Thursday, October 6, 2011

Goodbye Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs passed away October 5, 2011 after resigning from his post as Apple's CEO just over a month ago. His family said he was surround by loved ones when he peacefully died. He will be remembered for his impact on computers, consumer electronics, and animation. Leaders all over have expressed their thoughts about Steve:

Tim Cook, CEO of Apple:
Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.

Barack Obama, President of the United States:
Michelle and I are saddened to learn of the passing of Steve Jobs. 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.
By building one of the planet’s most successful companies from his garage, he exemplified the spirit of American ingenuity. By making computers personal and putting the internet in our pockets, he made the information revolution not only accessible, but intuitive and fun. And by turning his talents to storytelling, he has brought joy to millions of children and grownups alike. Steve was fond of saying that he lived every day like it was his last. Because he did, he transformed our lives, redefined entire industries, and achieved one of the rarest feats in human history: he changed the way each of us sees the world.
The world has lost a visionary. And there may be no greater tribute to Steve’s success than the fact that much of the world learned of his passing on a device he invented. Michelle and I send our thoughts and prayers to Steve’s wife Laurene, his family, and all those who loved him.

Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft:
I'm truly saddened to learn of Steve Jobs' death. Melinda and I extend our sincere condolences to his family and friends, and to everyone Steve has touched through his work. Steve and I first met nearly 30 years ago, and have been colleagues, competitors and friends over the course of more than half our lives. The world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come. For those of us lucky enough to get to work with him, it's been an insanely great honor. I will miss Steve immensely.

Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft:
We've lost a unique tech pioneer and auteur who knew how to make amazingly great products. Steve fought a long battle against tough odds in a very brave way. He kept doing amazing things in the face of all that adversity. As someone who has had his own medical challenges, I couldn't help but be encouraged by how he persevered.

Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple




Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder of Facebook:
Steve, thank you for being a mentor and a friend. Thanks for showing that what you build can change the world. I will miss you.

Bob Iger, CEO of Disney:
Steve Jobs was a great friend as well as a trusted advisor. His legacy will extend far beyond the products he created or the businesses he built. It will be the millions of people he inspired, the lives he changed, and the culture he defined.
Steve was such an "original," with a thoroughly creative, imaginative mind that defined an era. Despite all he accomplished, it feels like he was just getting started.
With his passing the world has lost a rare original, Disney has lost a member of our family, and I have lost a great friend.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Laurene and his children during this difficult time.

Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google:
From the earliest days of Google, whenever Larry and I sought inspiration for vision and leadership, we needed to look no farther than Cupertino. Steve, your passion for excellence is felt by anyone who has ever touched an Apple product (including the macbook I am writing this on right now). And I have witnessed it in person the few times we have met.
On behalf of all of us at Google and more broadly in technology, you will be missed very much. My condolences to family, friends, and colleagues at Apple

Sean Parker, co-founder of Napster:
Today is an incredibly sad day for me, and indeed for anyone who considers themselves a technologist or entrepreneur. It is also a sad day for anyone who believes in the value of creativity and the importance of innovation, and for the millions of people who were touched by the creative genius evidenced in the many products and companies created by Steve Jobs throughout his remarkable career. Steve Jobs was the most important technology leader of our era—perhaps even the most important business leader of our era. He was also a unique figure in the world of business and technology, a man who demonstrated—more so than any other—that pure force of will, energy, and creative drive can change the world for the better.

2 comments:

  1. Steve jobs was a creative men that help making this world for a better world , rest in peace.

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  2. His idea was that you’d go astray if you were obsessed with making money. The same was true if you studied competitor products and tried to copy or eclipse them. His central belief was that by focusing on a single goal of ‘delighting customers’ you will find that profitability and competitive issues will take care of themselves.

    A great example of this would be the iPhone. He thought existing smart phones like Nokia and Blackberry were hard to use and limited in functionality. He said, “We can do better than that.” His design and engineering teams didn’t start out with a Blackberry, for example, and try to make a better version. Instead, they started with a blank sheet and thought about what might be possible. The rest is history. iPhones enjoy a 95% customer satisfaction. Competitors are all racing to copy. The iPhone did indeed Change the World.

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