Turn sorrow into poetry. I love this.
Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot
121–130 of 141 posts
Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot
#122Earlier quoted context omitted.
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…
Rich people can buy apple products, lots of poor people have been killed and maimed by landmines. It's best not to be so glib about how important a god to consumers was when some people did important charitable things despite being a figure in the tabloids.
It is just too obvious that saving lives are more important than making a product prettier. However, I think the best way to less evil for this world is not always that sending your money to Africa, but rather that everybody should work hard for truth_good_beauty.
Apple makes beautiful product and provide nice educational resources to this world, Steve worked hard for this with all his life. So he is far more than "a god to consumers" to me.
Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot
#123Many years ago a colleague, Steve Holtzman, suddenly discovered he had colon cancer. Within a year he had faded away (it seemed almost literally) and was gone. He had money and access to the best doctors, but he wasn't vigilant (he had ignored odd weight loss and bowel trouble) and so it was too late. Although Jobs didn't die of a "man's disease" there are lots of men killers out there that can be stopped if you look…
I think the stress and pressure of running a company also may have contributed to Job's health. He may have had pancreatic problems nonetheless, but the stress, lack of sleep, eating fast food at his desk, etc couldn't have been beneficial. Jobs may have contributed a lot to society, but he probably paid a huge price for it.
He's a vegetarian for most of his life.
Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot
#124Earlier quoted context omitted.
Jobs' (very private) inner life. [..] Remember the man for the person that he was, not for the person that you imagined him to be. Do you not see a problem in pointing out his very private nature, then scorning people for imagining that instead of knowing it? It could even be offensive to the people who knew him best. And now you're chastising people for fantasizing about SJ because of how you fantasize his friends r…
"Do you not see a problem in pointing out his very private nature, then scorning people for imagining that instead of knowing it?" No. Maintaining a private life does not give anyone carte blanche to fill in the details with fiction. People may do it, but that doesn't make it right.
The idea that he went for a walk in the grass. That's the idea you have a problem with. What the fuck dude.
Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot
#125"There is no grass in Moscone West." There's a gigantic grass lawn right next door, in Moscone Center. Steve Jobs was a great man, but this remembrance hit a sour note for me. It's not about Steve Jobs, so much as it's about an outsider's fantasy of what Jobs' (very private) inner life was like. And if this bears no resemblance to reality, it's not a remembrance at all. It could even be offensive to the people who kn…
Remember the man for the person that he was, not for the person that you imagined him to be. Is this actually possible of anyone?
I imagine that timr thinks it is.
Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot
#126Earlier quoted context omitted.
Came here to make the same point. I kinda hate his fanboyism, but damn if he can't find the angle nobody else sees.
I hate this admonishment of fanboy-ism that permeates the discussion anytime MG or Gruber are mentioned. We need fanaticism to counter balance apathy. There is nothing more empowering than a belief in what you do, why you do it, or who you do it for. *said as someone who ran a fan site for 16 years
There is no need for fanaticism to counter balance apathy, well-written, factual and objective articles work fine.
Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot
#127You know what? This code can wait. I'm going to take my son for a walk.
I spent the entire day walking and hiking by a river. First time in years.
Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot
#128"There is no grass in Moscone West." There's a gigantic grass lawn right next door, in Moscone Center. Steve Jobs was a great man, but this remembrance hit a sour note for me. It's not about Steve Jobs, so much as it's about an outsider's fantasy of what Jobs' (very private) inner life was like. And if this bears no resemblance to reality, it's not a remembrance at all. It could even be offensive to the people who kn…
Gruber is saying that there is no grass in Moscone West, the west-most hall at Moscone Center. Where the majority of his time would be spent preparing for the keynote.
Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot
#129Many years ago a colleague, Steve Holtzman, suddenly discovered he had colon cancer. Within a year he had faded away (it seemed almost literally) and was gone. He had money and access to the best doctors, but he wasn't vigilant (he had ignored odd weight loss and bowel trouble) and so it was too late. Although Jobs didn't die of a "man's disease" there are lots of men killers out there that can be stopped if you look…
In light of this, can anyone recommend any self-employed/entrepreneur health plans in the USA that provide reasonable coverage for preventive testing and checkups?
The Freelancers Union is pretty competitive in my market (NYC). Not that it's good coverage, but they do cover a physical and vision test every two years (I think).
Of course, it's a hell of a lot more expensive than it should be, but I was unable to find anything better for a self-employed single person.
Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot
#130Earlier quoted context omitted.
First of all, if you know a little bit about Steve Jobs, you'll know he wasn't likely a big fast food eater. Secondly, I think Steve Jobs would have been much worse off if he had stepped down as CEO. Steve Jobs needed Apple as much as Apple needed Steve Jobs.
I don't know about his diet, but I do know it's virtually impossible to have healthy lifestyle with the responsibilities he has. He might have needed Apple, but there is a chance he put his body over the limit and ignored symptoms
Wouldn't you imagine when you get to his level, you really have the money/power to set your own responsibilities? At the very least, ordering whatever food you might want, having a personal trainer, the best executive health care, etc.
I have no clue whether these were things Jobs did, but he was hardly starting a company here.