You couldn't be more wrong. Do you know what critical mass is? It means until X number of people start using your technology, nobody jumps on board. It's why people were afraid to buy HD DVDs.

He accelerated innovation in the PC industry. Introduced PCs to the mass market. Created a user-friendly interface that inspired Windows. When more people start using PCs, then other developers (e.g. software developers) become more likely to want to use your product.

He created critical mass for mp3's. You wouldn't have been able to buy a ****ing Zune without the iPod, because music producers wouldn't have wasted their time converting their entire library music to a platform nobody was using (except illegally).

He innovated the iPhone. No iPhone, likely no Droid either.

He innovated the iPad, creating a revolution in touchpads.

So if you like using computers (with Windows or a similar software), enjoy touchscreen phones with apps, enjoy touchpads, or enjoy being able to download mp3's, and not just albums but individual songs as well... then yes, Jobs most certainly made your life better.

http://i.imgur.com/pB9hF.png

http://i51.tinypic.com/33c5ixs.jpg

None of that makes him a prick (Edit: in that we don't know for a fact that this is a 100% accurate portrayal of the person that he was recently).

"After resuming control of Apple in 1997, Jobs eliminated all corporate philanthropy programs."

So? They provide tons of jobs for people. They partnered with RED (and were the largest donator). Just because he doesn't do it publicly and mandate that the company do it doesn't mean he's a prick. It just means it's not public.

"One former manager, for example, recalled that Jobs told an entire team of engineers they would be losing their jobs right after they came back from Christmas vacation.'

Oh no! People got fired. This happens. Sucks to have it happen around the holidays, but would they have rather not known and gone out and spent a ton of money lavishly, only to come back to no job?

De mortuis nihil nisi bonum

RIP

Come on man.. you are taking an indefensible position... ALMOST EVERYONE who worked with him said he was a huge asshole... combine that with the fact that he was a thief...

If you can't tell.. I ****ing HATE thieves. No way to excuse what he did as an ADULT... it's not like he was 12.

iSad. :-(

Uhhh...that's what it sounds like happened.

He was the boss. How many people DON'T think their boss is an asshole? He might have been very hard on people, but it obviously brought out the best in them and the company. Lots of college players might think their coach is a total asshole, but then they graduate, and realize that he wasn't such a dick after all.

I'm not excusing it in any way. It was wrong. But it was also over 30 years ago, and the person to whom it happened remained his friend.

What I'm saying is that you don't know him. I don't know him. It seems wrong to judge a person like that when you don't know them.

I guess it depends on how you read it. Sounds like it could go either way.

It's a tough call. I know I'd rather find out beforehand. But I could understand if someone didn't want to tell me so as to ruin my Christmas vacation. Still, I'd rather know.

If it was me, I would've just waited until February to fire them. :)

I found the story AC was quoting. It happened before the holidays.

Actually no he didn't... Woz has stated on many occasions that they were never truly friends.

yes I didn't know him... but I'm pretty sure I'm safe in my judgement.

I still don't get why anyone is defending this guy... I highly doubt you'd be defending anyone else.

He said they weren't close friends, but he didn't say they weren't friends.

In any case, I'm not defending him so much as being an agnostic about it. You don't know, and neither do I.

All I see is that an extremely intelligent and talented individual died in a really shitty way. That sucks. I'm not losing any sleep over it. My portfolio might be losing some value because of it, though >.<

Mm..All of your information about Steve Jobs is about the Steve Jobs of the 70's/80's, there is a reason he was kicked out of apple in the mid 80's.

Perhaps I'm mistaken, but I read he softened before re-establishing control of the company in the late 1990's.