Steve Jobs Dead

[Danny-Boy]

Just heard on 1am news on the radio. Pancreatic cancer was mentioned. Quite shocking, didn't realise he was that ill.

Poor bloke, that killed my older brother two years ago. Only took 3 months from diagnosis and he was in agony.

It's one of the worst kinds of cancer, your whole bile duct packs up, you can't poo properly. Awful.

I wouldn't wish it on anyone..well maybe Ghadaffi.

 

[clapham_gull]

There is one thing Apple did which I think has benefitted Linux hugely. Since about 2000 they started showing the customers that actually you don't have to use Windows in order to use a computer. So customers looked around at alternatives. Many people that could not afford a Mac looked at Linux. Steve Jobs was the visionary and Steve Wozniak was the genius. That is how I will see it.

The list below are computer heroes:

1) Tim Berners Lee
2) Richard StallMan
3) Stever Jobs
4) Steve Wozniak
5) Linus Torvalds
6) Richard StallMan
7) Bill Gates

It it wasn't for Alan Turing none of them would have had a career.

 

[Gwylan]

It it wasn't for Alan Turing none of them would have had a career.

Or Charles Babbage. Or Konrad Zuse. Or John von Neumann. Or Tommy Flowers. Or Robert Noyce etc

The computer industry has many fathers, don't think one stands out more than any other

 

[severnside gull]

Impressed that Google have put an RIP banner over their home page

 

[clapham_gull]

Or Charles Babbage. Or Konrad Zuse. Or John von Neumann. Or Tommy Flowers. Or Robert Noyce etc

The computer industry has many fathers, don't think one stands out more than any other

I suspose the difference with Turing is that his "Turing Machine" work is a still major area of study in computer science.

In comparision the others are mentioned in passing.

 

[34064 Fighter Command]

Sorry, I don't idolise Steve Jobs and I'm not going to start just because he's died.

RIP? Certainly.

However, while he was undoubtedly a great innovator, his business pracitices left a lot to be desired in my opinion. He was ruthless in his attempt to destroy all competition and deliberately made Aplle products in a way as to ensure they weren't compatible with other products. Worse than many other businessmen (including Gates?) - No. But the idolisation of him by Apple fans and the way they argue that Apple is in some way more ethical than Microsoft is a joke.

Sounds a little like our own Sir Alan Sugar, but that apparently seems to be the way to succeed in business. You don't get to the top of the greasy pole by being Mr. Nice guy.

Does anyone idolise Amstrad in the same way ?? Or Sinclair

With all due respect, it was probably the ZX Spectrum that did more for ( home ) computing ( in this country at least ) than the IMac. However the MacIntosh was clearly years ahead of the competition at the time ( ironically at the point Steve Jobs jumped ship ), but it was far far too expensive for most people to purchase. IBM responded by developing a relauched range, offering a much cheaper and affordable model than Apple. Then companies like Compaq and Amstrad came along to make home computing truly universal. Microsoft never got into the hardware side of things back in the early days, they concentrated on developing DOS and then Windows, so comparisons with Bill Gates are a little misleading. Even the X-box isn't strictly speaking a 'computer' as such.

I would compare Apple with Sony more than any other competitor. They both attempted to corner a niche in both hardware and software that ultimately forced the customer into a never ending ' locked in ' relationship with their products, ultimately leading to a polarisation of the marketplace. However I don't think that approach makes for a particularly durable business model. You can now only purchase Apple products from their own stores, in much the same way as Sony would prefer you purchased their products from their own outlets, in both cases you don't get any opportunity to find a product that suits you. It's a case of ' my way or the highway '.

 

[Woodchip]

Sounds a little like our own Sir Alan Sugar, but that apparently seems to be the way to succeed in business. You don't get to the top of the greasy pole by being Mr. Nice guy.

Does anyone idolise Amstrad in the same way ?? Or Sinclair

With all due respect, it was probably the ZX Spectrum that did more for ( home ) computing ( in this country at least ) than the IMac. However the MacIntosh was clearly years ahead of the competition at the time ( ironically at the point Steve Jobs jumped ship ), but it was far far too expensive for most people to purchase. IBM responded by developing a relauched range, offering a much cheaper and affordable model than Apple. Then companies like Compaq and Amstrad came along to make home computing truly universal. Microsoft never got into the hardware side of things back in the early days, they concentrated on developing DOS and then Windows, so comparisons with Bill Gates are a little misleading. Even the X-box isn't strictly speaking a 'computer' as such.

I would compare Apple with Sony more than any other competitor. They both attempted to corner a niche in both hardware and software that ultimately forced the customer into a never ending ' locked in ' relationship with their products, ultimately leading to a polarisation of the marketplace. However I don't think that approach makes for a particularly durable business model. You can now only purchase Apple products from their own stores, in much the same way as Sony would prefer you purchased their products from their own outlets, in both cases you don't get any opportunity to find a product that suits you. It's a case of ' my way or the highway '.

Totally with you on this. Especially the comments about Clive Sinclair, the true father of home computing.

 

[Lush]

As seen on Twitter: Why is Lord Sugar all over the TV speaking about Steve Jobs? It’s like calling Shakin' Stevens in to talk about the death of Elvis.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Yikes!

BBC News - In pictures: Apple fans mourn Jobs

 

[e77]

Jobs had the rare gift of knowing what people wanted before they knew they wanted it.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Jobs had the rare gift of knowing what people wanted before they knew they wanted it.

I'd replace wanted with needed.

 

[sten_super]

I'd replace wanted with needed.

Please tell me you aren't being serious? Yes, iPods/iPads/iPhones are nice bits of kit, but needed? How do the rest of us with non-Apple products survive?

I have an iPod, but I managed just fine with a Walkman before that. I also have an Android smartphone, which is great and I spend loads of time playing around on it, but there's no way that I would say I needed it.

Yikes!

BBC News - In pictures: Apple fans mourn Jobs

Yes BoF, absolutely. I find these collective outpourings of grief for people that we don't know, which have seemingly become commonplace now, at the same time bizarre and slightly scary.

 

[TheMajor]

The list below are computer heroes:

1) Tim Berners Lee
2) Richard StallMan
3) Stever Jobs
4) Steve Wozniak
5) Linus Torvalds
6) Richard StallMan
7) Bill Gates

I'm glad you told me that as I thought it was more superstars emerging from Palace's academy.

 

[u'vebeenamexed]

sigh - more lost jobs misery.

 

[Scoffers]

As seen on Twitter: Why is Lord Sugar all over the TV speaking about Steve Jobs? It’s like calling Shakin' Stevens in to talk about the death of Elvis.

Presumably because Sir Alan founded Amstrad, who were one of the leading lights of the personal computer age back when SJ was starting out.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

How do the rest of us with non-Apple products survive?

Mmmmmm, I'm genuinely stumped for an answer. I don't know. How do you do it?

 

[fork me]

You make it sound like he only worked at Apple? Let us not forget his shareholders and board actually got rid of him for 10 years as they didn't feel he was profitable enough. Did he disappear? No, first he founded NeXT, then he helped found Pixar. The man will be remembered as an undoubted genius. Once he returned to Apple, he appointed Jonathon Ive, and developed the first iMac, the first computer to be a desirable object in its own right, an affordable machine, compact, and easy to use. Prior to his reappointment as CEO, Apple was on it's knee's, some thought it may not even survive.

For anyone that has ever used both PC's and Apple, especially in the early '90's, the difference in ease of use, and user experience was stark. While Windows undoubtedly had functionality, it lacks the intuitive joy of using a Mac. I've used both for 20 years, and still do, but always use Apple OS as my base.

You seem to have more of a problem with the fact Apple has fans that idolise the company, rather than rationalise what actually this man achieved as a human being.

RIP Steve Jobs, a visionary in every sense.

None of which detracts from anything that I said, and I still stand by every word.

 

[brightn'ove]

I genuinely feel a bit sad. Very inspirational chap.

Wonder what it means for Apple. They nosedived badly the last time they were without him and there are very few examples of companies whose fortunes are so intrinsically linked to their founders in such a way.

I believe jobs has created a team of individuals that were suitable to take over and carry on his way of thinking, he knew he was dying. I think the forward thinking and innovative apple we know will continue to be that for a very long time.

 

[Another Berkshire Seagull]

Dont have much time for Apple (shiny boxes with inferior technology), but Steve Jobs was relentless in his quest to consumerize IT and he he done this very well. RIP.

 

[Triggaaar]

As seen on Twitter: Why is Lord Sugar all over the TV speaking about Steve Jobs? It’s like calling Shakin' Stevens in to talk about the death of Elvis.

Good comparison