●Apple CEO Steve Jobs has announced he will step down and take a medical leave of absence. The news is still spreading like wildfire and fueling the rumor departments of many online media outlets. Yet, little has been written about Jobs himself, or his thoughts. Most of the current news is sensational, predicting the fall of Apple, offering investment advice, or simply pointing out that most of the health rumors were true all along, definite “I told you so” postings.
There are various layers to the stories surrounding Steve Jobs and his health. They first started in 2004 and, thanks in no small part to the explosion of blogging, they have never really gone away. Recently, the focus and spin placed on Jobs’ health is that Apple may fall apart if he should die. Proof is in the pudding; search Google for blogs, news, and other items related to his health and you'll be presented with literally weeks of reading material. Also, every time his health is speculated on, Apple’s stock value plunges.
●Sad really, because in truth Steve Jobs -- while influential and iconic -- is not Apple.
● It’s true. Steve Jobs does give Apple vision. However, he has surrounded himself with extremely talented people who are, while maybe not on his level, creative thinkers. Perhaps no one will ever be as creative or as imaginative as Jobs, but why can’t we get past this whole 'Apple will fail without him' movement? Apple Inc. Will be just fine.
●There is also talk that investors could sue Cupertino-based Apple over recent event
Most of that news draws from the announcement last week as the main logic behind any sort of suit. In a January 05 announcement, Jobs said that he was suffering from “a hormone imbalance that has been “robbing” me of the proteins my body needs to be healthy. Sophisticated blood tests have confirmed this diagnosis. The remedy for this nutritional problem is relatively simple and straightforward, and I’ve already begun treatment... I will continue as Apple’s CEO during my recovery.”
●When you add the fact that Apple has remained tight lipped about the health of its CEO since his operation in 2004, you can almost see where the lawsuit-happy investors are coming from -- almost.
●Truth is, while some suits may well be filed, unless someone has a letter from a doctor that proves Apple withheld medical information, those suits will fail.
●The difference between the announcement on January 05 and the one from yesterday is all in how you follow the medical advice given to Jobs by his doctors. Everyone has had a doctor tell them one thing, then later, after a checkup, tell them something different. In this case it looks like his doctors changed their minds, and took a different plan of action with regard to his treatment.
●It is a testament to Jobs himself, who said he would not speak about the issue again, that he announced his medical leave like he did. No one is hiding things at Apple, but it is damn frustrating not to have all the facts in the case.
●While looking over past articles and comments from Steve Jobs, I came across his commencement speech to Stanford graduates given in 2005.
●“When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: ‘If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right.’ It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: ‘If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?’ And whenever the answer has been ‘No’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.
●“No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.
●“Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”
●Relevant words, and while I’m no Mac fan (personally, I can’t stand the things), I can respect the work and energy Jobs has poured into his company.
●This latest health concern is a clear worry. Yet, you have to consider that it is his legend, more than his presence, which fuels the public reaction regarding his connection to Apple. People cannot separate the man from the company, and they should.
●Jobs has helped shape so much more than a simple computer company. If you have kids, then you know of Pixar's classic Toy Story, and you have Jobs to thank for helping create the animation studio that crafted that landmark movie you've watched hundreds of times.
●NeXT was another company Jobs started, although it was eventually bought by Apple, which led to his return to the company after he was initially removed in a public firestorm. The technology he helped develop at NeXT shaped the Mac hardware that you know and love today.
●Does this mean there will be no new advancements to the Mac if Jobs does not return in June as he plans? No, because Apple has so many talented engineers and tech leaders it’s just plain unfair to the company's market rivals. Each one of those skilled professionals has had the time to learn from Jobs, so even if he doesn’t return or his absence is longer than normal, his influence will remain.
●Apple is bigger than one person. This is good and bad. Good, because this means Jobs can take the time he needs to recover and regain his health. Another positive is that Apple will likely never stagnate. Too many people share the ideals of its ailing CEO, and this means that something trend-leading will always come from the crew at 1 Infinite Loop.
●The bad side relates to the very trendy nature of Apple. The company is getting so big it’s sickening. Everything is 'Apple this' or 'Apple that'. You need an MP3 player? Buy an iPod. Need a smartphone? Embrace the iPhone.
●While trendy is cool (heck, even I have an iPod), Apple should spend more time on compatibility and winning over Windows users -- something the company is doing to a degree -- as I still maintain that, on some levels, Microsoft’s Windows Vista ripped off the look and feel of Mac OS X.
●Another aspect to Steve Jobs-related news is his personal right to privacy. Most say that they have a right to know his health issues, as he is the CEO of Apple, but really, if this was the CEO of any other company, would the issue be as large as it is? Would you care if John Doe, a smart and business savvy CEO for Company X, had the same issues?
●Sure some CEOs make the brand. Steve Jobs is a great example of that. So are the likes of Michael Dell (Dell), Satoru Iwata (Nintendo), and Rupert Murdoch (SKY et al). A good CEO can drive company stock, or crush it, as was the case with Carli Fiorina (HP), and Hector Ruiz (AMD).
●Again, Steve Jobs is but one man. He will not live forever. If you are a fan of Jobs, wish him a speedy recovery. If you are a fan of Apple, support the company as you normally would. Wish Jobs the same speedy recovery, then move on.
●Investors -- the ones who are in a panic, unsure of whether to keep or sell their Apple stock based on this news -- sell it all and get out of the market. It’s obvious that long term investment means nothing to you.
●Steve Jobs is taking five months of well-deserved medical leave to recover from some recent and seemingly sudden changes to his health. It's no big deal. With that said, get well soon Steve, and hurry back.
There are various layers to the stories surrounding Steve Jobs and his health. They first started in 2004 and, thanks in no small part to the explosion of blogging, they have never really gone away. Recently, the focus and spin placed on Jobs’ health is that Apple may fall apart if he should die. Proof is in the pudding; search Google for blogs, news, and other items related to his health and you'll be presented with literally weeks of reading material. Also, every time his health is speculated on, Apple’s stock value plunges.
●Sad really, because in truth Steve Jobs -- while influential and iconic -- is not Apple.
● It’s true. Steve Jobs does give Apple vision. However, he has surrounded himself with extremely talented people who are, while maybe not on his level, creative thinkers. Perhaps no one will ever be as creative or as imaginative as Jobs, but why can’t we get past this whole 'Apple will fail without him' movement? Apple Inc. Will be just fine.
●There is also talk that investors could sue Cupertino-based Apple over recent event
Most of that news draws from the announcement last week as the main logic behind any sort of suit. In a January 05 announcement, Jobs said that he was suffering from “a hormone imbalance that has been “robbing” me of the proteins my body needs to be healthy. Sophisticated blood tests have confirmed this diagnosis. The remedy for this nutritional problem is relatively simple and straightforward, and I’ve already begun treatment... I will continue as Apple’s CEO during my recovery.”
●When you add the fact that Apple has remained tight lipped about the health of its CEO since his operation in 2004, you can almost see where the lawsuit-happy investors are coming from -- almost.
●Truth is, while some suits may well be filed, unless someone has a letter from a doctor that proves Apple withheld medical information, those suits will fail.
●The difference between the announcement on January 05 and the one from yesterday is all in how you follow the medical advice given to Jobs by his doctors. Everyone has had a doctor tell them one thing, then later, after a checkup, tell them something different. In this case it looks like his doctors changed their minds, and took a different plan of action with regard to his treatment.
●It is a testament to Jobs himself, who said he would not speak about the issue again, that he announced his medical leave like he did. No one is hiding things at Apple, but it is damn frustrating not to have all the facts in the case.
●While looking over past articles and comments from Steve Jobs, I came across his commencement speech to Stanford graduates given in 2005.
●“When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: ‘If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right.’ It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: ‘If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?’ And whenever the answer has been ‘No’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.
●“No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.
●“Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”
●Relevant words, and while I’m no Mac fan (personally, I can’t stand the things), I can respect the work and energy Jobs has poured into his company.
●This latest health concern is a clear worry. Yet, you have to consider that it is his legend, more than his presence, which fuels the public reaction regarding his connection to Apple. People cannot separate the man from the company, and they should.
●Jobs has helped shape so much more than a simple computer company. If you have kids, then you know of Pixar's classic Toy Story, and you have Jobs to thank for helping create the animation studio that crafted that landmark movie you've watched hundreds of times.
●NeXT was another company Jobs started, although it was eventually bought by Apple, which led to his return to the company after he was initially removed in a public firestorm. The technology he helped develop at NeXT shaped the Mac hardware that you know and love today.
●Does this mean there will be no new advancements to the Mac if Jobs does not return in June as he plans? No, because Apple has so many talented engineers and tech leaders it’s just plain unfair to the company's market rivals. Each one of those skilled professionals has had the time to learn from Jobs, so even if he doesn’t return or his absence is longer than normal, his influence will remain.
●Apple is bigger than one person. This is good and bad. Good, because this means Jobs can take the time he needs to recover and regain his health. Another positive is that Apple will likely never stagnate. Too many people share the ideals of its ailing CEO, and this means that something trend-leading will always come from the crew at 1 Infinite Loop.
●The bad side relates to the very trendy nature of Apple. The company is getting so big it’s sickening. Everything is 'Apple this' or 'Apple that'. You need an MP3 player? Buy an iPod. Need a smartphone? Embrace the iPhone.
●While trendy is cool (heck, even I have an iPod), Apple should spend more time on compatibility and winning over Windows users -- something the company is doing to a degree -- as I still maintain that, on some levels, Microsoft’s Windows Vista ripped off the look and feel of Mac OS X.
●Another aspect to Steve Jobs-related news is his personal right to privacy. Most say that they have a right to know his health issues, as he is the CEO of Apple, but really, if this was the CEO of any other company, would the issue be as large as it is? Would you care if John Doe, a smart and business savvy CEO for Company X, had the same issues?
●Sure some CEOs make the brand. Steve Jobs is a great example of that. So are the likes of Michael Dell (Dell), Satoru Iwata (Nintendo), and Rupert Murdoch (SKY et al). A good CEO can drive company stock, or crush it, as was the case with Carli Fiorina (HP), and Hector Ruiz (AMD).
●Again, Steve Jobs is but one man. He will not live forever. If you are a fan of Jobs, wish him a speedy recovery. If you are a fan of Apple, support the company as you normally would. Wish Jobs the same speedy recovery, then move on.
●Investors -- the ones who are in a panic, unsure of whether to keep or sell their Apple stock based on this news -- sell it all and get out of the market. It’s obvious that long term investment means nothing to you.
●Steve Jobs is taking five months of well-deserved medical leave to recover from some recent and seemingly sudden changes to his health. It's no big deal. With that said, get well soon Steve, and hurry back.
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