post-jobs

the reaction elicited in the newsroom last week at the death of apple's steve jobs was not unlike that of learning michael jackson had died.

we kept talking about him and his company. the only business rock star we ever knew was gone.

and the proof of his impact was on our pc screens as we pointed and clicked around our desktop interfaces to drag and import words and pictures to report news of his passing in our newspaper.

from publishing to communications to music -- in all their myriad permutations -- his gift for seeing applications of technology touched everyone who uses the devices his company created or inspired.

(and this includes the snobby naysayers who regard macs and i-anythings as toys. it takes a lot of hard work to make something easy to use.)

his company mourned him.

silicon valley honored him.


even commerce tipped its hat.

i have a terrific loyalty to his thinking and products. his unique genius was once a generation.

i'm not sure if his successors will be able to continue that kind of vision and legacy.

he may never be replaced.