With the terribly sad news of the passing of Steve Jobs at just 56 years old, the online world has erupted with displays of emotion and memorial. And it's fitting to think that a lot, if not most, of the reactions will have been posted using a machine he invented, be it the iPad, the iPhone, a Mac computer or one of the other innovations he spearheaded.
The homepage of the empire he created simply has this image and message:
On the White House Blog, President Obama released this statement:
Michelle and I are saddened to learn of the passing of Steve Jobs. Steve was among the greatest of American innovators - brave enough to think differently, bold enough to believe he could change the world, and talented enough to do it.
By building one of the planet's most successful companies from his garage, he exemplified the spirit of American ingenuity. By making computers personal and putting the internet in our pockets, he made the information revolution not only accessible, but intuitive and fun. And by turning his talents to storytelling, he has brought joy to millions of children and grownups alike. Steve was fond of saying that he lived every day like it was his last. Because he did, he transformed our lives, redefined entire industries, and achieved one of the rarest feats in human history: he changed the way each of us sees the world.
The world has lost a visionary. And there may be no greater tribute to Steve's success than the fact that much of the world learned of his passing on a device he invented. Michelle and I send our thoughts and prayers to Steve's wife Laurene, his family, and all those who loved him.
On his personal blog, The Gates Notes, Bill Gates - both a competitor and long time friend of - released this statement:
Jobs' family released this statement, confirming he passed away peacefully at home:
I'm truly saddened to learn of Steve Jobs' death. Melinda and I extend our sincere condolences to his family and friends, and to everyone Steve has touched through his work.
Steve and I first met nearly 30 years ago, and have been colleagues, competitors and friends over the course of more than half our lives.
The world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come.
For those of us lucky enough to get to work with him, it's been an insanely great honor. I will miss Steve immensely.
Steve died peacefully today surrounded by his family.In his public life, Steve was known as a visionary; in his private life, he cherished his family. We are thankful to the many people who have shared their wishes and prayers during the last year of Steve's illness; a website will be provided for those who wish to offer tributes and memories.
In New York, this message was pasted to the front of an Apple store in Manhattan and tweeted:
We are grateful for the support and kindness of those who share our feelings for Steve. We know many of you will mourn with us, and we ask that you respect our privacy during our time of grief.
On Twitter, #iSad is just one of the Jobs-related hashtags trending internationally. Here are some of the early tweets:
And you'll notice how many of those were posted by 'Twitter for iPhone'. Rest in peace, Steve.
