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Um, wow. I guess now that Jobs has been dead for a full 24 hours we can feel free to unleash the cold, hard truth that he was a mere human.Quote:
Originally Posted by PM4HIRE
Whether or not he was a nice guy or a good boss is totally irrelevant to me. Because of Steve Jobs, my life and career are easier and more enjoyable. Apple has facilitated my work as an educator and has contributed to my own learning, and for that, I'm grateful.
I had read this as well awhile back. However, what I got out of the article I read was that he could be very harsh due to how passionate he was on projects.Quote:
Originally Posted by PM4HIRE
There are a lot of things I feel that he helped to change. He definitely played part in how I consume and produce media on a daily basis.
outside the apple store on walnut street in philadelphia, pa
Thank you, maverick, for posting that photo.
I still have my old Macintosh SE ... not sure if I should be proud of that or not, but Jobs' passing sure made me think about how long I've been using Apple computers. We had the Apple II in elementary school.
I reflected similarly this week and realized that my parents and I have never purchased a non-Apple computer. I grew up with an Apple IIe and my first computer for college was a Macintosh Plus that I bought myself with money earned while working in high school. It's hard to imagine what technological life would be like without Apple and the vision of Steve Jobs.
Tragically, there are those in the news media who could not resist a parting shot at Jobs and Apple. There's a disturbing news story on the Washington Post web-site titled "Apple is a new religion, and Steve Jobs was its high priest" which essentially characterizes Apple's loyal customer base as a bunch of "gadget-obsessed" freaks chasing after a later-day Marshall Applewaite. I found the piece highly insulting.
Apple is a new religion, and Steve Jobs was its high priest - The Washington Post
It got me to thinking: is customer loyalty and enthusiasm for Apple, the MacOS, and the iOS really irrational? I quickly concluded this is not the case. While I have no doubt that the quality and impressive design of Apple hardware and software, and all the possibilities of what you can do with this hardware and software does generate some enthusiasm, I would say that peoples' loyalty to Apple and their mourning for Jobs has as much to do with the dysfunctional state of technology outside of the Apple sphere of influence. People are understandably frustrated with Microsoft, Blackberry, and a host of other companies that make our lives miserable with their anti-piracy activation keys, their tech support fees, their security problems and their inferior designs. People get fed up with paying good money for technology that either fails them or greets them with more hidden costs and problems. Apple is far from perfect, but their products consistently reward customers with a superior experience, based in no small part on being reliable and satisfying.
Maybe a few people get carried away in expressing their loyalty, but Apple and Mr. Jobs earned a great reputation. Maybe instead of attacking that reputation by misleading the public with accusations of cult-like behavior, the Post's Michael S. Rosenwald and other Apple-detractors may want to think more carefully about how Apple customers "consider the alternative." Perhaps if the outpouring of grief tells us anything about technology today, it is the anxiety people feel about whether or not their investment in those gadgets will actually pay off. On that count, Apple often acquits itself with distinction, and Mr. Jobs is seen as a leader of a movement toward greater customer satisfaction in tech.
THE LAST WORD ON STEVE JOBS...all Apple products are made in China!!!
de mortuis nihil nisi bonum.
True, but it's hard to find any electronics that aren't.Quote:
Originally Posted by PM4HIRE
Very well said.Quote:
Originally Posted by maverick
Cheers Maverick!Quote:
Originally Posted by maverick
Let's not let one voice of dissent ruin an outstanding memorial thread, people.
I've never owned or even used an Apple computer, but even I have an iPod. What Apple did for portable music alone deserves major kudos, never mind the smartphone phenomenon.
RIP Steve.
@ Flinx, you're right. I've removed my troll-feeding post.
Perspective.
Jobs founded Apple with Woz and was very successful till he was pushed out. Without him the company all but went to the wall. When was brought back they were 90 days from Bankruptcy. Earlier this year they were briefly the largest company in the world by market cap (they're currently no.2 behind Exxon Mobil). You can't achieve that by being Mr Nice Guy. Ex-employees often speak poorly of their ex-employers - there's always a reason that they're ex, after all. Apple has turned the mobile world on its head, especially music. Not always for the best - low bit rate digital music isn't the May West, but high bit rate 'studio master' digital is phenomenal. Did Jobs single-handedly invent everything, or even anything? No, but his strengths were in picking good people, pushing them very, very hard and having an uncanny knack of knowing what we'd like before we'd even ever thought of it. Can Apple go on without him? I hope so, but sadly, I suspect that it needed Steve Jobs to push, push, push people. No wonder he was a pain in the backside to many - that might well have been his gift to the world. I for one was sad to wake up to the news of his death on Thursday morning, but hope that Apple will survive his passing as I, for one love their products!
There's always going to be a percentage of employees who have negative comments. Personality conflicts, self absorbed agendas, not really understanding the responsibilities of those above them and the pressures, feeling jealous or that "they" could do a better job, being an "ex" employee....very few have walked in the shoes of being a CEO or such a high position and with such a position of responsibility with shareholders, employees, lawyers and perhaps unions, customers - there is always more going on then the average employee sees nor understands. You cannot please everyone. Nor should someone in such a position have to "explain" themselves to the average employee. You often have to make unpopular decisions for the good of the company as a whole, even if it is not popular with the staff. Some people would love to be an employee of Apple, much less own shares. It's cowardly to speak badly of someone who cannot defend themselves nor their position.
Reading books on the lives of Ludwig van Beethoven, and Michelangelo Buonarroti - I cannot imagine they were the "nicest" people to be around either. Does one then judge their work, their gifts, by what a few people who got in their way have to say?