Let’s Give Thanks This Thanksgiving — For Steve Jobs

Leander Kahney ()

steven_paul_jobs_by_dylanroscover

Steve Jobs portrait by Dylan Roscover.

Techcrunch’s Michael Arrington has written a nice essay giving thanks this Thanksgiving — to Steve Jobs.

Arrington rightly points out that our world would be very different if Jobs hadn’t returned to Apple 12 years ago. Mobile phones would still be horrible, computers would still be ugly and the music industry would have collapsed.

“… What would our world look like without him? We’d likely still be in mobile phone hell. Chances are we still wouldn’t have a decent browsing experience on the phone, and we certainly wouldn’t be enjoying third party apps like Pandora or Skype on whatever clunker the carriers handed us. Even if you use an Android, Palm Pre or newer Blackberry today, you must thank Apple for pushing open the doors to mobile freedom. Think back to the phone you had in 2006, and then tell me you don’t love Apple for the iPhone alone (yes, I’ve moved on, but the iPhone was the genesis).”

I’m with Arrington. Let’s give thanks for Steve Jobs.

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About the author

Leander Kahney

is the editor and publisher of Cult of Mac, and author of three books about technology culture: Inside Steve’s Brain, the New York Times bestseller about Steve Jobs; Cult of Mac; and Cult of iPod. Leander has written for Wired, MacWeek, Scientific American, and The Guardian in London. Follow Leander on Twitter @lkahney and Facebook.

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Posted in Apple, Opinions, Steve Jobs, Top stories |

  • Ryan

    This is not going to go down well with many people, haha.

  • Fuzzypig

    I’m all for “biggin’ up” ( as I believe the kids say!) a market leader and indeed Mr Jobs is on a par with most rock megastars in terms of his fan’s adulation, but this kind of gushing, dare I say sycophantic, praise is a step too far even for the average Apple zealot!

    ( Just get my flame-proof jacket out again! )

  • Dennis

    From the bottom of my heart and from the depth of my soul – thank you Steve.
    God bless the day I first tried a mac.

  • http://www.toxicspark.com Andrew Macdonald

    That was a very nice article from Mr Arrington. I am certainly thankful for Mr Jobs today. He is a legend, and will go down in history as one of the best innovators and CEO’s ever!!

  • king

    I thank steve jobs(and others responsible) not only for showing us that a computer experience can mean easy, working, non-crashing one but making it a reality too.

    If it wasn’t for steve jobs, we would still be dealing with Blue Screen of Death

  • bjorntech@squee.org

    Sure, why not. He was already voted Fortune Magazine’s “CEO of the Decade” a couple weeks ago. Another tribute couldn’t hurt.

    The people who already admire him will continue to admire him.

    And the haters that hate SJ and Apple… will continue on hatin’.

    This changes nothing. :)

  • Tommy Peters

    Roscover’s image could have been Kahney’s cover if it was offered before Brain was published. Amazing detail.

  • Alexis

    I agree that I am very thankful of SJ and todays Apple…because being a fanboy has changed my life…as the proud owner of no other computer OS but Apples except for my TiVo’s

    I believe that falling in love with Apple products has drastically changed how the course of my life has gone…being an addictive personality and knowing I must addict myself to positive influences…and am happy that Apple is my vise…

    so thank you Steve Jobs for making my world better

    (feel free to FLAME ON!)