The world lost one of the greatest minds of a generation last week.
Steve Jobs, former CEO and co-founder of Apple, Inc., passed away on Oct. 5 after a seven-year battle with a rare type of pancreatic cancer. He was 56.
Jobs had an unprecedented impact on how people related to and interacted with technology.
Without Jobs, there would be no computer mouse, no iPod, no iPhone, no iPad, no Macintosh computer and no rivalry between Macs and PCs. The concept of a graphical user interface with fonts, folders and windows was popularized by Jobs, so if you have ever used a computer with a mouse, you have Jobs to thank. The whole paradigm of a “personal” computer may never have been created if Jobs and Steve Wozniak did not tinker with hand-built computer parts in their garage in Los Altos, Calif., in 1976.
Jobs affected our modern culture to such an extent that there were public remembrances from Bill Gates, Google’s Sergey Brin, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Disney CEO Bob Iger. President Barack Obama gave a statement via The White House Blog, saying, “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.”
A biography of Jobs is slated to release on Oct. 24 and Sony Pictures just bought the film rights to a feature film about the visionary: but to see the true, human impact Jobs had on humanity in the past 30 years, one had only look as far as an Apple retail store.
Across the world, tributes to Jobs’ life and legacy were left outside of store displays in cities and towns all around the world, from Tokyo to Los Angeles to New York City. Often, Post-It notes were left on windows of Apple stores with condolences and messages for Jobs.
The most profound legacy that Jobs left our world is that he made technology easy to use. The touch interface on the iPhone for instance allows you to call, text or email anyone and everyone you want without needing to read a manual. Jobs enabled a whole generation to embrace touchscreens so that it is commonplace.
Following Jobs’ death, Apple Inc. is inviting those who want to share their thoughts, memories and condolences to email rememberingsteve@apple.com
