I only met him once, and it was a brief encounter to say the least. Met is actually a misnomer. Said hello is closer to the truth, but I feel, as do many others of my age and occupation, a close relationship to Steve Jobs.
We grew up together. I entered the computer industry as Jobs' star began to rise. I began my career in tech in 1985, as the Mac was on the horizon. I hitched my star to Apple early on, and have always maintained a relationship with the company and many of the staff at Apple.
Apple is a firm like no other. Some call it a cult, and criticize it for that. There has always been something different, something special about Apple and their products, and we don't have to look far for the reason. It is Steve Jobs - the culture he built, the fanatical demands he placed on his team, the almost maniacal belief in his own vision formed a company that changed the world.
As he steps down, it is easy to wax poetic. He has become the iconic figure of the tech world, no shadow is larger.
For years, Jobs was the bad boy brat in the shadow of Bill Gates. At 25 he was ousted from Apple, the company he had built, by his own hand-picked successor, John Sculley, the man Jobs had brought on board to mentor him and prepare him for the next phase in Apple's journey.
This sent Jobs into the wilderness. He formed NeXT, a doomed rival for Apple, and that led him to Pixar, which he turned around. Many people forget Apple is not Jobs' only success story.
His return to Apple launched a re-birth at Apple, for both the company and Jobs, and that turnaround has propelled Apple to the rock star status it currently holds, which no other firm can duplicate.
Now Apple faces a future without Jobs at the helm and many are asking about how Apple will perform without Jobs.
I feel a bit mercenary talking about business while we see before us the failing health of a young man being forced to step away in his prime years. Remember, Jobs is just over 50, with a family, kids, friends - he is far more than the CEO of a company.
But such is the nature of Apple. People are concerned that the innovation will continue, that Apple will perform without Steve Jobs in the big office.
I will say this, that his management team has been stable for a very long time, and the Apple product map is undoubtedly formed for three to five years down the road. In the short term, I don't see much changing. Apple never missed a step when Tim Cook took over in an interim basis a few years ago due to Jobs' health. The challenge for Apple will come as this team picks its successors. In 10 years or so is when Apple faces a crossroads, and that is a very long time out. Even if Jobs remained, who could make predictions on that timeline?
But, I really want to spare a thought for Steve Jobs, the man who, although I don't personally know, I grew up with. I hope he has a long tenure as Chairman Jobs, and more importantly as Dad, and Husband Jobs.
Steve Dotto is host of Dotto Tech, Wednesdays at 6 p.m. on AM 650. Visit him online at www.dottotech.com or at www.facebook. com/dottotech.
