What Steve Jobs gave us all

The high-tech giant of our age has died. Now, only his legend will remain in the hearts and minds of millions of his consumers. Yesterday Apple said, “We are deeply saddened to announce that Steve Jobs passed away today.”

No one can possibly deny his achievements, and they were well described by the company’s official statement, which read: “Steve’s brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives.” Jobs did an amazing job in his short 56 years of life. The world is infinitely better because of him and we are indebted to him beyond description.

Jobs left a legacy. He invented the first personal computers, the Apple I and II, with his friend in the 1970s and opened many a new frontier with the iPod, iPhone and iPad after returning to Apple two decades later. It is not untrue to say that he blazed the path, Bill Gates paved it, and countless copycats followed in the journey of IT development, and he was never anywhere but way out in front.

The intangible assets he has left are also immense. Taking the lead in the frontier of innovation with a symbolic annual salary of one dollar, Jobs was the most excellent CEO in the world. He has so energetically pursued creation and destruction - as vividly embodied in his motto, “Stay hungry, stay foolish” - that he never ceased to enthrall consumers as he created a unique ecosystem of fascinating technologies beyond anyone’s imagination.

Everyone dreams, but he turned dreams into reality with his powerful leadership. Thanks to that, Apple grew tall in the global IT habitat. Even when emaciated by illness, he showed what a CEO must do at times of crisis and opportunity.

Historians will likely divide IT history into pre-Jobs and post-Jobs eras. Now, the industry, including Korea’s share, will start a cutthroat battle to fill the humongous vacuum he has left in his wake. When alive, Jobs said: “Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me ... Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful ... that’s what matters to me.” Future winners in the IT war will surely be those individuals who believe in creativity and innovation, as Jobs did.

In retrospect, we were all fortunate to have been in the same world as Jobs. Thanks to him, we can move toward a better future with more courage and inspiration. We extend our deepest condolences to the family of a giant of our age. Requiescat in pace.