By Ron Cantiveros
My heart sank as I read the Twitter text message from
@BreakingNews indicating that the co-founder of Apple, Steve Jobs had died on Wednesday. Jobs was 56. Too young and another casualty in modern humanity’s fight against cancer. As Twitter and Facebook exploded with remarks about Steve Jobs, Apple and his legacy, I began to reflect my own experience and how Apple has shaped my life.
It was the Apple IIc Plus in elementary where I learned how to type. It was a Mavis Beacon Teaching Typing program and in Grade 4, I can say that I was the fastest in our class. Throughout the years, I dabbled between PC and Apple platforms. It was not different at the University of Manitoba where I spent late evenings on end in the Machray Hall basement Mac lab trying to figure out if programming was my forte. Alas, it was not. I had a Mac Power PC while I studied muscular dystrophy DNA analysis and gene sequencing during my Genetics B.Sc. Honours degree program.
As Steve Jobs mentioned, in the current post PC era, Apple products still shape and feed my thirst for leading edge technology and innovation. While I’ve been a Blackberry user forever, I am still reluctant to migrate to an iPhone. I’ve owned several iPods, iPod nano, iPod Touch and thanks to a fellow photographer, I was one of the first iPad owners in Winnipeg. In fact, I’m writing this story on a Mac Book Pro.
I love technology and it will continue to shape and define my world for many decades to come. I am truly saddened by Job’s passing and extremely thankful for his contribution, vision and creativity. My heart goes out to his entire family and everyone at Apple. He will be missed.
?”Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life” – Steve Jobs, 1955-2011
