Parting Thoughts

Dear Steve Jobs: Thank You for All You Have Done for Us

By Henry Lyons, CIO, Marine Parts Express

Dear Steve:

My heart sank when I heard you had stepped down from your position as CEO at Apple. I want you to be happy and I know that this is not what you would want, that this is perhaps a public curtain call of sorts and it makes my generation nostalgic and yearning to do something to say thank you for all you have done for us.

You see, I graduated high school in 1981, from a small school in Maine with a graduating class of fewer than 100 people. I turned my family’s modest graduation gifts into an Apple II+ computer, and I know I wasn’t the only one. When I got to college, I found my roommate also had an Apple II computer and we spent many hours both writing and collecting software.

Some of my friends and I started a small computer software company in hopes of being like you and sharing in the new small computer community. So, it should come as no surprise that you are a hero of mine, and what kind of acolyte would I be not to respectfully thank you publicly for being there in a way that has put magic back into my professional life.

When Hypercard came out, I published stacks and created more reasons to participate, out of love of the product and joy in how wonderfully inspirational a company can be. I was surprised and excited when the Newton debuted and was even interviewed by a local newspaper for making use of one in my business. I became the local Mac guru and was proud of that.

I found a new love for music with iPod and iTunes making a vast collection of music portable, affordable, and accessible like never before. iPad and iPhone fill me with wonder because they are a playground for everyone. People are inspired to create, develop, and look beyond the limits of what had recently been a stagnant and in-grown industry.

In my current position as CIO of Marine Parts Express, I produced an app for the App Store, bringing me back to the days when writing a program and sharing it with your friends was fun.

So, thank you, Steve, for everything, and please know that your friends are everywhere.

Sincerely,

Henry

Marine Parts Express

Like Mr. Jobs, Marine Parts Express believes in meeting the customer’s needs promptly and accurately. For all your marine engine parts needs, call us toll free at 877.621.2628.

Comments? Questions? Suggestions for topics for our blog or newsletter? Send them to info@marinepartsexpress.com.

Marine Parts Express is a division of Water Resources, Inc., a privately held Maine Corporation

Categories: Technology

Tags: Americans, Apple Computer, Information Technology, iPad, iPhone, leadership, Steve Jobs

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