I never had the privilege of meeting Steve Jobs. And yet, on hearing the news today, it felt like someone very close to me had died.
As someone I’ve followed from ever since I can remember – growing up listening to the stories of his showmanship and visionary designs, its hard to even remotely express the sense of loss I feel today.
Reading up on every book about him I could lay my hands on, watching liveblogs of new product announcements, and waiting with excitement at a WWDC or Macworld announcement – it almost feels like I actually knew him. And I think a large number of people from my generation share my feelings.
It is very rarely in a lifetime that you get to see someone like Steve Jobs accomplish the kinds of things he did – changing the very face of technology and entertainment as we know it. I’m so glad to have been in the valley to follow some of this first hand.
Here’s to the man who inspired an entire generation with his insane genius. And specially me.
Goodbye Steve. You’ll be missed.
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If you have any questions or thoughts, don't hesitate to reach out. You can find me as @viksit on Twitter.
For all of you who land on this site using the google query “nbdjs” – it stands for “No Big Deal, Just Saying”.
Courtesy of an ex Stanford post doc who shall go unnamed – you know who you are! :)
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If you have any questions or thoughts, don't hesitate to reach out. You can find me as @viksit on Twitter.
I found this gem of a snippet today, and I rather agree with what it says!
“How solemn and beautiful is the thought that the earliest pioneer of civilization, the van-leader of civilization, is never the steamboat, never the railroad, never the newspaper, never the Sabbath-school, never the missionary — but always whiskey! Such is the case. Look history over; you will see.
The missionary comes after the whiskey — I mean he arrives after the whiskey has arrived; next comes the poor immigrant, with ax and hoe and rifle; next, the trader; next, the miscellaneous rush; next, the gambler, the desperado, the highwayman, and all their kindred in sin of both sexes; and next, the smart chap who has bought up an old grant that covers all the land; this brings the lawyer tribe; the vigilance committee brings the undertaker. All these interests bring the newspaper; the newspaper starts up politics and a railroad; all hands turn to and build a church and a jail — and behold! civilization is established forever in the land.
But whiskey, you see, was the van-leader in this beneficent work. It always is. It was like a foreigner — and excusable in a foreigner — to be ignorant of this great truth, and wander off into astronomy to borrow a symbol. But if he had been conversant with the facts, he would have said: Westward the Jug of Empire takes its way. ”
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If you have any questions or thoughts, don't hesitate to reach out. You can find me as @viksit on Twitter.