My mom sometimes talks about how she felt when John Lennon died, and I always sort of scoffed at the notion of being overwhelmed by the death of a celebrity stranger.
I understood what she meant when Steve Jobs died - I was really overwhelmed, I think because I derived such a big part of my life, livelihood, and identity from iOS over the last 3-4 years.
I know exactly what you mean. iOS and the App Store gave me a chance to write and sell software that I wouldn't have had otherwise. I launched my first app in my final year of high school and because of the opportunities the platform provided I was able to:
- quit my part-time job
- decide to turn down a University offer (which I didn't really want to take but without any other real option I would have anyway)
- run my own business for the last 3.5 years
- spend 6 months in Canada
If it weren't for iOS and the App Store I would have went to University (something I really didn't want to do) and I would still have another year before graduating (not to mention the loans I would have to take out). Instead I've lived abroad, experienced running a business and had a lot of fun.
> overwhelmed by the death of a celebrity stranger
Jobs, like Lennon, was not just a celebrity. Both stood for what they believed and, by doing so, inspired countless others to do better. I know working with him was impossibly painful, but I wouldn't have thought twice at the possibility.
For some, that may sound masochistic, but, when my muscles hurt after a workout, I remind myself the next time I'll be running longer and faster. The people who work at Apple touch the lives of countless others and their quest for merging technology and art inspires us.
I don't think I would have been the same engineer I am now had I not used an Apple II+ as my first computer and had I not opened the case and been struck by its absolute elegance - if you are reading this, thanks, Woz, for being our profession's Mozart.
When I go over a post I made here (doing it right now, and there are few things humbler, in the literary sense, than a discussion board post), rephrasing everything until I'm happy with it, I feel satisfied you'll read something much better than what I would be able to do in a couple seconds, even if you miss the cut/copy/paste/type action.
For me, last year was a one two punch. Two people I paid a lot of attention to both passed within the span of a few months. First Jack Layton and then Steve Jobs. Jobs' death I knew was coming, but still struck me. While Layton's death ruined my day (as it wasn't immediately obvious that he would pass). I completely understand the feeling.
It's funny to see this as I (and I suspect probably many others) felt compelled to take a screenshot when this happened, because it was so bizarre to see the front page consist of a single story - http://dl.dropbox.com/u/140966/hn_jobs.png
And rightly so. If your reaction to his death here was to go into flag-mode and just not let the front page be filled for one day with a story that so clearly affected the community, then I've got no problems with your flag rights being taken away.
It's an odd reaction that's honestly somewhat puzzling.
They are not even the same story? A lot of them are different takes on one event. Sure some of them are repeats, but its not like the stories are all links to 15 aggregators that point back to the same story.
I guess I always thought flagging was for inappropriate material, scams and obviously false things. Do most people use flagging as a downvote substitute for stories?
Sounds like the correct decision. I'm sure the mods noticed that the front was covered with Steve Jobs stories and would have taken action without your spam if they had a problem with it.
When news broke about his passing, I started putting together a small archive of stories about him. I continue to update it when I come across new stuff.
My friend's done the same thing over at http://idiari.es. Going over the posts there reminded me how vast his range was — from architecture to tech to HR, he had insights in almost every area.
Wow. Time certainly does fly. I remember browsing Twitter that afternoon, outside my office, having a smoke. All of the sudden, I just see Steve Jobs everywhere in my timeline. Texts starting coming in. It was a sad moment. Like him or hate him, he gave himself to the craft, sought perfection, never gave up. RIP to one of the greatest innovators of our time.
I keep listening to this audio of a talk Steve Jobs gave to an audience in Aspen back in 1983 and I believe everything he said in that talk was exactly what Apple became years later. I can't help but wonder how he nailed it so perfectly (well except for the time frame which was a bit longer, 20+ instead of 10-15 years, but still).
To get a sense of clarity of his vision, read Jobs's 1985 Playboy Interview where he predicts the future before setting out to spend the rest of his life to invent it.
Soo.. can some of the older people around here tell me why this interview by a freelance writer for the Playboy is better and more comprehensive than everything I've read in a month? Just what exactly happened to journalism?
Although I generally dislike Apple I felt sad that day. Jobs was by any measure a giant of our industry. Even if you didn't like him as a person, and many don't, his passion inspired a whole generation.
i genuinely believe that the efforts and work that Late Steve Jobs did, brought a revolution in that industry and touched the hearts of millions and millions of people. and i believe this is the reason y we all cant ignore the fact of his greatness
[+] [-] andrewljohnson|13 years ago|reply
I understood what she meant when Steve Jobs died - I was really overwhelmed, I think because I derived such a big part of my life, livelihood, and identity from iOS over the last 3-4 years.
[+] [-] k-mcgrady|13 years ago|reply
- quit my part-time job
- decide to turn down a University offer (which I didn't really want to take but without any other real option I would have anyway)
- run my own business for the last 3.5 years
- spend 6 months in Canada
If it weren't for iOS and the App Store I would have went to University (something I really didn't want to do) and I would still have another year before graduating (not to mention the loans I would have to take out). Instead I've lived abroad, experienced running a business and had a lot of fun.
[+] [-] rbanffy|13 years ago|reply
Jobs, like Lennon, was not just a celebrity. Both stood for what they believed and, by doing so, inspired countless others to do better. I know working with him was impossibly painful, but I wouldn't have thought twice at the possibility.
For some, that may sound masochistic, but, when my muscles hurt after a workout, I remind myself the next time I'll be running longer and faster. The people who work at Apple touch the lives of countless others and their quest for merging technology and art inspires us.
I don't think I would have been the same engineer I am now had I not used an Apple II+ as my first computer and had I not opened the case and been struck by its absolute elegance - if you are reading this, thanks, Woz, for being our profession's Mozart.
When I go over a post I made here (doing it right now, and there are few things humbler, in the literary sense, than a discussion board post), rephrasing everything until I'm happy with it, I feel satisfied you'll read something much better than what I would be able to do in a couple seconds, even if you miss the cut/copy/paste/type action.
[+] [-] lowboy|13 years ago|reply
I don't think that iOS would ever qualify as a cornerstone of my life. Why does it for you? Just curious.
[+] [-] rmckayfleming|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] markmm|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] unknown|13 years ago|reply
[deleted]
[+] [-] mseepgood|13 years ago|reply
Get a life.
[+] [-] singular|13 years ago|reply
I also did the same when Dennis Ritchie died, though not every story was about that - http://dl.dropbox.com/u/140966/hn_ritchie.png
RIP to both of them.
[+] [-] angersock|13 years ago|reply
I'm curious what will happen when Woz passes.
[+] [-] huhtenberg|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] kyro|13 years ago|reply
It's an odd reaction that's honestly somewhat puzzling.
[+] [-] dfc|13 years ago|reply
I guess I always thought flagging was for inappropriate material, scams and obviously false things. Do most people use flagging as a downvote substitute for stories?
[+] [-] jamesaguilar|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] swombat|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] stevenj|13 years ago|reply
http://www.hausmag.com/steve-jobs.html
Miss you, Steve.
[+] [-] sachitgupta|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] vjk2005|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] dakrisht|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] redthrowaway|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] chrislloyd|13 years ago|reply
[1] http://cl.ly/image/371P0B3j3g3H
[+] [-] plainOldText|13 years ago|reply
Link to audio: http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/62010118/download?client_id...
From where you're watching Steve, thanks.
[+] [-] Heliosmaster|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] rbanffy|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] pixxa|13 years ago|reply
http://www.txtpost.com/playboy-interview-steven-jobs/
RIP Steve Jobs
[+] [-] revelation|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] elorant|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] sampsonjs|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jjordan|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] zsherman|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] mansoor-s|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] mariusz79|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jyap|13 years ago|reply
Man, I wish PG or someone would just ban some people.
[+] [-] pixxa|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] ableal|13 years ago|reply
(HN got airplay somewhere, it was a scare-away-the-newbs prank.)
[+] [-] bajsejohannes|13 years ago|reply
And from Amazon: http://imgur.com/eJ77c (upper right corner)
[+] [-] taytus|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] veermishra0803|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] CoachRufus87|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Tomis02|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] desaiguddu|13 years ago|reply