derek smith

Steve Jobs: What we lost

I hesitated writing this because I really don’t have any reason to write it other than for my own health. It’s therapeutic. I couldn’t even think of a decent headline.

A lot of people don’t realize how important a role Steve played in their lives. Odds are, the device you are using to read this wouldn’t exist as you know it without Steve. I won’t bore you with the history, but Steve played a pretty critical role in the development of Windows too.

To me, there’s no argument that Steve Jobs left as much if not more of a mark on the world as any other person who has ever lived. Every major technological innovation in the last 25 years of personal computing was either created or somehow enhanced by Apple.

Lots of other people had hands in it too. Steve didn’t do it alone. But the difference between Steve and everyone else was intent. Others wanted to create things for the sake of creation. They wanted to see if it could be done. Steve wanted to make it useful. He wanted to make technology simple and enjoyable for everyone from one year old to 100. To Steve, innovation was not about doing something that had never been done before. It was about doing it right.

Steve Jobs belongs in the discussion with Einstein, Edison, Tesla, Ford and da Vinci. Some may not agree with that, but it’s fact. In the last 25 years, computer technology has permeated everyday society in a way that it couldn’t have without Steve’s vision. The device I’m using to write this–the iPad–is a crowning example of that vision. It is Steve’s last great gift to the industry he essentially created.

Outside of his extraordinary vision, Steve also had an amazing gift for showmanship and presentation. I encourage everyone to watch at least one of his famous keynotes. Particularly the one where he unveiled the original iPhone. Amazing. But more so than that, go on YouTube and watch his 2005 Stanford commencement speech. Nothing will give you a better idea of the man the world lost today than that speech. I’ll close this out with my favorite quote from it.

“Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose.”

On “Fanboy”: Why I don’t respond to trolls

Readers of this post may or may not know this about me, but I was born with cerebral palsy. Seems a strange way to open a blog post, I know, but it might make sense in a minute. I won’t go into a lot of detail about my experiences but my point is, never in my life have I been blind to imperfection. I’m not trying to go for sympathy. I’m very happy with who I am and I wouldn’t change it for the world. At this point you might be thinking “How’s he going to swing this back to technology?” Well, here goes nothing.

The tech world — just like any other section of humanity — has cliques. There are people who like Apple, people who like Microsoft, people who prefer Google or Android and I’m sure there are others but for this purpose, that’s who we’ll focus on. Variety and competition are what makes technology great. They spur innovation and bring about great new products and services at a rate that’s nearly impossible to follow. But they also bring competition between the “cliques” they create. This isn’t so great.

Believe me, I understand it’s human nature — especially among young guys — to “whip ‘em out and measure ‘em” so to speak. That is to say, we like to argue that we’re bigger, better, smarter or faster than the next guy. I’m just as guilty of it as anyone. I love a little spirited debate now and then. But when arguments about something as trivial and superficial as technology start getting personal, that’s where I draw the line. Which brings me back to my initial point. Nothing is perfect. Everything has a flaw.

Knowing this fact early in life allowed me to develop beliefs that were carefully considered. I’m no expert in sociology and I’m not saying I’m right, but it seems that most people come to believe in things because of their strengths. For instance, some people might choose an iPhone over Android or vice-versa because they think their choice does more things well than the alternative.

My life experience has taught me — correctly or not — to take the opposite approach. I tend to come to most of my beliefs in spite of their flaws. For example, I chose an iPhone over Android because after careful consideration, my opinion is that the iPhone has less flaws than any Android phone. Right or wrong, this is the way I approach nearly every decision I make in life. Both approaches though can be seen as well considered and strong. It’s when people become extreme that problems arise — and the internet is ripe with extremism.

Two things scare me in this world. Blind devotion and blind hatred. Some might consider them one and the same, and in some cases they are, but they’re never a good thing. Oddly enough though, I don’t see a lot of blind devotion in the tech world. Maybe it’s because I unconsciously tune it out, but I can’t think of anyone who outrightly claims blind devotion to any company, product or service. Sure, a lot of people declare their preference for certain things, but it’s usually always followed or prefaced with thoughtful reasoning. Blind hatred though, is rampant.

I know I’m not making any startling revelations here. It’s pretty common knowledge among bloggers and tech enthusiasts that “trolls” never shy away from spewing their anonymous and often unintelligible bile all over any headline, tweet or status update that they see as contrary to their misguided, backward “groupthink” philosophy. Much like a genocidal dictator, a common troll ignores the humanity of their target and instead allows one aspect or belief to define and dismiss their entire existence.

The point I’m trying to make is simple. You are not the laptop you carry or the phone in your pocket. To quote an excellent book/film “You are not your fucking khakis.” Apple is not perfect. Google/Android, Microsoft, HP, RIM ect. are not perfect. Opinions are not fact. Beliefs are not static. Even the most devout supporters of an idea can be swayed with the right incentive. If someone made a phone with fewer flaws than the iPhone, I’d gladly choose it instead.

So call me a fanboy all you want and fill my inbox with your baseless accusations and insults, but when I don’t reply, don’t take it as a sign of your victory. Just know that although I enjoy writing and tweeting about technology, I have a whole other life that demands most of my time and I’m not going to waste a second of it on you.