Happy Birthday to Steve Jobs and MacRumors

[Pangalactic]

It's unfortunate that Tim Cook did not follow his footsteps.

Well to be fair, you can learn to be a very good manager but you can't learn to be a visionary genius.

 

[jonnysods]

Dang, imagine if he were still alive. We say it all the time here, but I can't shake the feeling of what Apple could be with him at the helm, and what crazy stuff he could have brought to the table.

 

[axantas]

Happy birthday!

Tim is not Steve. Life forced a change. Tim does it not thaaaat bad after all.
Steve made wise, courageous decisions. Choosing Tim as a friend was one of them decisions.

 

[jonnysods]

Happy Birthday Steve - a true hero to me, even if only in hindsight.

While Steve was alive I made the mistake of not attributing nearly everything good about Apple to him, even though he oversaw the revival of Apple (both financially and in terms of product quality) after the incredibly dark times surrounding the 7.5 era. I really disliked decisions like discontinuing the Newton, among others.

Through it all I thought Steve was a determined leader that had surrounded himself with other talented persons who were also responsible for much of the progress and that the press was probably just glorifying Steve due to his charisma (aka "reality distortion field"). That's not to say I didn't always respect him, and agree with much of what he did, I simply thought he was a significant part of a group of talented people.

I was a fool: After seeing what's happened to Apple, beginning not with his death, but almost the moment he had to start relinquishing control due to health issues, it is now obvious that Steve was almost solely responsible for Apple's fantastic software, hardware, reliability, innovation, and integration. Most importantly he seems to have been the only person working in the entire da*n industry that actually understood that the single most important thing about technology is how it integrates properly with human beings so that humans can use it easily and intuitively. He was OCD enough to obsess even over the little things that make a huge difference, especially as they pile-up.

Another small-business owner I work with on regular basis (also in the computer-support industry) put is more succinctly that I could: "I've never seen any company go to sh*t as fast as Apple has."

The new Apple does not carry "Steve Jobs' DNA -- his taste, his thinking, his unwavering perfectionism, his dedication to hard work, and his lust for innovation" with them - they sh*t all over it...

Its true. And he was cruel most of the time, but that fire he lit under people and that fear and that drive he created in people made Apple turn it around, and work on software and experience and devices to get it right. Right now Apple is kind of like an anodized aluminum Microsoft.

 

[haruhiko]

Steve wouldn't have approved the iPhone X's face ID. The failure rate is too high and not up to his standard.

 

[BritishApple]

Cook is a walking Steve Jobs soundboard that doesn’t believe in or have the ability to deliver on those words and phrases of Jobs which he regurgitates.

Under Steve we had a perfectionist streak, colleagues had to fight for their ideas to be heard which came through in the passion for the product. Apple today is a safe, boring, subpar version of what it was. If Apple under Jobs was a company built in his vision, the same can easily be said of Cook; it’s like looking at two different companies.

Steve hired the wrong guy as CEO before, he done so again before he passed. Cook is a numbers guy, the user comes last at Apple under him, he had bred a culture where “good enough” is good enough.

Not everything was perfect under Steve (Mobile Me, iOS 4 on iPhone 3G, etc) but at least back then you KNEW Apple cared about what they put out.

Today, you take what you get and hope it’s up to par.

RIP Steve, you’re truly missed.

 

[coolfactor]

I'm by no means a Jobs fanatic; I didn't agree with every decision made under their authority, and I don't pull out the cliché "Steve never would've _________." Nonetheless, Jobs was a phenomenal presenter and consistently had me excited for products I had absolutely no need for. I can go back on YouTube and watch MacWorld demos in which Steve makes me totally want to applaud a 30GB hard drive… in 2018.

View attachment 752280

Happy Birthday to both of you!

Steve had the magic. No doubt about that! He was real, and sometimes being real requires being raw.

#respect forever
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Steve wouldn't have approved the iPhone X's face ID. The failure rate is too high and not up to his standard.

Really? Proof please.

 

[Dave245]

Steve wouldn't have approved the iPhone X's face ID. The failure rate is too high and not up to his standard.

Mine works very well so I can’t agree there, Face ID is definitely something that Steve Jobs would of liked it’s much better than Touch ID.

 

[citysnaps]

Mine works very well so I can’t agree there, Face ID is definitely something that Steve Jobs would of liked it’s much better than Touch ID.

Agree. FaceID has been far more reliable for me than TouchID ever was. Works with gloves and damp/wet hands.

Steve would have admired the innovation and amazing miniaturization required to bring FaceID to market.

 

[Swampthing]

I do think Steve Jobs would never allowed the amount of bugs that we see today in current software releases. Bugs galore everywhere: macOS, iOS, tvOS. In fact, Jobs probably would have fired people over the whole "battery management" fiasco. Launching an iPhone anniversary edition and then dumping it the following year for new models? Dropping features on laptops? Homepod for $349? It seems the Apple of today has lost sight of who they want to be. They are too busy trying to be everything for everybody.

 

[iMacDonald]

Happy Birthday Steve and MR.

For me Steve's greatest inventions were Mac OSX and the iPhone.
I guess Apple's product offerings would have been a bit different had Steve still been around. I feel a lot of things are a bit fragmented at the moment. So many iPhones for sale at the same time, so many Mac options (new, old and very old) for sale but it is what it is. And I guess it ain't too bad. The spirit of Steve is still there in a lot of things I reckon.

 

[Tec972]

And this is where you are wrong.

There were a lot of personal assistants back in the 90's. Apple even made one, that was close in philosophy to what the ipad became: the Newton. The idea was there, no one had gotten enough of the pieces right, including price, so they never caught on. But if Apple hadn't done it one of the other player--WHO WERE WORKING ON SIMILAR PRODUCTS ALREADY-- would have released their version and that is what would have been the game changer.

First phone with a touch screen-not Apple, but IBM, in 1992 with the Simon.
First multi-tasking computer- not Apple, but Commodore with the Amiga 1000.
First MP3 portable player?- this one is trickier, not because Apple was first but there were a lot of products out at roughly the same time. Sony, Creative with their Nomad, Diamond's Rio player. Apple's genius here wasn't the device, but providing a legal and easy place to download from, iTunes.

None of the smart systems we have would be the same. But they would exist, and they would be similar to what we are using now.

Look at this websites Forums, and scroll back to look at posts from the early 2000's. They're still there. See what people at the time thought of a lot of Steve Job's decisions. Not all of them are favorable.

You are right, Steve made a lot of crazy moves but I think there are many things apple (post Jobs) have done that he would not have let fly. Also keep in mind, the stuff they were doing under Steve was much newer and groundbreaking... They were at the cusp of ideas and design for many things. Here and now, their products have become fragmented, and stale. Much of the things they work on get forgotten for quite a while, or abandoned. Nothing is really new and exciting that others aren't doing, and in some cases doing better.. They had to carve the way much more in the past than now with many things. There are more tools to get the job done in hardware and software now. I mean it took them how long to come up with a 4k player, speaker, and a phone like a samsung galaxy in size and dimension. They have face id which you had on an Xbox One 3 years ago with the XB1 Connect. Not very ground breaking. The iPhone X for all it's hype is an utter disappointment in my opinion. Face ID, that's it.

Steve's attention to detail and vision set him apart. He was a perfectionist and visionary, who also held people's feet to the fire with stuff. He kept on top of things and actually made people do better. I can't help but think when I see so many of Apple's products now that they are uninspired and lazy. Sloppy comes to mind when we are talking about their software and implementation. Just awful. I haven't been excited for their products in 3-4 years and am usually disappointed with what they come out with. If you are lucky they'll implement something others have been doing for a while. Everyone has caught up to the bar Apple set and in many cases surpassed it. (Not necessarily as a total overall experience but in many areas.)

This is the first time in years for me where other products look interesting because they can do much more, because of the benchmark Apple set. Now I feel like they aren't resetting that bar to a higher level with the exception of their pricing. They have become lazy and arrogant, and count on many mindless lemmings buying whatever they put out at whatever the cost, without scrutiny.

Do you think the notch would fly under him? I really doubt it. Do you think we'd have to put dongles in our iPhones for audio under him? I just don't see that happening. He was about simplifying design and not convoluting it.

Just my opinion of course. I think there are a growing number who share a similar sentiment. People are finally realizing it.
[doublepost=1519514403][/doublepost]

I do think Steve Jobs would never allowed the amount of bugs that we see today in current software releases. Bugs galore everywhere: macOS, iOS, tvOS. In fact, Jobs probably would have fired people over the whole "battery management" fiasco. Launching an iPhone anniversary edition and then dumping it the following year for new models? Dropping features on laptops? Homepod for $349? It seems the Apple of today has lost sight of who they want to be. They are too busy trying to be everything for everybody.

I'd hit like on this post more than once if i could. I think lots of people would have been fired for MANY things apple has been doing under Steve.

 

[DeepIn2U]

Firstly, Happy Birthday Steve Jobs! You're legacy is still inspiring and you're truly missed within the industry amongst competitors, friends, business CEO's and fans alike.

Happy Birthday Steve Jobs. Apple is entirely without direction and focus now you have passed.

Steve Jobs was a respectable man who drove Apple with pride and ambition ever seeking innovation and changed the way in which we use computers and Hand Held devices in the modern day. How happy he would have been to see Microsoft fail so dismally in the mobile market on the back of Ballmer laughing at the iPhone.

How happy he would have been to see all the mainstream manufacturers attempting to copy the MacBook Air over the years without success.

Would he have crippled the Mac mini in 2014 NO

Would he have have crippled the MacBook Pro with USB-C NO

Would he have multiple new projects in the pipeline YES

Would he have allowed the Mac mini to go four years without a refresh NO

Would he have had consideration for the Apple consumer YES


.....the list is endless without his focus and direction.

I don't fully agree that Apple is without direction.

Apple's direction has changed as the times have changed. No Steve Jobs would not let the Mac Mini be crippled for 4yrs or go without a refresh for so long ... He would've most likely killed his pet money maker

I just wanted a headless Mac " You know ... if I had a dollar everytime someone said this ... "

Just like the PowerMac G4 Cube when the sales didn't ad up. He was a BUSINESSMAN first and foremost in his second coming to Apple. The innovator and presenter came second.

Apple has debuted some seriously SWEET products:
Apple Watch
- and have beaten just about ALL competitors smart/non-smart watches globally in sales for a year now! And they've improved upon it EVERY year that increases sales and use cases.
MacBook Pro
- performance continues to grow as well as sales and design getting sleek and a piece of art. We saw Jobs' lead on this with the PowerBook G4 Titanium!
iMac Pro
- damn screamer ... but costly of course.
iPad Pro
- architects, graphic visual artists, autistics, and programmers LOVE this product! Again Apple killed a market dominated by JUNK and improved upon it every year!
MacBook Air
- performance increases have been slight but the price is PERFECT! especially considering a mishap that the 2015 debut MacBook has been. I'm it'll get 2 USB-C ports eventually.

iPhone X
- Everything except the storage options and price. I feel it should've had 128/256GB options like the Matte/Jet Black iPhone 7's did on their debut. Yet neither seems to be a complaint or hinderance on it's selling power.

try to not think so negatively.

 

[now i see it]

Let's not forget that more than a few of the most talented software engineers bailed ship not too long after SJ passing. And it only takes a couple great ones splitting to throw a monkey wrench into works. The misery that's now called the Mac is a direct result of that.

 

[citysnaps]

Firstly, Happy Birthday Steve Jobs! You're legacy is still inspiring and you're truly missed within the industry amongst competitors, friends, business CEO's and fans alike.



I don't fully agree that Apple is without direction.

Apple's direction has changed as the times have changed. No Steve Jobs would not let the Mac Mini be crippled for 4yrs or go without a refresh for so long ... He would've most likely killed his pet money maker



Just like the PowerMac G4 Cube when the sales didn't ad up. He was a BUSINESSMAN first and foremost in his second coming to Apple. The innovator and presenter came second.

Apple has debuted some seriously SWEET products:
Apple Watch
- and have beaten just about ALL competitors smart/non-smart watches globally in sales for a year now! And they've improved upon it EVERY year that increases sales and use cases.
MacBook Pro
- performance continues to grow as well as sales and design getting sleek and a piece of art. We saw Jobs' lead on this with the PowerBook G4 Titanium!
iMac Pro
- damn screamer ... but costly of course.
iPad Pro
- architects, graphic visual artists, autistics, and programmers LOVE this product! Again Apple killed a market dominated by JUNK and improved upon it every year!
MacBook Air
- performance increases have been slight but the price is PERFECT! especially considering a mishap that the 2015 debut MacBook has been. I'm it'll get 2 USB-C ports eventually.

iPhone X
- Everything except the storage options and price. I feel it should've had 128/256GB options like the Matte/Jet Black iPhone 7's did on their debut. Yet neither seems to be a complaint or hinderance on it's selling power.

try to not think so negatively.

An excellent assessment. I'd also add AirPods and HomePod.

 

[EdT]

You are right, Steve made a lot of crazy moves but I think there are many things apple (post Jobs) have done that he would not have let fly. Also keep in mind, the stuff they were doing under Steve was much newer and groundbreaking... They were at the cusp of ideas and design for many things. Here and now, their products have become fragmented, and stale. Much of the things they work on get forgotten for quite a while, or abandoned. Nothing is really new and exciting that others aren't doing, and in some cases doing better.. They had to carve the way much more in the past than now with many things. There are more tools to get the job done in hardware and software now. I mean it took them how long to come up with a 4k player, speaker, and a phone like a samsung galaxy in size and dimension. They have face id which you had on an Xbox One 3 years ago with the XB1 Connect. Not very ground breaking. The iPhone X for all it's hype is an utter disappointment in my opinion. Face ID, that's it.

Steve's attention to detail and vision set him apart. He was a perfectionist and visionary, who also held people's feet to the fire with stuff. He kept on top of things and actually made people do better. I can't help but think when I see so many of Apple's products now that they are uninspired and lazy. Sloppy comes to mind when we are talking about their software and implementation. Just awful. I haven't been excited for their products in 3-4 years and am usually disappointed with what they come out with. If you are lucky they'll implement something others have been doing for a while. Everyone has caught up to the bar Apple set and in many cases surpassed it. (Not necessarily as a total overall experience but in many areas.)

This is the first time in years for me where other products look interesting because they can do much more, because of the benchmark Apple set. Now I feel like they aren't resetting that bar to a higher level with the exception of their pricing. They have become lazy and arrogant, and count on many mindless lemmings buying whatever they put out at whatever the cost, without scrutiny.

Do you think the notch would fly under him? I really doubt it. Do you think we'd have to put dongles in our iPhones for audio under him? I just don't see that happening. He was about simplifying design and not convoluting it.

Just my opinion of course. I think there are a growing number who share a similar sentiment. People are finally realizing it.
[doublepost=1519514403][/doublepost]

I'd hit like on this post more than once if i could. I think lots of people would have been fired for MANY things apple has been doing under Steve.

I don’t agree with everything you posted but you presented reasons to back up your point of view and didn’t just call people who disagreed with you an idiot and I really appreciate that anymore. Steve Jobs was obviously a dynamic personality and Tim Cook isn’t. But people like Steve are the exception and not the rule in life. Companies seldom have a dynamic leadership followed by someone equally dynamic.

 

[Naraxus]

Yet, Jobs personally selected Cook to take threshold of this Company and has executed his role exceedingly well since 2011. But continue to make false assertions otherwise.

He also personally selected John Scully and we all know how that went....

 

[ipponrg]

Steve, like Elon Musk, was the ****** of a CEO that Apple needed to turn it around. He was definitely a visionary, and although at times I disagreed with his visions, there were times when I felt he really drove the industry in the right direction

Tim Cook on the other hand has had the pleasure of riding the wave.

 

[I7guy]

Steve, like Elon Musk, was the ****** of a CEO that Apple needed to turn it around. He was definitely a visionary, and although at times I disagreed with his visions, there were times when I felt he really drove the industry in the right direction

Tim Cook on the other hand has had the pleasure of riding the wave.

Right agreed. He is riding the wave to take Apple to a trillion dollars. I would like to ride the same wave.

 

[44267547]

He also personally selected John Scully and we all know how that went....

Jobs had a really unique relationship with CooK. I think his decision to promote him to CEO is exactly how he intended it and Apples success is clearly a representation of his accomplishments with Apple since 2011.

 

[mariusignorello]

Happy birthday!

 

[citysnaps]

Jobs had a really unique relationship with CooK. I think his decision to promote him to CEO is exactly how he intended it and Apples success is clearly a representation of his accomplishments with Apple since 2011.

Even before 2011, as Jobs was extremely sick over his last years and had turned his responsibilities over to Mr. Cook.

 

[Abazigal]

Jobs had a really unique relationship with CooK. I think his decision to promote him to CEO is exactly how he intended it and Apples success is clearly a representation of his accomplishments with Apple since 2011.

This.

I continue to assert that different people are needed at different points in a company history. Jobs was right for his era, and I believe that he would have been a disaster for the Cook era. Cook is amazing for the challenges in this era, and has been responsible for most of the achievements of Apple, but not the initial innovation and concept that Jobs provided. Cook has refined the culture and expanded it, and has done as fine a job as any CEO in American history, if not world business history.

 

[Benjamid]

I wonder why people celebrate a certain birthday in December then

They think he didn’t die...

 

[verpeiler]

I have been using Apple Products since the Apple 2
http://oldcomputers.net/appleii.html

No arrogance on my part just saying it as it is.

So you used the Apple 2 (if that's even true), great. That doesn't make you any more competent than a guy that has been using Apple products for just 1 month.

USB-C is great, if you can't see the advantages I question your power of judgement.