[metallicamaster3]

The news that Steve Jobs is stepping down until late June stunned the tech community today, and it's sure to send shivers down the spines of already wary investors.Just a little over a week ago, Jobs tried to tamp down the dire rumors about his health, revealing that he is undergoing treatment for a "hormone imbalance" but is "not on my deathbed."

Wednesday, however, he wrote in an e-mail to employees that "during the past week I have learned that my health-related issues are more complex than I originally thought." Apple COO Tim Cook will take the reins during Jobs' absence.

In his e-mail, Jobs called the speculation on his health "a distraction," and spun his decision to step down as a way to "allow everyone at Apple to focus on delivering extraordinary products." He added that he will "remain involved in major strategic decisions while I am out."

Still, industry observers—not to mention Apple investors—are fearing the worst, and indeed, TheStreet.com reports that trading in Apple shares was halted late in the day to prevent a panic sell-off.

Of course, I don't have any inside information on Jobs' health, and I've tried as much as I can to refrain from idle speculation about his condition.

That said, today's news is certainly alarming, and one can't help but wish Jobs the best on a human level, while wondering about the future of Apple—who will ultimately lead it in a post-Jobs era, and whether it'll maintain its consistently high level of production and creativity.

Sure, there are plenty of big brains at Apple, but Jobs—while not known as Mr. Sensitivity in Cupertino—is a giant, a legendary out-of-the-box thinker with amazing taste (as Bill Gates wryly noted back in summer 2007), laser-like focus, and an iron will. It's hard to imagine Apple without him.
In any case, let's hope for the best.



[Thanks, Yahoo!]

[ArchDevil]

personally i don't like CEO's , but i am worried his health as a human. get well soon Jobs

[matonga]

Phantom_Lord;520373 said:

It's hard to imagine Apple without him.

I must say I do imagine Apple without him: back to Mac OS 9 Classic style. :mad:

[metallicamaster3]

Mac OS 9. Sheesh, look how far we've come.

[KAWSquared]

Yeah. Without Apple, my life will come crashing down.

Good thing Windows 7 will be there to pick up the pieces.

[metallicamaster3]

Quote

Yeah. Without Apple, my life will come crashing down.

That's sad D=

... Why would it affect your life? Heh, the only way I'd see that happening is if you invested all your money into Apple before it fell.

[Mauintosh]

A life without Apple, what's the point?? Apple makes the difference, with it, well, 'another brick on the wall' -OH I hope he gets well soon

[KAWSquared]

Phantom_Lord;520570 said:

That's sad D=

... Why would it affect your life? Heh, the only way I'd see that happening is if you invested all your money into Apple before it fell.

Sarcasm.

Maybe you've encountered it during sexual experiences.

[davidsword]

KAWSquared;520610 said:

Sarcasm. Maybe you've encountered it during sexual experiences.

ha.

[Seckoa]

So, he's "stepping down" as in retiring?

[mps69]

@Seckoa, No, he's taking a leave of absence for six month. If all goes well he should be back in June/July

[username3d3]

Aw man, Steve Jobs is a really good speaker and he really convinces people to buy the products. He was the reason I bought my iPod Touch.(No not really, but you know what I'm saying). Hope he comes back though!

[Core Core]

It could be that Steve made enough difference at Apple that it won't go the way it was before he came back. Apple really sucked then, and Steve has always rocked, NeXT for example, and all, he is a strong visionary.

Yes, Wintel will do better with him out or gone, i was working on the Intel newest platforms recently, boy that place is dreary, but the chips are getting better, but not the manufacturing of them.

I hope though we'll see MacOS possible on these cheap chips, that would overcome this next M$ OS marketing push greatly.

BTW, where's Woz these days? ;)

[holo13x]

apple wont look the same with someone else's face, Steve Jobs is the man!

[technosinner]

The car didn't stop when Ford died. The plane didn't fall when the Wright brothers died, and Microsoft didn't get any better when Gates left. So don't worry, Apple will keep on going. The god computers will survive!

[rjohnstone]

technosinner, on Mar 15th 2009, 07:08 PM, said:

So don't worry, Apple will keep on going. The god computers will survive!

You have a short memory.
The last time Steve left, Apple did OK for a few years and then almost fell off the face of the earth.

And please stop referring to Macs as "God computers". Not only is it insulting, is pure BS.
The only thing that differentiates a Mac from a PC today is the OS. A pretty case does not make a computer any better or any worse.

[mark]

great post.The people read can read the information so that they know how important the CEO.