I have been and always will be a Mac. In fact, you might even say that I'm an Apple. I can proudly say that my very first computing experience was with an Apple IIe and I enjoyed every minute of it.
I cherish those times immensely. I can remember spending hours on that IIe, swapping disks, loading programs and studying how it worked (probably harder than in school) - only to be interrupted by dinnertime.
In short, that single computer, your creation, inspired a lifetime of choices: taking up graphic design, journalism, web design, starting an ISP and even programming.
Subsequently, I went on to owning more Apple products (e.g. Mac LC, original iMac, eMac, a powerbook and most recently, almost all of the iOS devices)
I've stuck with the Mac through thick and thin - through the crashy, extension-ridden & preemptively multitasking operating systems 6 - 9 (btw, Mac OS 8 was a long wait...) to the highly evolved OS X. I happily bought every single version of OS X, from it's beta form (Cheetah) to Snow Leopard (Lion soon, hopefully) and experienced the shift away from IBM-based (PPC) CPUs to Intel-based CPUs.
At times it was tough, I witnessed it all firsthand: the industry & peer discrimination, the media constantly calling Apple beleaguered, the Mac market share dropping below 4% and Apple almost going bankrupt in the 90s. It was heartbreaking, and yet, when one looks at the Apple of today, having the greatest market cap in the world (near or exceeding Exxon), it's very easy to forget the past...But, I won't and can't because I know how hard you worked as the iCEO, then as the CEO, to grow the company to where it is now. I know how much of your heart & soul you & so many other countless employees gave to making it insanely great.
I cherish those times immensely. I can remember spending hours on that IIe, swapping disks, loading programs and studying how it worked (probably harder than in school) - only to be interrupted by dinnertime.
In short, that single computer, your creation, inspired a lifetime of choices: taking up graphic design, journalism, web design, starting an ISP and even programming.
Subsequently, I went on to owning more Apple products (e.g. Mac LC, original iMac, eMac, a powerbook and most recently, almost all of the iOS devices)
I've stuck with the Mac through thick and thin - through the crashy, extension-ridden & preemptively multitasking operating systems 6 - 9 (btw, Mac OS 8 was a long wait...) to the highly evolved OS X. I happily bought every single version of OS X, from it's beta form (Cheetah) to Snow Leopard (Lion soon, hopefully) and experienced the shift away from IBM-based (PPC) CPUs to Intel-based CPUs.
At times it was tough, I witnessed it all firsthand: the industry & peer discrimination, the media constantly calling Apple beleaguered, the Mac market share dropping below 4% and Apple almost going bankrupt in the 90s. It was heartbreaking, and yet, when one looks at the Apple of today, having the greatest market cap in the world (near or exceeding Exxon), it's very easy to forget the past...But, I won't and can't because I know how hard you worked as the iCEO, then as the CEO, to grow the company to where it is now. I know how much of your heart & soul you & so many other countless employees gave to making it insanely great.
In so many ways, you have been a such a huge influence on my life. You've taught me perseverance and patience at the same time.
Thank you, Steve. Thank you for inspiring me in so many ways and being such a positive influence on my life.
P.s. And although I never had the chance and honor to meet you in person, your passing has touched me in a deeply personal way.
Amitābha
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