An ode to Steve Jobs (from a PC technician)

Posted January 19th, 2009 by cgillen

With Steve Jobs stepping away from the day to day running of Apple until this summer it seems appropriate to take time to remind ourselves of why Steve has been so important to Apple and the world of computing.

When and Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak released the first Apple Computer in 1976 it was an interesting, but not necessarily inspired machine. It found some success through the Apple II series as a classroom computer and made its way alongside many other competitors into our livings rooms.

The break through for Apple happened on a trip to Xerox’s laboratory. After that Steve was convinced of the next step in computer revolution: A graphical interface controlled using this new fangled invention “the mouse”. It was with this vision that Steve pushed forward, refined and ultimately released as Apple’s definitive product “The Mac”. Released in 1984 it brought all of the features that would make up the desktop computer for the next 20 year. Graphical interface, keyboard and mouse, built in hard drive and over the top Super bowl commercials.

In spite of the success of the Macintosh Steve Jobs struggled with the Apple. His cantakorous and obsessive nature led to him battling constantly with his board of directors and with staff. In 1985 Apple relieved him of duties and in essence fired him.

Stripped of his company Steve Jobs went on to start another company NeXT, which he started developing most of the next generation ideas that Apple were unwilling to invest. Though NeXT had a small core of passionate loyalist the company never reached large scale success.

However, without Steve to guide Apple the company spent next couple years floundering, releasing steadily more unimpressive beige boxes running the increasingly outdated Mac OS. It looked like Mac would be joining Commodore, Tandy, Texas Instruments on the dustpile of history defeated by the unstoppable force of Microsoft and its flagship Windows.

So, with Steve banished and Apple floundering another boardroom coup led to Steve Jobs being brought back as CEO of Apple in 1996.

This began what; I’m sure, business historians will refer to as the golden age of Apple. The Apple line up was destroyed and reinvented as the iMac, the return to the all-in-one computer that so defined Apple. That has been followed by a string of unparalleled successes: iPod, iTunes, and ultimately the iPhone; all game changing industry redefining products.

Of course for someone like Steve Jobs simply helming one of the world’s most successful companies and being one the most influential people in shaping the modern computing experience isn’t nearly enough. As almost a side project he started Pixar and completely changed the face of animation and reinvigorated Disney studios.

As a Windows technician and PC advocate I am very grateful for what Apple and Steve Jobs has brought to computers. Without him it is possible that even today we’d be typing long strings of obscure commands to make a computer work. Perhaps there is no person more directly responsible for making computing accessible to masses.

If ever the term visionary is appropriate it is appropriate for Steve Jobs.

Tags: Apple, steve jobs