Steve Jobs truly did bring liberal arts to the computer industry. His vision of how to take the phenomenal technological advances which have been made over the last 50 years and turn them into products that would unleash individual and group creativity was one of his most significant contributions. However tough he was on those he worked with, his empathy for the ultimate user led to advances in design that will continue to push multiple industries in their usage of hardware, software and the internet in general.
The palpable sadness that so many people felt hearing of his death is a testimony to the universality of his impact.
Others will have much more to say about Steve Jobs. He was a special individual. He was also the first one to give credit to some of the giants who preceded him who were critical to developing the enabling technologies that he had the vision to use so effectively. It’s a good time to remember them as well—Bill Hewlett, David Packard, Robert Noyce. And we’ve got some folks who are still around that deserve to be remembered at this time as well—Gordon Moore, Andy Grove and, of course, Ted Hoff. The combination of hard science and organizational skills set the stage for what Apple, with Job’s vision and the creative folks around him, was able to do. Let’s also give a big nod to Jack Goldman and Steve Wozniak. We could go on. But, enough said.
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