A heartfelt goodbye to the Apple of our eye

Adam Diver says:

11:43am | 06/10/11

Don’t worry about Apple, Pixar will be his legacy for me .

Still 56, its terrible news.

wolf says:

02:42pm | 06/10/11

Don’t know about the ‘visionary’ part but he was a particularly a ruthless businessman.
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/apple

Ben C says:

03:32pm | 06/10/11

@ wolf

Not sure who referred to him as a visionary, but I agree with you on that score. For me, Steve Jobs changed people’s perspective of technology forever. Did he do anything new or dramatically different? Not particularly. The iPod is just like any other MP3 player on the market. The iPhone just like any other smartphone. The iPad - maybe, but tablets had been around much longer. Not as popular, but definitely available. It was the way he marketed the products to the younger generations - in particular my generation (Gen Y). The fact that people responded shows how well his strategy worked.

Ruthless? Harsh, but ultimately a fair description of his business methods.

Mark says:

04:00pm | 06/10/11

Guys, don’t forget Apple is not just about hardware. Without iTunes piracy would be a bigger problem than today. So of the concepts you see on your PC were developed by Jobs in the early Apple days. They may not have been the first to market with a lot of products, but they always made the user experience better than any other which lead to their success. 

He was clearly a visionary. Look at all the different manufacturers and developers trying to mimic what he created. They all lack the vision to develop and execute the ideas but can only follow.

Erick says:

10:53am | 06/10/11

*cough cough* Rank Xerox Palo Alto Labs

Still, that was no worse than Microsoft pinching the idea for Windows from Apple who pinched it from Rank Xerox.

And it is sad to see Steve Jobs go. Even the wealthiest people are subject to death in the end.

JB says:

11:55am | 06/10/11

To Erick, The Apple Mac was heavily inspired by PARC’s work; Xerox was allowed to buy pre-IPO stock from Apple. They didn’t steal it. They took an concept and made it even better and rewarded the people who gave them the idea. You are correct, it is very sad to see this man pass.

n_dude says:

03:37pm | 06/10/11

Tru JB. But Erick’s point still stands, the orignal concept of a GUI and mouse based computing was invented by Xerox. Whilst Apple did not steal it, they bought the risghts to the research for a pittance. Shows that Jobs was not just a visionary but also a ruthless businessman.

jf says:

05:11pm | 06/10/11

“Shows that Jobs was not just a visionary but also a ruthless businessman.”

Yeah, paying more than someone asks for something that they don’t see the potential in is so much better.

FT says:

07:43pm | 06/10/11

Doing a good business deal for your own company doesn’t make you ruthless….just good at business. He was a visionary as he saw things others were not able to, including the value in this research.

neo says:

11:13am | 06/10/11

I don’t use Apple products, neither do I enjoy them, much like everyone else with a brain.

adam says:

11:24am | 06/10/11

Anthony, I have never used an Apple product.

RIP Mr Jobs

JB says:

11:48am | 06/10/11

To Neo, Well if you never used them how would you know if you would enjoy them. Your a small little person with an insignificant comment!

Punters Pal says:

11:53am | 06/10/11

neo, what an arrogant responce. Thank you for pointing it out to us that all Apple users have no brains. So, please do enlighten us - only Microsoft and Android users are the smart ones here, is that correct?

RyaN says:

12:14pm | 06/10/11

@JB: I have had the misfortune to use them and know I never enjoyed it. Mostly I am ashamed at ever having touched that crap in the first place.

Anne71 says:

12:18pm | 06/10/11

Neo thinks he’s smarter than the rest of the world because he doesn’t own an Apple product? Well, thank God for one decent laugh today.

Antipasto says:

12:41pm | 06/10/11

Neo doesn’t/can’t/won’t use Apple products because he’s much too smart, so he says. What a complete tool.

RIP Steve Jobs, you are one human who was brainy enough to change the world as we knew it, for the better.

neo says:

01:13pm | 06/10/11

@ JB: I have used them at some point in the past, otherwise I would have no right to criticise them. Present tense and past tense are a little different. I am quite tall as well.

@ Punters Pal: If you really want to summarise it down to one sentence and ignore the few exceptions, pretty much, yes.

@ Anne71: Rest of the world, definitely not, most of the world, definitely yes. My pleasure in making you laugh.

I kind of feel bad about contributing to an argument in what was meant to be a tribute page, and I am sorry for that. The fact that an ignorant, brainless comment provoked me first is no excuse. If you want to continue discussing common characteristics of Apple users, post in Open Thread and we can go from there.

Anonymous says:

01:16pm | 06/10/11

I don’t use Mac products out of principle.

I refuse to use products that have purposefully reduced specs and compatibility, lack of future-proofing and at the mercy of how the anti-competitive manufacturer wants you to use them.

Example: The ipad. The device is perfectly capable of making phone calls, but Apple removed that option. Why? Because less people would buy iphones. Can’t use Flash. Why? Because Steve Jobs hated Adobe. No USB. Why? So they can introduce the feature in later models and claim it’s a superior version, also probably because less people would buy imacs. All of these reduced performance and value for money, but fanboi’s ate it up and smiled, content to fork over their hard-earned cash for a crippled device that answered a question nobody asked.

RiP Steve-o. I shall remember your legacy as a “visionary”, moving forward but facing backwards the entire time.

Kika says:

01:29pm | 06/10/11

La di Da Anonymous - do you want an honourary doctorate?

Anonymous says:

01:34pm | 06/10/11

Oh come on, you can do better than that, Kika.

MadKat of Melbourne says:

02:09pm | 06/10/11

No Neo “I kind of feel bad about contributing to an argument in what was meant to be a tribute page, and I am sorry for that. The fact that an ignorant, brainless comment provoked me first is no excuse” -

Neo really calm down and stop getting so over-emotional. Don’t worry so much about what other people are doing with theirs. So what if some people like to use Apple products and some people don’t. The world won’t end because of it. Live and let live.

“Rest of the world, definitely not, most of the world, definitely yes” - from the quality of your posts Neo I really can’t tell - anyone can blow their own trumpet on a blog. I’ve yet to see you post anything of substance that doesn’t reference the words brainless or ignorant.

You made the first offensive post by calling Apple users brainless. Don’t pass the blame onto other people for what you write. Own what you write. You really should have been the one to post your offensive comment on the Open Thread. Own it.

Antipasto says:

02:21pm | 06/10/11

I have this vision of Neo and Anonymous in their cave; bloodshot eyes staring out from pinched and pasty faces; unkept and (in their own estimation) unappreciated geniuses; dark mutterings, hunching over grimy keyboards; ankle deep in empty chip packets, crushed coke cans, ripped Phantom comics, Mars wrappers and part-consumed pizzas; darkly plotting the downfall of the evil, corrupt Apple empire… Between dashing off ill-considered, ungracious, conceited blog posts and engaging in extended bouts of otherlife of course.

neo says:

03:01pm | 06/10/11

My mum’s basement is not a cave!

Anonymous says:

03:14pm | 06/10/11

@Antipasto
You’re just jealous that I have my own bitchin’ secret hideout, a heroic purpose in life and all the pizzas, coke and mars bars I’ll ever need. Plus, I’m an albino, you heartless creep! :(

Anthony says:

04:27pm | 06/10/11

@NEO. Brainleess? Perhaps a little busy trying to work and write on a tribute blogg. I suspect youve got a whole Mountain Ash on your shoulder not just a chip. Relax mate.

stephen says:

06:42pm | 06/10/11

And it’s a pity that he only produced toys.
But I love them, nevertheless.

MadKat of Melbourne says:

02:11pm | 06/10/11

So why bother posting in you’re indifferent -

Damo says:

02:22pm | 06/10/11

Come on. Not even a smidgen? Why are you even here?

neo says:

11:38am | 06/10/11

I know why people buy an ipod instead of, let’s say, a Sony Walkman. The ipod’s audio quality is worse, but at least it’s more expensive and harder to manage.

fairsfair says:

12:09pm | 06/10/11

It was a gift and it fulfills its purpose.

I don’t know why people buy Holdens either, but they do. Jesus Neo - stop crapping all over someone who has died.

The iPod was a revolution in its marketing/consumerism and it got people wanting portable MP3 players. I don’t give a crap if its a lemon - if it didn’t generate the demand we’d still be taking out diskman with an MP3 cd places. And before you say, the iPod wasn’t the first portable MP3 player around, that is the sheer point I am trying to make - it iPod was the first I ever heard of and you can’t deny that the juggonaut that is Apple has not lead to technological advances in other products.

bengeck says:

12:15pm | 06/10/11

@Neo

I got an Ipod Because my cars head unit could control it, with out me having to touch the Bl*&dly; thing.  if i could get a Zune or Walkman to play though my head unit like that i would but till then, ahh well.

ibast says:

12:23pm | 06/10/11

There’s no doubt in the past 5 or so years he was a marketing genius, but it too him 25 years to get there.  Good on him for learning from his mistakes.  Despite this, in the end his company is selling mediocre products for more than their true value (thanks to good marketing) and I see that as a corruption of the free market system, not a thing to be celebrated.

adam says:

12:28pm | 06/10/11

I suspect neo never learnt the rule about not saying anything if you can’t say something nice

neo says:

01:25pm | 06/10/11

I really couldn’t care less about whether the general population embraces new gadgets or not. I’ve had an mp3 player for quite some time before the release of the ipod, so it really did nothing positive for me. If anything, the ipod is to blame for the noise pollution we are subjected to on public transport.

bengeck, that’s another point, suddenly manufacturers started making their products ipod compatible, ignoring those who use superior products. Not a good thing.

ibast, spot on.

adam, I did, and I am genuinely ashamed of myself now, because I am too weak to stop myself from responding to these people.

Blind Freddy says:

02:00pm | 06/10/11

Why do iPods (or iAnythingelse) come with such crappy earphones?

neo says:

03:05pm | 06/10/11

From my experience, portable music devices of all brands seem to come bundled with budget ear buds. ipod’s ones are white and shiny though, so they must be better!

GC Dude says:

11:31am | 06/10/11

Which allows me to say what a goose you are for such a stupid comment. Seriously, did you know the guy personally or are you just a mouthpiece for a generation of disgruntled Windows users? Each to his own but to be so vitriolic in your undertones because you don’t like something suggests you need serious therapy mate.

Blind Freddy says:

11:37am | 06/10/11

@neo

Thank you for refraining.

Soames says:

11:50am | 06/10/11

What an ungracious person you are. You had better start counting, on the one hand, how many people will mourn your passing. On the other hand, you don’t matter.

gobsmack says:

12:26pm | 06/10/11

Come on Punch, where’s the moderators?
Whatever one’s views on Steve Jobs, this is not the time nor the place for the petty, ungracious and uninformed comment posted above.

neo says:

01:33pm | 06/10/11

Did not know him personally, just going by how he presented himself and his company to the public.

You are quite right, gobsmack, not the time and place, even if the comment was pretty informed.

KH says:

01:37pm | 06/10/11

You knew him personally then , did you?  If not, then how the hell would you know who he was.

subotic says:

02:14pm | 06/10/11

@neo, kudos for balls and kudos to MODS for freedom of speech, popular or not.

neo says:

02:22pm | 06/10/11

He was somewhat of a public figure, that must have been how I’m guessing.

gobsmack says:

02:55pm | 06/10/11

@neo
“how horrible a person he was in life”
“Did not know him personally”
As I said, an uninformed comment.
@subotic
You can admire neo’s balls all you like, with any right comes responsibilities.

neo says:

03:18pm | 06/10/11

Can I ask, does everyone on here praising Steve Jobs know him personally, or are all these praises uninformed?

Look, as I said, if you want to discuss Jobs’ anti competitiveness, post something in Open Thread, I’ll provide examples of the information that made me informed about him.

Under the Bridge says:

03:32pm | 06/10/11

You know who else died?

Hitler.

Enough said.

neo says:

03:48pm | 06/10/11

Under the Bridge, now that is one person that the rule doesn’t apply to. It’s a shame he is dead, because many people missed out on the satisfaction of killing him.

Anne71 says:

12:22pm | 06/10/11

N, I think Neo could take a leaf out of your book. It is possible to not like Apple products or want to own any of them, but still acknowledge the impact they have made. 
RIP, Steve. And thank you.

neo says:

01:39pm | 06/10/11

Agreed, to be fair, Apple did drive the competition to creating some great gadgets. Whether they suffocated competition more than they encouraged it is a bit of a rhetorical question, of course.

Markus says:

06:42pm | 06/10/11

In neo’s defence, the Apple hating only really came about as a result of having people (read: fanboys) continually start arguments about tech products that they don’t actually know anything about.

neo says:

08:44am | 07/10/11

Precisely Markus! I really don’t care if people around me use inferior gadgets or computers, go for it! I know these people are behind technology, they don’t know much about it, that’s precisely why they are the niche for Apple products.

What angers me is the countless examples of Apple users preaching that their phone/mp3 player/tablet is superior because “Apple is the best”, “Apple just works” or “Apple invented everything”.

Imagine having a PhD in History and having some bogan approach you and say “You know, the USA defeated the whole of Hitler’s army in WW2, I don’t care about all your knowledge of the subject, I am right because I say so.” Well, that’s pretty much like an Apple user telling a tech enthusiast about how superior Apple products are.

They are not, they are second class, always have been, and overpriced to boot. And if you buy them because of personal preference, that is fine, enjoy them, but at least admit that you got it because of personal preference, not because you “know” the product is the best on the market.

Anyway, RIP Steve Jobs, a great businessman and an even better salesman.

KH says:

01:38pm | 06/10/11

He did.  A wife, and four children.

jec says:

02:39pm | 06/10/11

Aaron, that’s exactly my thoughts too - his family.  He only stopped working a couple of months ago, I do hope he had enough time with his loved ones.  As the saying goes, people don’t get to the end of their life and wish they’d spent more time at the office.

neo says:

01:54pm | 06/10/11

Not even I can deny this.

Mahhrat says:

12:31pm | 06/10/11

The guy almost single-handedly revolutionised how we carry our lives in our pocket, you close-minded hipster douche.

Don’t tell me:  you listen to music on your smart phone “ironically”, right?

Get on your wicker-framed bike and go home already.  Eesh.

marley says:

12:39pm | 06/10/11

@Chris - the gadgets he contributed are enough.  He helped open up the computer market to the masses - and that has had an enormous impact on our lives.  As did the success of Henry Ford in developing the automated assembly line which made inexpensive cars, and hence mobility, available to the masses.

I don’t see that giving ordinary people access to worlds of information and communication, or cheap transport for that matter, is a lesser accomplishment than a fine work of art.

Cynicised says:

12:42pm | 06/10/11

No, what Steve Jobs produced was far more useful in the real world than anything an artist can produce. He was a visionary, a marketing and technology master. Hence the “teary-eyed eulogies.”

PS. I love art, but I’m a realist.
PPS. This has been written and sent from my iPad2, one of the great boons and joys in my life, so, respectfully, up yours to all the oh so hip Apple knockers.

RIP Steve.

Jeremy says:

01:32pm | 06/10/11

Those who grew up watching Toy Story or Finding Nemo, or those that will grow up having watche Wall-E and Cars, will beg to differ.

Chris says:

01:36pm | 06/10/11

@Mahhrat: carrying our lives in our pockets has certainly helped humanity, hasn’t it? The world is a much better place now. Gosh, where would we be if we didn’t have our lives in our pockets?
Also, learn the definition of “irony”—it should be on your smart phone. You won’t even have to pick up a book, even if you recognised one.
Also, I am already home. It’s cold outside.

neo says:

01:44pm | 06/10/11

Well, he may have revolutionised the way some people do things, but not everybody. Many people found out about portable mp3 players when they were first released, not when Apple made one.

Mahhrat says:

02:17pm | 06/10/11

@Chris.

Angry. Birds.  Your argument is irrelevant.

RyaN says:

02:31pm | 06/10/11

@Mahhrat: I could do that on my O2 PDA many, many years before this crap came along.

marley says:

02:55pm | 06/10/11

Do any of you people actually remember what the first Apple computers did to the computing world?  They were a user-friendly product, affordable and accessible to the average guy or gal.  They changed the face of personal computing.  Then came the Mac with all its features.  Sure, it was built on other bits and pieces of technology, but it was ahead of anything IBM was producing for the average user at the time. 

Apple played a big part in opening up the computer market to an enormous range of users.  And the competition it presented to “big Blue” changed the face of the industry.  So yes, damn it, Jobs did have a big role in changing the way we all operate.  Whether you’ve got an iPod or an iPhone or an iPad is almost irrelevant - it’s what Apple accomplished 30 years ago that changed all our lives.

neo says:

03:25pm | 06/10/11

Too bad it didn’t bring personal computing to the masses like Microsoft did then. Let’s praise the bug ridden “should-be-beta-but-im-final” Windows OS’ that did.

While we’re at it, let’s praise Hitler for raising awareness of how horrible racism and war are. Because it’s not about what you do, it’s all about the side effects that your actions cause.

RyaN says:

03:56pm | 06/10/11

@marley: yes I remember the time, my Commodore 64 made that crApple look like the piece of junk it was.

marley says:

04:24pm | 06/10/11

@RyaN - sure, and the Packard was a better car than the Model T Not the point.

Fiona says:

08:49pm | 06/10/11

Don’t worry cynicised, I have apple “stuff” too, as well as PCs. I made the best ever booklet while doing my post grad degree using AppleWorks and have made with little effort a lovely photo book of our recent holiday and we don’t get any viruses. For those reasons I use apple. PCs are compatible with more equipment.

Aaron says:

12:41pm | 06/10/11

Don’t start a pissing war KH!

KH says:

01:35pm | 06/10/11

@Aaron - Ha - not trying! Nothing is truly original - everything is built on something else already built - its the essence of progress.  Some things can never be made better (the wheel, forks….........hehehe) but I don’t think that applies to technology!  The success of something is just a point of difference….....

Markus says:

07:47pm | 06/10/11

From a technology standpoint, all the iPad did was force every other company’s hand, to rush their incomplete products into the market to compete against an equally incomplete product. Just like the iPhone did, and the iPod before it.

As you have alluded to in your post, Apple’s main success has been in turning technology from a functional product to a way of life. Personally I still question whether that is actually a good thing.

neo says:

01:52pm | 06/10/11

Oh my, I am willing to bet a lot of people would burn you at the stake for saying that. The only thing that mitigates your guilt is the sober truth of your analysis.

Mahhrat says:

02:58pm | 06/10/11

Kafir is safe, neo.  Mac addicts are all hipster douches that couldn’t punch their way out of wet paper bags.

There is one mac lover I know who does awesome kung fu MMC stuff, but fortunately he’s a mate, so I’m safe too.

Fiona says:

08:57pm | 06/10/11

It’s not actually a secret. You know the find my iPhone (or however it’s said) app. That’s fairly public.

Shama says:

02:54pm | 06/10/11

Week 1-2 - “outpouring of grief”/ I read the news on my iPhone/one piece on social media and its reaction/How Jobs changed my life etc.
Week 3-4 - wall to wall coverage of media over reaction followed by more coverage on the naysayers and Jobs greatness.

That’s how the media cycle is kept going ever since Lady Di’s demise. And the vicarious lives of readers.

Richard says:

07:17pm | 06/10/11

Do you recall any unpeaceful moments from before you were born?

Fiona says:

04:26pm | 06/10/11

I agree completely, Mark. It reflects very badly on them. I call it small people syndrome.

Sent from my iPhone.

RyaN says:

09:39am | 07/10/11

@Mark: thank goodness for that, at least I won’t have my factory workers committing suicide en masse.

Mark says:

10:40am | 07/10/11

@Ryan and how many factory workers do you have?

Under the Bridge says:

05:48pm | 06/10/11

It’s okay.

He’ll be back on Saturday.

stephen says:

06:43pm | 06/10/11

If you tutor there my dear, that may explain a lot.