Steven Paul Jobs, popularly known as Steve Jobs was born on 24th February, 1955. His father Abdulfattah John Jandali, a Syrian and mother Joanne Carole Schieble ( later Simpson ) an American of Swiss and German ancestry, both were graduate students. Since Schieble’s father did not approve their relationship, they could not marry and placed little Jobs for adoption. They, however, married in December, 1955, ten months after giving up the baby boy Jobs for adoption and four months after the death of her father. Their daughter, the biological sister of Jobs, a novelist Mona Simpson was born in 1957. Schieble and Jandali divorced in 1962. Steve Jobs and Mona Simpson first met in 1984. Jobs regularly visited Mona in Manhattan and enjoyed a close adult relationship and he learnt more about his birth parents from her. He invited his biological mother Joanne to some events. His father’s efforts to meet Jobs remained unsucessful.
The family of Paul Jobs and Clara Jobs had adopted the little Jobs and they had moved to Mountain View, California when he was five years old. They also later adopted a daughter Patti. Paul Jobs, who was machinist in a laser company, taught Steve Jobs rudimentary electronics as also how to work with his hands. After completing graduation in 1972, he got himself enrolled for higher studies but dropped out later and in 1974 he joined Atari, Inc., a manufacturer of video games, with a view to saving some money for a spiritual retreat to India. Jobs then came to India with one of his friends for a visit to Neem Karoli Baba at Kainchi Ashram in search of spirutual enlightenment. He returned back a Buddhist with his head shaved wearing a traditional Indian clothings.
In 1976 Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne founded Apple. He , then along with the co- founder of Apple and others designed developed and marketed one of the first commercially successful personal computers, Apple ii series. In 1985 Jobs left Apple in the wake of some difference of opinion with the directors and founded neXT, a computer platform development company. Jobs acquired the computer graphics division of Lucasfilm Ltd. in 1986. He then became an executive producer in Toy Story in 1995. He remained CEO until it was taken over by the Walt Disney Company in 2006. Since he was having a large share holding, he became a member of the Board of Directors of the Walt Disney Company. In 1996 the Apple took over the neXT, co-founded by Jobs and he returned back and became its interim CEO in 1997 and from 2000 onwards he functioned as permanent CEO and spearheaded the advent of the iPod, iPhone and iPad. In 2004 he was severely struck by Cancer and ultimately resigned from the position of CEO in August 2011. After his resignation he was elected Chairman of Apple’s Board of Directors.
Jobs died on 5th October, 2011 at 3.00 p m at his home in Palo Alto, California at the age of 56 years. Millions of people paid emotional tributes to the immortal soul of Steve Jobs praising and appreciating the Apple founder’s pioneering, visionary and creative genius. On 4th October, 2011, one day before his death , Apple unveiled the Company’s new iPhone 4S at Apple headqurters at Cupertino, California. The announcement of Apple CEO Tim Cook marked the first time he introduced a new product since the co-founder Steve Jobs resigned in August, 2011.
As the news of the death of Steve Jobs spread online, homage and tributes started pouring in. The Google plus founders Surgey Brin and Larry Page posted their condolences as follows–” From the earliest days of Googles. whenever Larry and I sought inspiration for vision and leadership, we needed to look to no farther than Cupertino. Steve, your passion for excellence is felt by anyone who has ever touched an Apple product ( including the macbook I am writing this on right now )”–Brin. The Co-founder Page posted, ” I am very very sad to hear the news about Steve. He was a great man with incredible achievements and amazing brilliance. He always seemed to be able to say a very few words what you actually should have been thinking before you thought it. His focus on the user experience above all else has been an inspiration to me” On Facebook, CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated, ” Steve, thank you for being mentor and a friend. Thanks for showing that what you build can change the world. I will miss you ,” The fans had placed among the bouquets and candles some Bitten apples, the logo of the Apple company. Steve Jobs left behind a world transformed by his legacy, creating so many job opportunities for others all the world over.