the point where surgical removal is impossible.

In those cases where resection can be performed, the average survival rate is 18 to 20 months. The overall five-year survival rate is about 10%, although this can rise as high as 20% to 25% if the tumor is removed completely and when cancer has not spread to lymph nodes.

My first boss at Yamaha got pancreatic cancer, IIRC he lasted about a year.

[TiNi]

It's Steve Jobs guys, not Ghandi.

I'd hate to be the asshole but some of this "Steve Jobs is the greatest" stuff is a little ridiculous. He didn't free a country or stave off world hunger with his net worth of $8.3 billion, he created a computer company. In fact, unless he was donating anonymously, he wasn't much of a philanthropist at all. This is a quote from Fortune Magazine...

I'm not an Apple hater or a Steve Jobs hater, in fact I have 2 Mac computers, 3 ipods, have wanted the iphone for quite some time now, and would never wish death on anyone but the guy didn't pave a better road for humanity. He created a way for people to "look cooler" and download apps faster. He changed the way people communicate electronically and that's it.

Although, I'm sure he was a nice guy and I hope he's in a better place and doesn't have to deal with cancer.

i've been using apple products to do my job as a creative since i've been out of college. i could not imagine the design industry would be the same today without apple.

[Drjones]

Sorry, why?

don't they have something else to do?

I vaguely remember reading a blerb about what their real game is all about.  Lawsuits.  They intentionally be annoying in an attempt to goad cities and others into violating civil liberty statutes then file lawsuits against them to get money.  They're scum.

[The Bearded Duc]

I'm not one to look at the guy like he was godlike. That's a little ridiculous.....

Rather, more of a Thomas Edison or Henry Ford type of our time.

I agree with this, they all took an existing product and made it better.

Agreed, he is no Saint.  And Hero Worship is always foolish.   However... running a successful company that creates jobs and employs many people directly and many more indirectly (parts suppliers, shippers, accessory makers, etc.) while creating products that many people use in their line of work and creating value and income for investors is philanthropy enough.

Saying that someone who creates jobs, or products used for a particular job, is a philanthropist is quite far fetched. Some years ago I started a chocolate company, I had 4 employees that worked for me and investors that helped to get things started. I created jobs and saw some profit so I created value and income for my investors but somehow I doubt that anyone would call me a philanthropist.

Creating a business is a needs based endeavor, you need other people to help you be successful. You're not giving anything to humanity out of sheer generosity.

[The Bearded Duc]

i've been using apple products to do my job as a creative since i've been out of college. i could not imagine the design industry would be the same today without apple.

Perhaps it would be different but it would still be here, Apple and Steve Jobs didn't create the design industry.

[Randimus Maximus]

Saying that someone who creates jobs, or products used for a particular job, is a philanthropist is quite far fetched.

From m-w.com:  Definition of PHILANTHROPIST
: one who makes an active effort to promote human welfare : a person who practices philanthropy

I think creating jobs and/or creating products that make jobs easier fits the definition.

But that's just me.

And I believe that was Steve Jobs' opinion as well - although I cannot find the article I recently read that in.

But I did find this article which has a pretty good summation of it: http://blogs.hbr.org/pallotta/2011/09/steve-jobs-worlds-greatest-phi.html

[TiNi]

Perhaps it would be different but it would still be here, Apple and Steve Jobs didn't create the design industry.

i didn't say Steve Jobs created the design industry  i said that his products made it better 
i was making a point that Apple products aren't just to make a person "look cool" and that people actually use them to do their jobs.

[The Bearded Duc]

From m-w.com:  Definition of PHILANTHROPIST
: one who makes an active effort to promote human welfare : a person who practices philanthropy

I think creating jobs and/or creating products that make jobs easier fits the definition.

But that's just me.

And I believe that was Steve Jobs' opinion as well - although I cannot find the article I recently read that in.

But I did find this article which has a pretty good summation of it: http://blogs.hbr.org/pallotta/2011/09/steve-jobs-worlds-greatest-phi.html

We can copy and paste things all day long...

m-w.com also says
a : an act or gift done or made for humanitarian purposes
b : an organization distributing or supported by funds set aside for humanitarian purposes

But I guess in your eyes anyone that has started a business and hired employees is a philanthropist?

And the article in the link you posted is a poor example. Steve Jobs created a product, I would argue that the people using the products for things like advancements in the medical field are the philanthropists not Steve Jobs. The author sounds like he would buy shit on a plate if someone told him it came from Steve Jobs. Read the comments below the article.

[The Bearded Duc]

i didn't say Steve Jobs created the design industry  i said that his products made it better 
i was making a point that Apple products aren't just to make a person "look cool" and that people actually use them to do their jobs.

Again, this is silly.
The pencil is a great invention, the mechanical pencil made it better. Does that make the person who invented it a philanthropist or give any reason to call them a great humanitarian or say that without them we'd all still be mashing up plants and painting on walls?

[somegirl]

I thought this thread was for mourning and paying respect to a public figure. 
If you don't think he is worth your time to do so, why post?