Thank You, Mr. Jobs

I learned about Jobs' death while browsing on my iPad.

As our second daughter was born a week and a half ago, I haven’t had time lately to peruse my usual news outlets. However, last night before bed, we’d laid Paige down, and I had a spare moment to browse the web on my iPad. I pulled up the NY Times, and I was greeted by the news that Steve Jobs had died. I was immediately taken by the sadness of his passing, a much admired tech-icon taken too soon.

This morning before I get to work, I’m aware of how much what I do has been influenced by Steve Jobs. I develop websites with my iMac. I stay up-to-date with the latest developments in web design by browsing the web and reading feeds on my iPad. Each day I talk to my clients on my iPhone. Yet, as I’ve written before, I’ve made the switch to Mac only recently. However, even before the switch, Steve Job’s fingerprints have been upon the tools of my trade.

The very concept of a “personal computer” found much of its genesis in Job’s mind. During his fabled visit to Xerox’s Palo-Alto Research Campus (PARC), it was Jobs who saw how the combination of a computer, a mouse and a graphical user interface (GUI) was the key to bringing computing power to the masses. Now thirty some-odd years later, I, like many other freelancers, benefit from the power of personal computing. Via these machines, we’re able to do meaningful work and make a living from the comfort of our home offices.

During our lifetimes, we’ve been witness to a remarkable explosion of technology. Steve Jobs stands out as a true innovator and visionary of our time. For those of us who work with, play with and use computers and mobile devices each day, we are indebted to Mr. Jobs’ skill, vision and aesthetic. Thank you, Mr. Jobs for your contributions to this world and our lives.