Steve Jobs has passed

[Ginaz]

FWIW, it's not like Apple is the only company using Foxconn to build their stuff.  The others don't come up because they don't try to find out how their stuff is getting delivered 2% cheaper (that article is based on Apple's own inspections and reports).  If you buy anything electronic, the chances that it didn't involve labor practices just as vile are remote.

--Dave

They may not be the only company but I can't think of another CEO of a major corporation that was regarded as some sort of God Emperor by his customers that could do no wrong.  Steve Jobs acted like a raging douche bag on multiple occasions and engaged in some morally questionable business practices, which makes him no different than most any other CEO of a major corporation.  I never understood the hero worship he received/receives.

[RhyssaFireheart]

FWIW, it's not like Apple is the only company using Foxconn to build their stuff.  The others don't come up because they don't try to find out how their stuff is getting delivered 2% cheaper (that article is based on Apple's own inspections and reports).  If you buy anything electronic, the chances that it didn't involve labor practices just as vile are remote.

--Dave

They may not be the only company but I can't think of another CEO of a major corporation that was regarded as some sort of God Emperor by his customers that could do no wrong.  Steve Jobs acted like a raging douche bag on multiple occasions and engaged in some morally questionable business practices, which makes him no different than most any other CEO of a major corporation.  I never understood the hero worship he received/receives.

So Steve Jobs = Muad'dib?

[Trippy]

They may not be the only company but I can't think of another CEO of a major corporation that was regarded as some sort of God Emperor by his customers that could do no wrong.  Steve Jobs acted like a raging douche bag on multiple occasions and engaged in some morally questionable business practices, which makes him no different than most any other CEO of a major corporation.  I never understood the hero worship he received/receives.

Jeff Bezos.

[naum]

They may not be the only company but I can't think of another CEO of a major corporation that was regarded as some sort of God Emperor by his customers that could do no wrong.  Steve Jobs acted like a raging douche bag on multiple occasions and engaged in some morally questionable business practices, which makes him no different than most any other CEO of a major corporation.  I never understood the hero worship he received/receives.

Jeff Bezos.

Jack Welch (GE) has served as an icon and larger than life figure for many in the business class.

When Bill Gates passes, there will be just as much hoopla as was for Jobs.

Finally, Herman Cain -- while not too many knew who he was while he was commandeering Godfather Pizza, he's the leading Republican presidential contender, according to recent surveys…

[Ironwood]

I don't give two tugs of a dead dogs cock for Steve Jobs, but, yes, I will be quite sad when Bill 'passes'.

[Ginaz]

I don't give two tugs of a dead dogs cock for Steve Jobs, but, yes, I will be quite sad when Bill 'passes'.

I don't know much about him as a CEO (I'm sure he had his moment of bad behaviour as well), but Bill Gates seems like a nice guy who has made some very positive contributions with his money and charitable foundation.

[Furiously]

He killed the newton..... I loved my soup.

[Nerf]

I think it's probably been long enough I can post these now.



If not, meh, it's not like anyone expects better from me.

[01101010]

As expected, people are lined up out the door and around the block for the new iPhone even though everyone was bitching about it being nothing more than an internal upgrade. All out of respect for Steve's passing. Seriously, that man even knows how to market death to push Apple stock. 

[Ironwood]

The flash joke was funny.

[Bunk]

This wasn't all that funny, but I thought it a good new use of a fairly tired old meme.

[Sheepherder]

Actually, that one is funny.

[Merusk]

I rather enjoyed finding this on Reddit last night.

[Trippy]

It's like deja vu all over again.

Steve was a Buddhist.

Reincarnation as a Foxconn assembly line worker then?

[Simond]

I don't fully agree with the sentiment, but there is a kernel of truth in it.

[Trippy]

Yes but that's the fate of most people who invent "infrastructure" and then give it away. That's un-American. If only he was more like that monopolist Bill Gates, then we'd really be celebrating his life. There are others like him such as Vint Cerf, Bob Kahn, and Tim Berners-Lee who will barely get a passing reference when they die (actually Tim will probably get more than that) while the billionaire tech oligarchs will be celebrated when they die.

[K9]

Don't forget Al Gore 

[Sky]

At least Gates is using some of his obscene fortune to make the world a better place for the unfortunate. I still have 5 pcs and a few macs running that he bought, and that's the second generation of the Gates Foundation funding. He's directly helped thousands of people in this community, and you'll probably see some Gates-funded computers in any library in america. And that's just one of many programs the Foundation heads up.

So Bill is alright in my book.

http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Pages/home.aspx

[Surlyboi]

[naum]

At least Gates is using some of his obscene fortune to make the world a better place for the unfortunate. I still have 5 pcs and a few macs running that he bought, and that's the second generation of the Gates Foundation funding. He's directly helped thousands of people in this community, and you'll probably see some Gates-funded computers in any library in america. And that's just one of many programs the Foundation heads up.

So Bill is alright in my book.

http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Pages/home.aspx

First, Jobs really didn't make much of a fortune, especially in comparison to Gates, at least off Apple -- most all of his wealth came from selling Pixar to Disney.

Second, Gates gets accolades for his foundation but most of the money (~95%, according to reports is invested and only 5% goes out). Also, it funnels money into ethically challenged companies and has joined up forces with the corporatists intent on dismantling public education.

Ironic, since Gates constructed his business empire on the public dime -- enjoying, thanks to the influence of affluent parents, free university computer time in an age when such resources cost $200 per hour.

Not saying that all that Gates Foundation is doing is evil, but let's not cast Gates as a saint.

Both are extremely driven, but flawed individuals.

[Paelos]

Rockefeller and Carnegie were assholes too.

[Merusk]

Woo, politics ahoy.

[Paelos]

Woo, politics ahoy.

Can we move the one where Sinij is bitching about F2P there too. That would be great.

[pxib]

Don't forget Al Gore 

A little bit on that subject from Vinton Cerf.

[Trippy]

He and Bob Kahn wrote about it too:

http://www.eecs.umich.edu/~fessler/misc/funny/gore,net.txt

[Tannhauser]

When Jobs died Apples stock was valued around eleven times that of Starbucks.  Let that sink in.  Eleven times.  I don't know anything about Jobs personally, who cares, but you have to respect his titanic leadership of Apple.  Haters gonna hate I guess.

[naum]

[MuffinMan]

That got me good.

[Ironwood]

When Jobs died Apples stock was valued around eleven times that of Starbucks.  Let that sink in.  Eleven times.  I don't know anything about Jobs personally, who cares, but you have to respect his titanic leadership of Apple.  Haters gonna hate I guess.

I don't think anyone's really disputing that.

I think it's more a question of 'So What Does That Really Mean ?'

[Paelos]

The stock was inflated because people are idiots.

[Surlyboi]

Or perhaps, the stock is undervalued because people are idiots.

[Paelos]

Or perhaps, the stock is undervalued because people are idiots.

I can't as an investor get behind a company with a $400 stock price that sits on $30B in cash and doesn't pay dividends. Sorry.

[Surlyboi]

Sounds like a personal problem.

I as an investor have made a metric fuckton betting on people with attitudes like yours to try to short AAPL only to see it come back stronger each time.

[Ironwood]

FOOOOOOOOOOOOD FIGHT.

 

[Surlyboi]

I hate split pea soup.