See ya, Steve!

A few minutes ago I received an RSS feed announcing that Steve Jobs passed away yesterday, aged only 56. I am both shocked and saddened for what the world has lost. To me he was the embodiment of the New World, giving birth to ideas as audacious as they were visionary - and then made them work. He was a geek par excellence; nobody wore the black turtleneck as smartly as he when he presented the apple novelties.  These things (like the iPad and iPod) have instantly become new crazes – even though we never knew we needed them in the first place!

I have used Apple computers for 20 years. My oldest, most precious computer made the journey to New Zealand with me: my Powerbook 180 (with the trackball), which I bought 1993 for around $10,000. In its time it was as cool as the iPhone.

Steve Jobs didn’t invent the internet but he made it a pleasure to use; he made it become a tool as present in my daily life as my toothbrush; his products let the abstract concept of an “interface” emerge with sheer beauty. Working with a Mac means concentration on the content not struggling with the machine or the OS.

I've never had a hero architect but I admired Steve Jobs. He was ever-seeking the new and the natural enemy of the historic places trusts of this world. I’ll keep him in mind; see ya in the next world, Steve!

- Posted October 6, 2011