Thanks, Steve

Well, I guess I really have to get an iPhone now...

I always thought Steve would be around, fostering innovation at Apple for decades to come. Even when he resigned in August, I didn't want to believe he could really be so gravely ill.

Personally, Apple's products have meant a lot to me. Macs are the only computers I've owned. I bought my first, a Mac Plus, in 1992 from someone I worked with, who had bought it from someone else we worked with (who was the original owner). I still have it down in the basement, though I doubt it would work at this point. In fact, I still have four of the five Macs I've owned, including the one I'm using to write this. (Seeing that written down makes me realize that perhaps I might have some issues around holding onto stuff longer than necessary.)

Back in the '90s, it wasn't easy to be a Mac partisan. Software was less available, and typically more expensive. I knew that making a conscious choice to be a Mac user at least in part because it was a sort of identification: I am different because I choose to do this. Even before I bought my first Mac, I always felt like that was the group I belonged with.

I'm also lucky enough to use a Mac at work, and at other jobs I've had as well. When my mother asks me questions about how to do something in Windows, I usually don't know the answer. (The Mrs. has helped out with some of those.) I've had a couple of iPods, so it seems only right that I should be moving on to an iPhone.

My boss showed up today wearing jeans and a black mock turtleneck, to honor Steve. (He's a guy not generally given to that sort of expression.) But it made me realize that there's a bit of Steve in all of us Mac users, and in our computers, music players, phones, and tablets.

Thank you, Steve. You gave us so much. I hope you felt like you got something from us in return.