JOBS!

Steven Paul “Steve” Jobs, “a crazy round peg in the square hole,” “an insufferable and unrepeatable genius,” passed away on October 5^th, 2011 after a long struggle with pancreatic cancer. He was 56. The Apple chairman and former CEO put the “personal” in “personal computer” and the “smart” in “smartphone,” and made both fun to use. And he introduced them into every bag, pocket, desk, and dorm. If there is one in yours, it is because Mr. Jobs created it, or because others were wise enough to copy his genius. “He changed the way movies are made, music is sold, stories are told, and the way we interact with the world around us.”

In a way, he endowed machines with … humanity! That is to say, he made them creative, he made them artful, he made them beautiful, he made them fun!

From humble beginnings to greatness. Given up for adoption by unmarried parents. Grew up in all the strangeness of the 60s. Had an illegitimate child. Dropped out of college. Started Apple in a garage. Developed the Mac. Was fired. Started Pixar. Married. Reunited with biological mother and sister. Came back to Apple. Made it the most valuable company in the world, surpassing, for a time, even the behemoth Exxon-Mobil. Seven times on the cover of TIME.  

In the line of great American entrepreneurs, Ford, Rockefeller, Walton, …. But, unlike these, who created new business models, Jobs just made a bunch of cool products everyone decided they wanted. And wanted again. And again.

iMac. OS X. iPod. iTunes. iPhone. iPad.

Bill Gates, yesterday, said: “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.”

Someone else wrote: “Goodbye, Mr. Jobs. … Now the world will suffer a bit more without your love for perfection, your hyperbolic obsession with magical devices, your insanely great ideas and ‘booms’ and ‘one more things.’ Fanboys and haters, friends and foes—especially your foes, who now will not be able to imitate you anymore—will miss you.”

This century is only a decade old. But it's a safe bet that in 2099, when analysts and pundits turn their eyes back on the decades past, Steve Jobs will be remembered as one of the giants of 21st century business.

He will be missed—501 Levis, black mock turtleneck, New Balance running shoes, and all.

Several years ago, delivering the commencement address at Stanford, Mr. Jobs observed:

“When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: ‘If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right.’ It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: ‘If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?’”

Life is short. Do your best. Trust in God.

You turn man back into dust

And say, "Return, O children of men."

For a thousand years in Your sight

Are like yesterday when it passes by,

Or as a watch in the night.

As for the days of our life,

they contain seventy years,

Or if due to strength, eighty years,

Yet their pride is labor and sorrow;

For soon it is gone and we fly away.

So teach us to number our days,

That we may present to You

a heart of wisdom.

Psalm 90:3–4, 10, 12

Be wise.

And … have fun!