Jobs Well Done
Sunday, October 16, 2011 at 5:10PM I watched a movie online the other day that was filmed in Ireland. I didn’t recognize one of the vehicles, so I Googled Irish cars and came up with nothing, as I suspected, but one of the search results led me to a question about the positioning of floor pedals, particularly with regard to left and right side driving, meaning which side the steering wheel is on. Do the pedals change positions? No, they don’t. It’s CBA the world over - Clutch, Brake, Accelerator, left to right. Some things never change. Some things do. Sometimes, it’s for the better.
Left-side and right-side driving made me think again about living in a right-handed world when I am quite left-handed. Of course, left-handed people must learn to adapt, and the older I’ve gotten, the more adept I’ve become, but it still doesn’t go without notice. There will forever be minor issues, all of which right-handed people take for granted every day.
As many of you know by now, I spent years in the design trade before transitioning into writing. I still like to dabble in design work, and in most cases, I do it gratis to help out friends or friends of friends. Since I am a creative sort, I use more of the right side of my brain than some, such as mathematicians, logicians and the like who conceptualize more in algorithms and computations. That’s from the left-side. It’s more of a black & white world, where mine is more in shades of gray and multiple colors. I have always thought more abstractly. Think different, so to speak. God knows, that describes me to a “T”.
When I moved to the Orlando area in 1981, I quickly got a job working for an advertising agency. I did everything by hand while sitting comfortably at my rather large art board. By the late 80s, rumors began floating that very much startled me and the others I worked with. To be blunt, I was afraid of change. We were going to swap in our art boards and conventional methods of design for brand-spanking new computers. I had absolutely no knowledge of the intimidating gizmos that were supposed to simplify our jobs, and I had no idea how I would adjust. I mean, the way we plodded our trade had been done the same way for thousands of years, with adjustments, of course, but a t-square has been around a long time, for instance. This was going to be one giant change I wasn’t quite ready for, but I didn’t have much of a choice. Besides, I was never one to walk away from a new way of thinking. Think different, after all.
In 1990, I sat in front of my first computer. It was a Macintosh. Wow! This is like playing Space Invaders and I’m getting paid to do it, was my first thought. In other words, while initially apprehensive, I found this new tool to be something I could learn to understand and love, and I quickly warmed up to it. It grew on me. It came with desktop publishing software called Aldus PageMaker, and the newspaper layouts that normally took an hour to create were condensed to about 15-minutes. Those of us who acclimated well became more productive and within a month’s time, I had that computer saying “I’m sorry, Dave, I’m afraid you can’t do that” whenever someone made an error or hit the wrong key. Once I grasped the world of computers, I never looked back. Today marks 21-years of experience in front of a keyboard and I have only one person to thank - Steve Jobs.
While Bill Gates and Microsoft ventured into the fray of consumer-friendly operating systems, meaning personal computers, in 1992, Windows 3.1 was never close to what Apple started in 1984 with the advent of the Mac OS. Mac was the first to use a completely graphical operating system instead of a command line. Remember those days of DOS commands? C:\enter. Macs were a dream, and they weren’t prone to crashing. Mac was completely user friendly and that’s what made my switch from the art board to a computer so smooth. I compared Mac to Windows operating systems as the difference between cutting through soft or hard butter. In those early days, I fell in love with Mac computers and it’s a love that’s never left me.
Today, Mac computers still have the edge in the graphic design business, but Windows has come a long, long way. As stable as Mac OS has been, Windows 7 is just about as good, so why would I continue to give Mac the edge? The answer is simple, because, no matter what, Windows has always played catch-up to Mac. So has the rest of the world, and for that, I give credit to Steve Jobs for what he did with his creation - Apple. From the mouse on up to the iPad, of which I am a proud owner, it was Jobs who had much to do with what we take for granted today. The first smart phone was an Apple. The rest of the tech-world scrambled. That’s what Jobs did. He was a creative genius and a visionary, able to design and market, and if I could only harness 10% of his mind, I would be one, too. That’s not going to happen, so instead, all I can do is say, thank you, Steve. While some things never change, you dramatically changed the world and the way we think. Thank you for making art, design, writing, and every day living easier for me. You were Apple. You were Mac. You dreamed in black, white, shades of gray, and every color in the rainbow.
While the more the world changes, the more it remains the same, I’m glad you got to see the life altering changes you made, and like Thomas Edison, you will live on in perpetuity because of it. And that’s something that will never change.
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Reader Comments (20)
One never knows what a mind holds. Great post Dave! I appreciate that you appreciate the genius of Steve Jobs. Passing at an early age, it leaves me wondering what more he would have accomplished in later years because many are even more seeing and creative at an elderly age. He got an early start and had he lived longer maybe he would have brought the moon to us. Well, not exactly, but!
Jobs quietly brought forth. Many have the mind to accomplish great things as I have heard we only use a tiny percentage of what we are given to be capable of. What do you think inhibits us.
Dave, I am understanding you get personal news tomorrow. May it be a Blessing from God for good results.
Hi, New Puppy. I took Steve's death personally because he has been an integral part of my life during the past 21-years. There was always going to be an association between him and Macs. They went hand-in-hand and it's a devastating loss. I know he achieved a cult-like status, and in my opinion, he deserved it. He commanded and helmed dramatic changes at Apple. Understanding that Mac computers would never trump Windows, he switched gears and look what he did! Truly, he was an amazing man.
About your question, I have no idea why we use so little of our brains' capacity. What made him think so differently? I just don't know, but I do know he credited his experimentation with LSD in those early years. Some people are natural-born talents, though, and I'm sure that's what he was. Had he been born 75-years earleir, who knows what would have been, but certainly, he was born at precisely the right time. With geniuses, I don't think time was relevant.
It's so great to see you, and yes, I am going to be getting some news tomorrow. You will hear from me directly, and in a private manner. Thanks for offering God's blessings. I'm praying for the same thing, believe me!
Meanwhile, here's to Steve Jobs!
Hi Dave; That was a wonderfully crafted post, as usual. I never had a Mac computer, but I did buy my I phone last year, and learned a lot about the product and the inventor. One thing that I find rather odd. All the memorials that are planned are exclusive to the general public, who have really been the purchasers of his inventions. I wonder if there is anything planned for a t.v. memorium, or one in the stadium of his home town? It just seems odd. Seeing you are a devout user of MAC's you likely have a full and creative hub to use for your creative jobs. Can you imagine the new I4 is as costly as it is? Geez, that's what I paid for my 32 inch t.v. a few years ago!!!
I hope your news will put you at ease and that everything is just fine. I too am going tomorrow to my Oncologist to find out my results from all the tests I just completed. Full body scan, CT scan, bloodwork. I am a little anxious tonight, but it's going to be 5 years since my surgery (this coming March). To keep a positive spin on things, cancer is treatable, and is becoming more of a chronic disease than in the past. I am praying for good news for both our sakes. I would appreciate a little note if you can. I won't stop worrying till you let me know. Weezie
Oh, Weezie, I'll let you know tomorrow. Please let me know about your health, as well. Tuesday, I get an endoscopy and colonoscopy, so I don't think the week is going to go all that well. Well, not on Tuesday, anyway.
I have an iMac and the iPad. My laptop is running Windows 7, but I'm going to partition it and add Ubuntu Linux, another operating system, if you're not familiar with it. I do own a very good smart phone, but it runs on Android, so I try to be as diversified as possible. I don't think it's always smart to throw all the eggs in one basket these days, because I like to keep up with all technologies, but I reiterate what I wrote. Without Jobs, the world wouldn't be what it is today. And one more thing, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE my iPad. It's one of the best things I've ever owned, if not the best.
As for Jobs memorial services, a lot of people don't even have them today, and many that do are private, family affairs. His are going to be like that, I think, but include people who knew him personally and worked for him.
Thanks for thinkiing of me. I will most definitely keep you up-to-date.
Great post, Dave! Thank you so very much for not writing about his Arab heritage. It isn't that his heritage is bad but many people are making a big deal of it. His real parents were the ones who raised him.
I'll be praying for both you and Weezie to receive good news~
Hi, Sherry! To be honest, his Arab heritage never crossed my mind when I wrote this piece. As a matter of fact, I knew from whence he came a long time ago and it never bothered me one bit. I mean, how can people be that bigoted? We have friends in the Arab world. They're not ALL fanatics hell-bent on destroying us and the rest of the western world. Besides, a person's ethnic background has nothing to do with it. Chinese babies are adopted in this country by the thousands each year. Do they all grow up to be communists? How odd that anyone would think that way.
Thanks for enjoying the post. Steve Jobs was an American more than anything else. He truly represented the spirit that made this country so great, and he will be missed.
Thank you, too, for keeping Weezie and me in your prayers. I hope it is good news to tell you.
Great post Dave! I don't own a Mac or an iphone, but I have only heard so many good things about them. I have looked at an ipad and thought it was great and would like to own one some day. It is amazing all the things he was able to bring to this world and I can only imagine what more he could have brought us had he lived longer. After I heard of his passing I found myself wondering if he had let his top people know what other things he had envisioned for the future and where he wanted to go next. I am hoping that he did so that we can see where else he was going to take us.
I am praying and hoping for good news tomorrow for you. When you walk into your doctor's office tomorrow remember all of us who are and have been praying for you and are with you in spirit wishing for the best. Their is strength in numbers.
Hello, Mary Jo... I don't think that not owning an Apple product is anything bad. Most people can't afford them, for one thing, and some people never cared about Apple, Mac or Steve Jobs. I must say that my iPad is, quite simply, a piece of art that continues to inspire and amaze me, especially after I downloaded the latest OS 5.0 the other day. Eventually, tablets will be a lot more affordable, too, but I am glad I have one. I am quite positive Steve left Apple in excellent shape. Remember, any successful business surrounds themselves with bright people. Someone like him would have so many brilliant minds in place with plenty of ideas. I expect his mission to continue for years to come. Apple is way too innovative to lose it over his death. As hard as he fought it, he knew what he was up against. So did his people.
Thank you for praying for me. When I walk into that doctor's office tomorrow, I know there is strength in numbers and I hope my odds are very good. Believe me, you will be one of the first ones to know.
Weezie, good luck at your appointment tomorrow and I am sending good wishes and prayers your way for good news.
Great post, Dave! This was a surprise because I didn't expect you to be writing anything for a few more days so it was a treat to see a new post up when I checked my mail.
Being a Pisces, I do not like change. It took months for my daughters to convince me to get myself a computer. I did not realize that a whole new world was about to open up for me and, believe me, that did not come instantaneously. I was very suspicious of a computer as they respresented chat rooms, porn sites, everything negative.
I wont go into all the things that took place when the tech set up my puter and left me alone with this monster. Why do tech talk so fast when they instruct you on how to operate your system? I became a whiz at using the mouse, so much so, that all the icons on my desktop disappeared into a waste paper basket. Had I been stronger, the puter would have taken a crash course out the window followed by all the wires and gizmos, the likes of which would shock the NS Power Commission.
Enough of that ....perseverance and being stubborn paid off. Today, if someone stole my puter, they would be ripping out my second heart.
Thanks Jobs... and thanks, Dave.
Believe me, it was a surprise to me, as well. I've been sitting on this and I wasn't clear how I was going to start it, let alone tie it together, but I wanted to acknowledge the man for what he's done and how he's certainly affected my life over the years. Today, it came together and I decided to write it.
Being a Virgo, although I don't know anything about what that means, I have always been open-minded and willing to experiment. Some people may call it thinking outside of the box, but I've created quite a few box designs, so I don't know what to call that, either. What I will say is that Western thinking tends to dichotomize phenomena into either/ or categories, whereas, a both/and perspective may be more fruitful in analysis.
I'm glad you finally decided to open up the box and let the computer out because it, most certainly, has enlightened you to no end. That is something I will forever recommend. It's tonic for the mind and soul. The more we learn, the more we grow, although I understand the world is still flat up there in Novi Scoti way, huh?
All kidding aside, perseverance did pay off. I don't know about stubborness because you eventually came around and you are happier for it. Yes, it's become your second heart, so keep it pumping with fresh ideas.
Thank you, Snoopy.
Hi Dave!
Hope all is well with you.
People Mag. has a great article on Steve Jobs in it's current issue. Even has a photo of his wife.
One thing I learned about Mr. Jobs is that he was not a very approachable person, and was very reserved. That surprised me. He also had several things "in the works" that he hopes will be built. A disc shaped office bldg. for one.
As an artist, you know that we all perceive our surrounding differently. Mr. Jobs had a far reaching, and beyond way of "seeing" this world. What a great gift!
May he rest in peace.
Hi, Mary!
Yes, all is well with me, thank you. I haven't seen the People magazine story on Steve Jobs, but I'm sure it's a dandy. I've only seen fleeting images of his wife, but if I recall correctly, she seems like a regular person - not at all affected by money or anything. I don't know if that goes with the territory or not, but take a look at Steve Wosniak. He's a regular dude. It's the same with Bill and Melinda Gates. If I ran into them in the street, I wouldn't expect they were billionaires.
No, Steve Jobs was not an approachable person, but I don't really think it had to do with his ego as much as it had to do with where his mind always was while working. And whenever he spoke to the media, that was working. Don't get me wrong, he had an incredible ego, but considering what he's accomplished in life, it goes without saying. Besides, he wasn't as much a public figure as he was an innovator who loved to crow about his new toys. The man was a complete genius. By the way, his home is quite modest for who he was. To me, that makes him less pretentious than one might expect.
Yes, we all see things differently. Some people like Van Gogh's art. Some people hate it, but I definitely see his paintings as pure brilliance. Steve Jobs had a remarkable grasp of the world's market, the likes of which I've never seen. While Apple will never see another Steve, I'm certain he planted plenty of Apple Seeds all around Cupertino and elsewhere in the world. A genius as structured as him would never leave a mess. Bank on it.
Thank you for writing (and calling me an artist!) Like I wrote, I wish I had 10% of his talent, but most of all, it's the drive he had that made him an institution.
Dave. You had me going there for a while. I couldn't guess what your point was going to be. (I didn't catch it from the title. Duh!)
It was a great read.
I was very sorry to hear about Steve Jobs. I followed his struggle off and on over the years, but it was still a shock. So sad.
I hope you receive good news tomorrow, and that they have some nice relaxing meds to help with the procedures on Tuesday.
¯\(©¿©) /¯
Hi, Nan - You know me and my writing style. I seldom get to the point right away, but I try to relate a good narrative and as the story progresses, the message becomes clear. It's not necessarily the standard way of writing, but then again, I do "Think Different". I'm glad you enjoyed it.
While Steve's death did not surprise me, I was definitely saddened by it. He did remarkable things in life and it would have been nice to see how far he would have gone with his ideas. I just heard that the last project he completely oversaw was the iPhone 5. I'm sure there were others in the works, and time will tell what Apple does to blossom post-Jobs.
I am awaiting my fate and will accept it no matter what the outcome. I have a sneaking suspicion it will be alright. Meanwhile, prepping has begun for Tuesday morning. I am sure I will get some good, relaxing meds. Gee, I can't wait!
Thanks for commenting on Jobs. Thanks, too, for the well wishes. Fortunately, I've got a lot of support going in, and for that, I am thankful.
P.S. I like your little graphic.
One of the nicer and thoughtful tributes I've read on him- thanks! I found myself calling the Apple folks about my own phone this last week- they be busy bees right now what with the new OS and new phone. I ended the convo by saying I was sorry about Mr. Jobs! She said that pretty much everyone has been making some statement or other like that. Bill is not likely to be getting the same sort of spontaneous outpouring of affection, imo.
Good luck with tests, etc....
Thanks, Karen. I really respected Steve and his work, and I've been an Apple fan since 1990. Losing him was like another bite out of that apple and it was a chunk that will never be replaced. I, too, had a problem last week, but it was with my iPad. Some of the App upgrades wouldn't work so I called Apple. The problem was taken care of, and I said the same thing you and everyone else said. You know, it's not every mega-corporate leader who gets this sort of sympathy. That says a lot about Steve Jobs. He was truly amazing.
My test results are in, I do not have lung cancer, and I am going to write a short post about it. Thank you, Karen. This has been bothering me for weeks. Now I can move on with my life.
Morning Dave, I read your article when you first posted it but other than saying great post about a great man I was at a loss of words.Then as time has settled in I became aware of Steve Jobs every day gift he has given me. My three sons all texted me at the time of his death. He crossed generational lines in the respect he had. My sons respected my feelings of loss at the death of John John not they did not understand. With Steve Jobs death we all understood the impact.
There is more I could write but your post was well written.
You are thought of often during this "medical" time in your life.
take care
First of all, calipatti, the news was good. NO LUNG CANCER!
Steve Jobs was a remarkable man and he will be missed for his many contributions - one's that went well beyond Apple and technology. He was a caring human being and, yes, he spanned generations. Even my 80-year-old father was impacted by his death. How could he not be? Anyway, thank you for commenting about him. It's not the amount of words you write, it's only the words that show how you feel. I'm glad I grew up with Steve Jobs.
Thanks for caring about my health, too. Now, I can move on with my writing and not be so preoccupied.
Life is good Dave! Now carry on with your writing. I loved this tribute to Steve Jobs and it lets me know how lucky we are to have been a part of the "Steve Jobs" era. I have my lap top, mac book, I pad and i phone surrounding me and your wonderful test results have topped off the day! Good job and good results make for a good day! p.s. I would like to tell you that a colonoscopy is a cake walk compared to the anxiousness of the test results but I can't. So..............I won't. Happy thoughts, think happy thoughts!
Yes, SageMom, life is good and I hope it stays that way. Tomorrow, on the other hand, will be another adventure, but enough of that.
It's truly amazing how much Steve Jobs touched us in our everyday lives. He's not the man who invented the mouse, but he knew exactly what to do with it. How he knew, that with each step, the public would not only bond with his innovative technical marvels, they'd never be able to live without them! What a genius.
Anyway, I am definitely "prepping" myself for tomorrow morning and I'll tell you, it's nothing close to a cake walk. You got that right! Thanks.
Great news today Dave! Thank you for keeping us informed. I've heard they sedate you while doing a colonoscopy, so hope you are not uncomfortable during the procedure. I have never had one and would not look forward to it. What a relief it will be when you get good news on this test too. Shoot, you may even get married and start raising a family soon. We all want these immediate health issues and concerns to be over with and for you to move on with a positive life. After all you are still young with a mind to expand beyond your wildest dreams.
Hi, New Puppy, I really want to put a new post up, short and sweet, that explains exactly what I have, but I've had some rather pressing issues arise suddenly that precludes me from writing much of anything. See my response to Snoopy for a less subtle explanation.
Tomorrow morning, I will be sedated with propofol, the same drug that killed Michael Jackson. The major difference is that I will be in a surgical facility, under the care of professionals who will not walk away to talk to their girlfriends.
Ixnay on the amilyfay. No bride. No kids. No more women of childbearing age. I think I'm going to settle comfortably into middle age and count my blessings. There's something about young women that no longer appeals to me like it did when I was young and fancy free. And I'm sure the feeling's mutual. Heck, my grandfather was younger than I am now when I first called him Grandpop.
Thanks for all you've done to support me. I really appreciate your confidence.
Dave~ ~ I expected you to be shouting it from the roof tops in big bold letters??
Snoopy! I would like to be able to shout it from the roof tops, but there ain't no bathroom facilities on any roofs I've ever been on, and I'm not about ready to drag my iPad along for the ride. When the movement, I mean, MOMENT, is right, I'll write something.
Miralax Dave
Glad to hear the good news! Everyone at Reality Chatter is cheering the news! We will be praying for you still, friend~
Thank you, Sherry, and please thank everyone at Reality Chatter for me. I will go in and make a formal thank you later on, if that's OK. Right now, I'm "actively" prepping for tomorrow's colonoscopy, and I don't have much control over that.
Miralax Dave~ ~ well chit, so I can't tell you that you're full of it for at least a week. You seem to be having such a crappy time of it lately. Poor man!
Time for supper, Snoopy! Lemon Jello. Yum. In between, of course.
Well I just may make myself right at home in here since KIng David cannot leave the throne and summon his pages and have me thrown out of here.
What a time for my mind to go blank...
Did I tell you about the time I got that dreaded "you have done something illegal" or words similar, noitce? I had only been operating my puter for a couple of days and was surfing the internet to take a peek at what the big world of cyberspace had in store for this old girl. I clicked on a website and low and behold that illegal notice appeared. This is when the panic set in. I exited the website like they told me to, shut the puter off, unplugged the power cord, turned off all the lights and went to bed.
I lay there trembling waiting for a knock on my door. Not to worry, I didn't plan on answering it. I was not about to face the cyber police.
My puter was not turned on the next day nor the day after. I finally got the nerve up to tell my daughter what had happened, She laughed so hard, it was ridiculous.
When did they decide to get rid of that illegal notice?
The problem, Snoopy, is that searches can be taken completely out of context. For instance, I could be researching for a story about the KKK, including going to their website. All my searches could lead law enforcement to believe I am up to no good, when that isn't the case at all. It could possibly lead to an investigation into my life, which is something I'm not afraid of in the least. The problem is, the government would be wasting precious taxpayer dollars over something that's not worth it. I know they have to treat everyone as a suspect, but they sure can go overboard. As for your warnings, I have no idea why something like that would pop up on your computer, unless...
YOOOOOO Davey my boy, Congrats on your absolutely wonderfully awesome news or "outcome". Yes, something was intended with that comment.
Hey Snoop, I recall those warnings also. Scarey at the time. What a wonderful memory you have.
Looking back, what was illegal?
I perfer black cherry jello!!!!!!!!!
It was good to see you in court yesterday regarding the Anthony saga. Hope you are doing well and keep your chin up.
Thank you, Cindy, and I'm glad I went. I had a chance to chat with John Morgan, too. Also, I just put up a new post about it and a video of his interview with media afterward.
I am keeping my chin up, but for sure, I was beat when I got home.