A Tribute to the Greatest Industrialist in Modern History
Rupert Murdoch ·
Oct 6, 2011 at 1:37pm
For most of this day we’ve been reading the many fine tributes to Steve Jobs, including Peter’s eloquent post here. I’d like to add mine.
Steve Jobs was probably the greatest industrialist the world has ever seen, possibly equaled by Thomas Edison.
In the last few years alone, he invented and created amazing new products which he never stopped trying to improve and which have revolutionized music and communications. At the same time, he created the most valuable company in the world.
Steve was a wonderful human being, and he inspired love among far more people than just those he knew personally. He also inspired a generation of customers who took pride in feeling they were part of the Apple world.
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May '10
Re: A Tribute to the Greatest Industrialist in Modern History
I am an anti-Mac-ite. There, it's out in the open. However, I am left with admiration for the obvious success Jobs trailed in his wake. He not only brought untold riches to his employees and investors, he was the catalyst behind the modern enthrallment of Apple products. I really cannot begrudge Apple users their crush. It's sweet and sometimes scary. But mostly sweet. I wonder who the next driven, charismatic visionary will be in the computer industry.
Re: A Tribute to the Greatest Industrialist in Modern History
Very well put, Mr. Murdoch. I wrote my son yesterday that it is a tribute to Jobs' singular genius that he offered products that were intuitive, unique, and almost immediately indispensable. My condolences to his friends and especially his family, for no matter how we lionize him here, the loss of a loved one, regardless of prominence, leaves an emptiness in the heart that can never be filled.
Oct '10
Re: A Tribute to the Greatest Industrialist in Modern History
I'm a semi-Mac-ite these days, using just an old video iPod and a new Macbook Pro along with Windows products. My very first personal computer was an Apple IIgs - quite a wonderful machine as I remember.
Aug '10
Re: A Tribute to the Greatest Industrialist in Modern History
High praise indeed from another pioneer
and Mr Murdoch, there are plenty of us ( to paraphrase you ) who take pride in feeling they are part of the " Fox " world . thanks.
Edited on Oct 6, 2011 at 2:04pmJul '10
Re: A Tribute to the Greatest Industrialist in Modern History
When the days were darkest at Apple, I chose to work there for a spell. I've always been glad I did. It was an extraordinary feeling to propose a feature and see it roll out in the next beta of the not quite released Mac OS X. I can also directly attest to the terror he inspired, even in the most dedicated and brilliant employees.
No one will top Jobs in the computer industry. His garage workshop roots and his ability to find the seeds of success in his failures made him a 20th C. archetype.
Jun '10
Re: A Tribute to the Greatest Industrialist in Modern History
I also think that Jobs' mobile devices will end up doing more to save the written news business than they ever do to harm it. What good are they if there's not fresh new content flowing through them every hour, every minute? You can't convey every idea in a video.
Edited on Oct 6, 2011 at 2:12pmApr '11
Re: A Tribute to the Greatest Industrialist in Modern History
Steve built great products, but his true success was in understanding the total customer experience and amazing marketing and promotion.
The ipod is maybe 10% better than other MP3 players. But, when you add in buying music, organizing your music, syncing your ipod, etc the total experience is 100% better then any other product.
Also, from the Iconic Macintosh ad to IPAD roll-outs, he knew how to get his great products attention and build a fanatically loyal customer base. History is littered with poorly-promoted great-products that failed.
Edited on Oct 6, 2011 at 2:31pmJun '10
Re: A Tribute to the Greatest Industrialist in Modern History
flownover: ...
and Mr Murdoch, there are plenty of us ( to paraphrase you ) who take pride in feeling they are part of the " Fox " world . thanks.
I agree with flownover, Mr. Murdoch -- Thanks.
I've commented on several other posts on the subject of Steve Jobs. Suffice it say: May he rest in peace.
Nov '10
Re: A Tribute to the Greatest Industrialist in Modern History
I worked for Apple for 16 years and saw a lot of both Steves (Jobs & Woz) relatively close up. Steven P. Jobs was one of the smartest people I have ever met. He had an intuitive knowledge of what customers would love and relentlessly pursued product development to perfection. He did not suffer fools gladly it his pursuit of excellence. You either produced or he lost interest in you. I never saw anyone who fell outside of his respect win back their place. That's one of the things that I most admired about him -- single minded in pursuit of excellence.
Dec '10
Re: A Tribute to the Greatest Industrialist in Modern History
With respect, Mr. Murdoch, I think he was more like you. He didn't invent things (despite owning patents for many processes), so much as make things better (reminiscent of the old BASF motto). He took existing technology and pushed it into the market with his own stamp upon it.
Xerox, not Apple, invented the Graphic User Interface; Jobs noticed it and made it the paradigm for personal computing that is now the norm.
I admire Jobs as a visionary, but not as an inventer. He was a stage coach driver, not a horse breeder. I would compare him to Ford, as opposed to Edison.
Re: A Tribute to the Greatest Industrialist in Modern History
I've heard the "he's not an inventor" argument and I couldn't disagree more. I think of Steve Jobs as a combination of Edison and Disney. He used technology and beauty to transform an industry. Thanks for your input Mr. Murdoch. Thanks to you, I feel like part of the Redeye dysfunctional family, where I'm very much at home.
Aug '11
Re: A Tribute to the Greatest Industrialist in Modern History
CJRun:
I admire Jobs as a visionary, but not as an inventer. He was a stage coach driver, not a horse breeder. I would compare him to Ford, as opposed to Edison. · Oct 6 at 3:36pm
I agree with CJRun. Steve Jobs' genius was envisioning how to turn other people's inventions into useful and desirable consumer products. Without his vision, brilliant invention would not be fully realized today. For comparison, look at Bill Gates who makes pedestrian products from brilliant ideas.
Aug '11
Re: A Tribute to the Greatest Industrialist in Modern History
Joe Escalante
I've heard the "he's not an inventor" argument and I couldn't disagree more. I think of Steve Jobs as a combination of Edison and Disney.
Time for a Ricochet contest.
Name one thing, either hardware or software, that Steve Jobs dreamed up out of thin air. Thomas Edison dreamed up the incandescent light bulb and the gramophone. Dantzig invented the Simplex algorithm. But what did Steve Jobs invent?
As CJRun points out, Steve Jobs genius was not inventive, but in realizing the potential in another's invention. A different type of genius than inventive but equally important in this era.
Jun '10
Re: A Tribute to the Greatest Industrialist in Modern History
Saw this on Twitter today. Three great apples in history. 1. Eve in the Garden of Eden. 2. Apple falls on Newton 3. Steve Job's Apple.
I can brag I have something in common with Steve. I too was born in 1955. Maybe there is some Karma there somewhere.
Aug '11
Re: A Tribute to the Greatest Industrialist in Modern History
Unfortunately, the Newton fell on Apple when John Sculley was CEO.
Dec '10
Re: A Tribute to the Greatest Industrialist in Modern History
Joe, you have to defend your position, not merely state it.
I consider Jobs a visionary and a marketing genius, but he invented nothing that I am aware of.
You are absolutely correct, as was James Lileks, in comparing him to Disney, but Disney didn't draw Mickey Mouse; he saw it, packaged it, and sold it. Disney did none of the animating, none of the engineering, he just guided it with his visionary genius.
Not Edison, but Ford (whom were freinds). This is not a contest, merely a clarification. I have come up with many ideas that other people have made money from, because I lack what Jobs had; scintillation. I can't illuminate my ideas and sell them to the public, because my mind is not wired that way. I'm already digging on another problem.
Jobs took other people's ideas and made them relate to humans, as opposed to nerds. That was his genius.
Jun '10
Re: A Tribute to the Greatest Industrialist in Modern History
Charles Rapp
Thomas Edison dreamed up the incandescent light bulb
Not so fast! There were over twenty prior inventors with incandescent light bulbs. Edison perfected it no doubt, but his stroke of genius was setting up the infrastructure that allowed people to actually use them . Sound familiar?
May '10
Re: A Tribute to the Greatest Industrialist in Modern History
Mr. Murdoch (and how cool is it to have Rupert Murdoch post here?) didn't say that Jobs was a great inventor; he said Jobs was "the greatest industrialist the world has ever seen." Being an inventor is not at the top of some hierarchy of values; Jobs created immense value - financial, aesthetic, cultural, etc. - as a technologist, a marketer, a manufacturer, a businessman and financial engineer i.e., employing all the traits which together make an individual a great industrialist. It's the closest a human being can come to God; while God can create something from nothing, great men such as Jobs apply their intelligence to nature and to the innovations of other men to create enormous value, where it had not existed before. Henry Ford and Walt Disney did the same thing, and they were not primarily, if at all, inventors.
Jun '10
Re: A Tribute to the Greatest Industrialist in Modern History
Charles Rapp ...
Name one thing, either hardware or software, that Steve Jobs dreamed up out of thin air. Thomas Edison dreamed up the incandescent light bulb and the gramophone. Dantzig invented the Simplex algorithm. But what did Steve Jobs invent?
As CJRun points out, Steve Jobs genius was not inventive, but in realizing the potential in another's invention. A different type of genius than inventive but equally important in this era. · Oct 6 at 4:39pm
And another proof that Jobs is not an inventor: he got rich. You only get rich if you are first and foremost a marketing genius. Most inventors have to team up with great marketers to get rich.
I don't think of Apple as being great until the iPod -- that was pretty late in the day. But, better late than never. Think of the movie, "Groundhog Day" and Jobs is Bill Murray's character. Enough iterations and you see improvement.
But, an industrialist? That is an interesting term to use. Only in America is that term greeted with affection. He fits that appellation well.
Jul '10
Re: A Tribute to the Greatest Industrialist in Modern History
Two words: Henry Ford.
He was revolutionary in a way Jobs could never be.
Anyone hear of William Shockley?
I don't understand everyone waxing poetic over someone who invented toys.
Edited on Oct 7, 2011 at 5:51am