The magical fruit: Steve Jobs and his world changing apple
By Emily Perry / Staff
- Photo by Elizabeth Johnson / Staff
“Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes… the ones who see things differently — they’re not fond of rules… You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things… they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.”
-Steve Jobs
We all recognize the name Steve Jobs. He and Steve Wozniak founded Apple computer in 1976, a company that has completely transformed the way consumers view technology. Steve Jobs posed a question to a former Pepsi-Cola employee, John Sculley, asking him, “Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water to children, or do you want a chance to change the world?” And that is exactly what he did. Changed the world.
Everyone has seen the storeÂľthe crisp looking, fluorescent apple logo at the top of a clear entryway. The ever-so-tantalizing window displays draw you in, with promises of becoming lost in the millions of apps on the iPhone and the crazy effects on Photo Booth. Everyone has to take at least a few pictures in their lifetime on one of the computers in an Apple store.
Jobs and Wozniak were not afraid to take a chance. Instead of a “regular” mp3 player, why not have one that shuffles to the next song when you shake it. Instead of a “normal” phone, why not have one that is capable of holding music, photographs from your computer, browsing the internet and viewing full web pages, and allowing the user to download a copious amount of applications, ranging from a Starbucks locator, all the way to the old-school Oregon Trail game.
No one would have thought that the current state of technology would be touch screen phones, paper thin computer monitors, or a music player with the capability to hold 20,000 songs and watch full movies. Almost EVERYONE has an iPod. It’s like we can’t go anywhere without them. We are constantly plugging them into our cars while we drive, fitting them into our ears when we go for a run, or using the apps that can be downloaded for free or ones that can be purchased.
Steve Wozniack once said, “Everything we did we were setting the tone for the world.” How true is that? Wozniack and Jobs really have set the tone for all other technology companies. From personal experience, I have always had a Windows computer. There is nothing wrong with them, but there is something special about having a Mac. If you own a Mac, you know the feeling. There’s something “trendy” about it. That’s part of the company’s appeal: it’s trendy.
Steve Jobs has created a company known around the world. He built a company based off of “green” ethics and fast data transmission, and has truly shown that if you want something badly enough, it CAN happen. The rules of the standard computer were broken and will continue to be broken, as long as Apple exists. As in everything in life, if you put your mind to it, your dreams can come true.
Put the practices of Jobs and “Woz” into your everyday life. Take the chance you’ve always been wanting to take. Engineer your dream company, for you never know whom it will inspire. When you think something can’t be completed, look at the successful men and women who have built their dreams and have linked their name with household products. When you believe in yourself, the rest of the process just comes naturally.
Steve Wozniack thought of the idea of a computer, simply by looking at his typewriter and his television and linking the ideas of the two together. So take Mr. Jobs advice and be one of the crazy ones who changes the world.
