Thank you, Steve.

Upon hearing the news about Steve Jobs' death, I felt really uneasy. I couldn't quite figure out why. I'm not an Apple fangirl. I don't even own an iPhone. Steve Jobs doesn't really affect my day-to-day activities, with the exception that I own an iPod Nano. Then I came to realize that my unease wasn't as much about Apple as it was about Jobs' contributions to technology. His visions, his perseverance, and his need for perfection.

I remember reading this story once about how he freaked out because a gradient on one letter of an iPhone icon didn't seem to match the rest. I always knew he was a perfectionist, but if I remember correctly he called it an "ICON EMERGENCY." Not to mention the times the white iPhone has been delayed because they couldn't get the shading the exact way he wanted. I've never known there to be an Apple beta released to the public because Steve Jobs would never release something if he wasn't sure it was one hundred percent complete.

While I don't appreciate Apple's media manipulation, I do agree that in most cases with Apple, "it just works." There's no fragmentation because only one product (or series of products) is released at a time. Apple uses the same manufacturers, same software developers, and designers for all their Macbooks, iPhones, iPods, and iPads. It isn't like Windows where your computer can be made by HP, Lenovo, IBM, Dell, etc. Not like Android phones and tablets which can be made by Samsung, HTC, or Motorola running on Honeycomb, Froyo, or Donut. With Apple, there's never been an issue of having too much to choose from or not knowing what you're getting. There is no fragmentation within the Apple ecosystem. While that can be a really limiting problem for tech-conscious people like me, it's wonderful for the general consumer.

I think that's what I liked about Steve Jobs' vision. He created products that were simple and powerful for general consumers and technology enthusiasts alike. He knew that design wasn't about what something looks like, but what it feels like.

With that, I would just like to say: thanks, Steve. For what you've done for technology, for your company, and for me. I hope that one day I too can be as driven and motivated as you.