The Crazy Ones

The world hardly needs another obituary post, but I just wanted to say thank you to Steve Jobs. His company, without question, put me on my current path in life. I remember using Apple II and IIGs's in the first grade. I remember "hacking" the network program selector screen to show my name. I remember playing Number Crunchers, and being proud that I was playing on the multiplication setting while everyone else was stuck on addition. I remember the first time I played Mille Bornes on the IIgs, and was amazed at the graphics. I remember when there was only one Mac in the whole school, a Mac LC. We used KidPix, and I liked the tool that drew in four-fold symmetry.

During my last year of elementary school, every 5th grade classroom got a Power Mac 5400. Some of the classrooms got newer models, with a newer version of the operating system. I didn't really know what that meant at that point, but I knew that System 8 looked nicer than System 7. I determined that this was due to a system extension, so I devised a reason to go into the other classrooms and copy the file over the network to the Mac in my classroom. Yes, the networking was that easy. I remember DJing for my class on that Mac because I was too shy to dance. I remember putting together a 5th grade commencement slideshow with one of my best friends in elementary school, shamelessly stealing the idea to use Rod Stewart's "Forever Young" from my little sister's dance studio. I remember coming back to that Mac during the summer after commencement and excitedly discussing cable internet with another friend that I haven't spoken to since.

Much of my confidence and ability in technology stems from my early exposure to computers, and Macs specifically. They were the perfect playground to explore and learn, and Steve Jobs knew that. Every day I use my Mac and iPhone for hours at a time. I use them to keep up with my interests. I use them to read about sports. I use them to check the weather. I use them to post on Facebook, and write tweets. I use my Mac to simulate transistors, and write journal articles. Most importantly, I use them to talk to my family, and my friends. That is a gift for which there is no substitute.

Steve Jobs didn't just create products; he created markets. Virtually every piece of technology we use today bears at least some of his influence. For a man I never knew, he has had a profound effect on my life.

An appropriate epitaph:

SI MONUMENTUM REQUIRIS, CIRCUMSPICE