Thanks, Steve.

by

The news of Steve Jobs’ passing hit everyone here at Tofugu like a brick. We were silent for a while, feeling very shocked. There’s not much to say that hasn’t already been said by the news, blogs, and so on. So, hopefully this post doesn’t come off as too weird, too. For some reason I feel like I need to say/post something, even if it’s something short. Tofugu, TextFugu, and everything else we’ve ever done has been built on a Mac, and I’ve loved every minute of it. It’s strange how one company as well as the person who started that company has made such a profound effect on what we do here and how we do it. We are really really sad about his passing, but also super grateful for everything Apple and Steve has ever done for us… which is a lot.

Steve Jobs, 1955-2011

Steve Jobs has inspired us to take risks and do what we think is right… He’s taught us how precious life is. Perhaps he said it best when he said

“Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking that you have something to lose.”

If you haven’t yet, you must watch his commencement address to Stanford in 2005. Seriously one of the most inspiring things I’ve ever seen – I’ve watched this so many times, but right now it seems particularly appropriate.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc']

Steve was just a normal guy who did remarkable things… really there’s no excuse for any of us to do the same, I think. Death is one of those things that reminds us that we all have the potential to be better people, though it’s a shame when it actually has to happen in order to hit home.

But, let’s wrap this up. Everyone here is so, so sad to see Steve go. We’ve all been pretty longtime Apple fanboys, and Apple+Steve has had a surprisingly huge effect on our lives (and has even made learning Japanese easier, I think, though that’s such a small little thing). Life, work, and everything in between wouldn’t have been as enjoyable without you.

A big thank you from everyone at Tofugu, we’ll miss you :’(

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  • boywithdreams

    Someday, the Japanese Language Learning Industry will be writing a post like this about you, Koichi. 

  • http://twitter.com/timisorean Deian Isac

    Sad day for many of us who use Apple products. Like a friend of mine said: We still have Apple products from the Steve era and we will never ever sell them :) They are collection items now.

  • http://www.tofugu.com koichi

    erp, I hope not :/

  • ドラマティック

    Oh man, I’m gonna miss that black turtleneck. :(

  • Michael

    I’m sure his intentions were good when he posted that :P

  • Charmellow

    In class today, we had the privilege of watching the commencement  adress video, everyone was teary eyed. He was truly a remarkable person

  • Anonymous

    Now, I could be a major troll here and say “praise MS” in caps over and over again. Because I use Windows and prefer it to Apple. However, I must say the way he went was sudden, unexpected, and quite sad. But who knows, maybe he’s off in another lifetime building some awesome invention that many will love. I leave my respects to him.

  • adityagnet

    R.I.P

  • http://twitter.com/Ball_Tazer The Ball Tazer

    Re-watching the “If Apple made iHotels” video… ahhh it’s nostalgic. We will dearly miss Steve…  

    ps. so i guess Koichi will be like “yeeeheehaaaaaaaaa!” when Bill Gates dies

  • http://twitter.com/21tigermike Michael A. Robson

    I know you’re just teasing, but you bring up an interesting point: 

    I actually thought about that a few days ago. Why do I feel like Bill won’t hurt as much when he eventually passes (sorry for being so crass). I think when it’s Bill, we will remember his amazing legacy, his incredible drive/competitive fire, and his wonderful pledge to 3rd world countries, and so on, etc, BUT, people won’t hurt the same way as with Steve.
    Apple made products MOSTLY for Schools and Home Users (actually they made products they themselves wanted to use, that was the genesis of the company). Steve always regarded Apple as an Electronics company (much like Sony, Panasonic, Braun, etc) which is why it made perfect sense for them to get into the music business, etc. Enterprises were and still are the primary market for Microsoft’s Windows and Office businesses (don’t let the new ‘hip’ Microsoft image fool you: they get almost all their profits from Windows and Office, to this day).I don’t hurt because I think Steve was a friend of mine (of course not), and I don’t even hurt because I think Apple is in trouble (they have brilliant people there, they’ll be fine). I think it hurts because Steve was the idealist. 

    Kinda like when John Lennon was taken (from an altogether different killer), we don’t just love the Beatles music (or the Mac) we love the Idealist. Like Howard Roarke (Ayn Rand/Fountainhead), Steve was a Businessman in spite of himself, he seemed to act in spite of his wealth, and in spite of traditional business thinking. Paradoxically, this approach to business and life, made him incredibly rich—rich enough to quit, at any moment. 

    When he was 25 he was worth 100 million dollars. When he sold Pixar he was a billionaire. When he found out that his Cancer had returned in mid-2000′s, no one would have questioned his decision to step down. He quite literally had NO reason to keep working at Apple, but for his pure enjoyment of working on new products.

    Apple was not a power trip or egomaniacal toy for Jobs: it was his passion. We all want to find that thing in our own lives, that makes us giddy to get to ‘work’, giddy to discuss, and learn about and work on. In many ways, we’re all jealous of Steve, for his unique mind, and his unbelievable discipline, and exceptionally high standards, and his love for … something that goes far beyond the material world.

    When Bill Gates talks about Computers, he uses words like Standardization, Opportunity, Capitalize, Marketshare. Sorry to polarize and oversimplify these two guys, but the perception that they were completely opposite (even if it’s not true: perhaps Steve was just the cool workaholic who dropped Acid and Bill is the nerdy workaholic who didn’t) is why I think the public is so gutted right now, and may not have such a reaction to Bill.

    Like Howard Roarke, Steve Jobs was the enlightened one, not because he was smarter than everyone else, but because he would rather do nothing, than produce middling products– it’s a seemingly self-destructive policy of exceptional high standards of design, finish, synergy, speed, and…well, zen, that anyone else in the world would abandon at the first sign of struggle, and compromise. Steve never did (ok, iPod Hifi and the Hockey Puck mouse were pure shite, let’s be fair), and if that doesn’t inspire you to greatness, I don’t know what ever will.

    Rest in Peace you Crazy Fucking Genius.

  • http://twitter.com/LeafyTangram Leah

    I work in an Apple store, and customers have been leaving memorials to Steve. It’s amazing. But I have to field the question, “Are you sad about it?” over and over again. Of course I’m sad! But I can’t cry the whole time I’m on the clock.

  • Dude Man Bro

    lol