Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot • Hacker News Board

Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot

#31

Post by Sindisil » Thu, Oct 06, 2011, 3:12 PM UTC

I'm not what you would call a Gruber fan, but this is a beautiful and inspiring piece of writing.

Apple, and thus Jobs, has always been "them" to me. With the exception of the CoCo way back in the day, I've never been much of a fanboy, but my computer affiliations have always been with something other than Apple: CBM PET, COSMAC Elf, CoCo I/II/III, Amiga, Dos, Windows, Linux - always something else.

But in all that time, I always felt that, over rated and over hyped as they might be, Apple and Jobs we worth of respect and admiration, most especially for their inspiration.

Inspiration inward, in the sense of invention, discovery, and art.

Inspiration outward, in the sense of leadership, drive, and motivation.

Somehow, a kernel of that inspiration is expressed by this vignette.

Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot

#32

Post by kennethologist » Thu, Oct 06, 2011, 3:15 PM UTC

I've never read so many inspiring and life changing stories about anyone. Steve Jobs was one of the greatest men to have ever lived.

Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot

#33

Post by mechanical_fish » Thu, Oct 06, 2011, 3:16 PM UTC

mapleoin wrote: post #12

technoslut wrote: post #5

Gruber's talent for writing never ceases to amaze me. It's always incredible that a tech blogger can write so well and, in this case, poetically. Five minutes ago I had just watched Jobs' commencement speech on CNN for the at least the 50th time. I put work on hold just to hear it again. Every time I hear it I gain strength. I've never had a dad but I did have heroes. Steve Jobs is one of them.

Funnily I got the exact opposite impression. I thought it was cheesy and kitsch.

I should track down the actual post in which JMS (the "Babylon Five" guy) pointed out that even Shakespeare has only about a 50% approval rating.

Meanwhile, I'm not sure you could conduct a proper tribute to Steve Jobs without throwing in a little kitsch. Have you seen the "1984" ad? The "Think Different" ads? Steve Jobs' taste was not constrained by a self-conscious fear of cheese. ;)

Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot

#34

Post by fredoliveira » Thu, Oct 06, 2011, 3:20 PM UTC

pseuds_corner wrote: post #17

danilocampos wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Come back and say it on your real account, chief.

Why? So the hordes of mawkish Steve idolisers can downvote the blasphemer? There are penalties from differing from the hivemind (slowban, hellban etc). Anonymity is the only way to communicate my level of amazement at the current mania. So forgive me if I don't do that.

An anonymous ass will probably be an ass with a real account too. It's a matter of time.

Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot

#35

Post by lwhi » Thu, Oct 06, 2011, 3:21 PM UTC

Good writing is set apart through an honest expression of emotion and experience. As much as I usually despise Gruber's particularly disingenous brand of tech writing .. this is nicely put. We can all take something from his example.

Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot

#36

Post by lwhi » Thu, Oct 06, 2011, 3:24 PM UTC

spxdcz wrote: post #18

pseuds_corner wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Seriously. Princess Diana level craziness.

The difference is that Princess Diana made very little difference to most of our lives. Steve Jobs made such a huge impact in all of our (technologists, programmers, consumers) lives. Do you remember what mobile phones used to be like before the iPhone? How OSX kick-started the style of graphic design that is still in-trend, with aqua? How ugly consumer devices generally were? How he made design matter again? How dar…

It's a fair comment. Perspective in terms of what Apple have actually positively contributed on a world scale is maybe slightly lacking. A great man and an impressive legacy .. but I think the world might eventually view the changes he instigated with a more critical eye in the future.

Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot

#37

Post by cglee » Thu, Oct 06, 2011, 3:25 PM UTC

mapleoin wrote: post #12

technoslut wrote: post #5

Gruber's talent for writing never ceases to amaze me. It's always incredible that a tech blogger can write so well and, in this case, poetically. Five minutes ago I had just watched Jobs' commencement speech on CNN for the at least the 50th time. I put work on hold just to hear it again. Every time I hear it I gain strength. I've never had a dad but I did have heroes. Steve Jobs is one of them.

Funnily I got the exact opposite impression. I thought it was cheesy and kitsch.

If there ever was a time to be cheesy and kitsch, it's now.

Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot

#38

Post by glhaynes » Thu, Oct 06, 2011, 3:31 PM UTC

bgarbiak wrote: post #19

In my mind Jobs was the kind of guy that soils his sneakers while running, not while peacefully walking. The image painted by Gruber here is a kitschy one - and kitschy is probably the adjective least fitting to Jobs and his creations.

Jobs famously would take people on walks and talk with them.

Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot

#39

Post by Tyrannosaurs » Thu, Oct 06, 2011, 3:35 PM UTC

achompas wrote: post #30

mapleoin wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Funnily I got the exact opposite impression. I thought it was cheesy and kitsch.

Very surprising to read this. Was there anything in particular that bugged you about it? To me, Gruber captures Jobs as both a loving family man and a visionary who is selective with his attention to detail. This is a nice lesson, as I often spend time focusing on the wrong details. Even the structure of the article -- a vignette with a narrative device built from a small detail -- is a tribute to Jobs's legendary fo…

Personally I loved the observation about the grass stains and how they just weren't important enough to be something Steve cared about, but I thought the image of him walking hand in hand through the grass with his family was a bit saccharine.

It's enough just to invoke the idea that Steve had found time to get outside - whatever he was doing and whoever he was doing it with and that he did so by focusing on what was truly important but part of great writing is leaving a little bit to the reader and I felt he could have left it there.

But hell, what do I know, I post the odd thing on HN, Gruber earns six figures blogging...

(Don't get me wrong, I like Gruber and I like the piece, just that paragraph).

Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot

#40

Post by swombat » Thu, Oct 06, 2011, 3:35 PM UTC

jarek wrote: post #27

swombat wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So I guess you're also the kind of guy who goes to a funeral and tells the people there to just get over it and move on?

I wouldn't say I went to Steve Jobs's funeral, unless you consider showing up on the internet today that.

Actually, given his influence, yeah, it kind of is. The fact that you bump into articles about him everywhere (even on my blog! http://swombat.com/2011/10/6/steve-jobs ) kind of demonstrates that.