As a designer I can't remember when I didn't know who Steve Jobs was, for a lot of other people they may not of know who he was but they may well have been using products he was responsible for. After the last few weeks of media saturated with images and articles about Steve Jobs I think the world is much more aware of who he was and what he did. Anyone who uses an Apple product now will have heard the story of the genius behind it.
I have read a lot about Steve over the last couple of weeks. A lot about how he has changed the world, how he was a visionary, an Einstein of our time and other stories of how he was an incredibly hard person to work with. We've heard the good and bad sides to him but that doesn't change the fact that he has had a profound and lasting affect on life as we know it.
Products that he helped shape have changed the way the modern world operates. They have spawned a multitude of other products, companies and services all of which wouldn't exist if Apple had never been. It is interesting (scary) to think where we would be if none of this had happened. Would Google or Facebook exist? Two of the most influential internet companies today brought about by the dawning of the personal computer age. An age heavily influenced by Steve Jobs. Is it possible that one man could have had this much pull on how things have turned out?
In terms of design, it is impossible to ignore the impact that Apple has had on the notion of good design. All of their products are well considered and have the benefit of, in Steve's words, "just working" but I think it goes much deeper than that. Apple's influences have changed the products that millions of people interact with every day. Placing these well designed products in peoples hands has changed how people see design. Apple is bringing good design to the mass public.
I try and think what Steve was thinking when he was at the beginning, starting Apple from his garage. What if he could have had a glimpse of the future and see what Apple would become. Steve Jobs was no doubt an incredible human being. His influence on humanity is immeasurable and will have a lasting effect for a long time to come. He has shown the world what good design can be and has changed the direction of design and personal computing significantly. Thanks for everything, Rest in Peace Steve.
image credit: www.apple.com