Steve Jobs, 56

Steve Jobs, 1955-2011

 (This is being typed on a MacBook Pro, researched via its Safari browser on a FIOS by Verizon fibre optic line. It will be read on Macs, iPhones, iPads as well as many other desktop, laptop, and hand-held devices that try to keep up with the pace-setters in Cupertino, Calif). (accompanying photo courtesy, Apple Inc.)

By TERRY LYONS

The worldwide impact made by Steve Jobs is unimaginable.  Quite simply, he is a legend.  There has never been a human being who has changed the world in so many different ways.  There has never been a CEO/businessman who has made world class and industry-leading contributions to so many different aspects of the way we consume content and information. Just stop and think about it as I count the ways...

• Apple and the MacIntosh computer - just the beginning
• Pixar and the impact it made in the motion picture industry
• The MacBook and MacBook Pro - simply the very best in laptop computing
• iMacs and their variations which gradually introduced the youth of the 2000s to home and school computing
• iTunes and the impact it made on the retail, music, tv and recording industries
• iPods and their many variations (Shuffle, nano, touch, etc) over the years and the collective impact on the way we consume music and video
• iPhones - simply the best in hand-held "devices" and their impact to our lives, our productivity, the delivery of information, voice, data, music, video and television
• iPhoto and the way we use digital photography
• iMovie, iDVD and Final Cut Pro - simply the best in desktop/laptop editing
• iPads and their impact on portable computing, public presentations, and the hundreds of thousands of "Apps" that are an endless stream of potential, efficiency, capitalism, entertainment and innovation

Without even making a stretch, the list of industries that Steve Jobs and Apple have positively effected is staggering. I count no fewer than ten (update: make that 11) MAJOR industries totally changed because of Jobs.

• Computer industry
• Education at all levels, especially the young
• Motion picture industry
• Photography industry, impact in all aspects (just ask Kodak).
• Music industry from iTunes' game-changing impact to GarageBand's ease
• Retail industry because of iTunes Store and Apple store.
• Television industry, production, editing and massive consumer impact
• Newspaper/Magazine and Publishing industries
• Internet/Online/Silicone Valley industry
• Communications industries (telephone, wireless, voice/data)
• Automobile industry as all vehicles had to become iPod ready

And, this list doesn't take into consideration the way the Sports industry, Financial world, convention and hotel industries, travel and literally dozens of others have had to adapt to the iPhone, iPad, iTunes world we live in.

Genius does not even come close to defining the global impact made by this man and his management of brilliant co-workers at Apple/Pixar, all of it a very positive impact that will remain with humankind for generations and generations to come.

May God Bless Steve Jobs, his family and his colleagues at Apple.