Spartan Daily

Reasons why Steve Jobs was a genius

Leo Postovoit, Spartan Daily

At the same time, all the talk of Apple CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs being a "genius" and a "visionary" in the wake of his death is something I agree with.

I know these two things seem to contradict each other, but it makes sense.

Jump back to the mid-90s — I was in elementary school and my dad was contracting with the now-defunct Sun Microsystems.

Because of my father's tech savviness, I was always given access to new technology and software in a blossoming not-so-tech-savvy world.

For a while, I was one of the only kids I knew who was getting yelled at by his mom for tying up the phone line with the modem, trying to look up song lyrics on the Internet.

I remember getting DSL when my friends were still tying up their phone lines using AOL.

I remember waiting 20 minutes for a CD to burn, and eventually being wowed by my dad's brand new, $600 DVD burner. I used that burner to make money in middle school, transferring an uncle's home videos to DVD, since we were the only people he knew who had the equipment to do so.

I built two computers with my dad in high school since they were about half the price if you bought a kit and put it together yourself.

There are many more examples, but the point is that I always felt like I was a step or two ahead of my peers because my dad is a techie, and I got to play with the toys he bought.

That being said, all of these toys were powered by Windows software.

I know Windows isn't perfect (Vista anyone?) but over time I learned to love Microsoft's monopoly on the operating system world.

In my mind, Windows became synonymous with good technology from the first time my dad introduced me to Windows 95, and it remains my model to this day.

As a result, I've learned to hate Macs. I've said for years that the one-button mouse, consumer-friendly, easy-to-use model is so dumbed down that it makes them difficult to use.

It's kind of like communism — it makes perfect sense on paper, but doesn't work when applied to the real world.

The ironic part is that the reason I hate Macs is the same exact reason I love the iPhone.

I was having a debate with some co-workers a few months ago about the iPhone versus the Android.

The conversation was instantly ended when one of my associates made a point that the iPhone is the only phone, if not the only piece of electronic equipment, that doesn't need a user's manual for someone to figure it out — it doesn't even come with one.

You have one button, an iTunes account, and an outlet to charge it and you're set.  A toddler could figure it out from there.

I've had an iPhone for a little less than two years, and I can't see myself without it. I get a cellphone, my music, the news, a guitar tuner, a dictionary, access to my bank accounts, a navigation system and a ton more, all in my hand. With all of these tools packed into one little piece of equipment, even without a manual, my iPhone is one of the easiest electronic toys I have ever laid hands on.

The beauty of this powerful device's simplicity can be credited to Jobs, who said "focus and simplicity" were the backbone of Apple's way of operating.

It was his vision, his genius, that turned this anti-Apple consumer into a consumer who swears by a product that Jobs pioneered.

According to an August 2011 MSNBC article, Apple became the most valuable company in the world, taking the spot of long-time front-runner Exxon Mobil.

Keep in mind this is the same company that was founded by Jobs in 1977, ousted him in 1985 for spending too much money on untested products, hit record-low stock prices and neared bankruptcy in the years after Jobs departure, then rehired him in 1997 with the hopes of reinventing the company.

The Apple Store was introduced the same year Jobs was rehired, and with this being a large portion of the company's revenue, it is safe to say that the vision and genius of its CEO catapulted the company to No. 1 in the world.

I was in a coffee shop earlier this week and the iPhone's classic ring went off. Four people, including myself, checked their pockets to see if it was their phone ringing.

There were only six people in the store.

Obviously many people love the iPhone, and even though I still swear by the Windows that my dad hooked me on at an early age, Jobs' vision with the iPhone was able to drag me in and hook me to his company.

It was Jobs' vision that changed the world of technology, and not many people will be able to say that same thing about themselves when their time comes.

Thank you, Mr. Jobs, and may you rest in peace, sir.