Steve Jobs remembered by Apple fans
Outside Manhattan's Upper West Side Apple store, Arthur Aznaurov, 13, leaves a note in tribute to Steve Jobs, the company's visionary who died Wednesday. (Oct. 6, 2011) Credit: Craig Ruttle
Even in John Budacovich's former life as a priest, the vision and products of Steve Jobs captivated him. He saw the famous Macintosh Super Bowl ad in 1984 and rushed out to a Lynbrook computer store to get a look at this "special" computer, he said. And when he left the priesthood for personal reasons in 1989, he returned to the same store, and was hired as a sales executive, he said.
"Who would have imagined that a poor, humble priest would be doing these kinds of things," said Budacovich, who now is the president and owner of Solutions-Mac Llc in East Northport. "I had an interest in something that turned into a career and a passion . . . and not everybody gets that opportunity. Much of it you can trace back to an interest in Steve Jobs and what Apple was doing."
Thursday, the day after Jobs died at 56, many people reflected on the myriad ways Jobs, the technology his company produced and his personal philosophy affected everything from their modes of communication to their approach to living.
At Apple's Cupertino, Calif., headquarters, flags flew at half-staff, "Amazing Grace" was played on bagpipes, and people placed flowers around a white iPad with a picture of Jobs. Mourners flocked to Apple's flagship Fifth Avenue store in Manhattan, where they made a makeshift memorial of flower bouquets, candles and signs.
Outside the Manhasset Apple store, staff gathered in the morning before business hours to talk about Jobs and what he meant to the company. In front of the store, Jobs' admirers left a vase of flowers as well as a "Thank You" card.
It was not only Apple's products -- which many described as easy-to-use and consumer focused -- but also the story of Jobs' life and death that moved his mourners. Some spoke of Jobs' 2005 commencement speech at Stanford University, where, after his first bout with cancer, he reflected on being adopted, being fired and on the clarity the prospect of death brings.
James Braly, 50, of Manhattan, who used his iPad to capture the scene outside the Fifth Avenue store, described Jobs as "one of the good guys," and said his death was a reminder to take risks.
Admirers described Jobs as a genius who turned out products ahead of the curve. "He saw the needs of people before they ever knew they wanted it," said Chandra Sekaran, 71, of Manhasset.
Apple may struggle without Jobs, some said; shares of the company slipped 0.23 percent Thursday, while other stocks broadly rose.
"Do I think Apple is still going to do great things?" asked Budacovich. "Yeah, I do. Will there be another Steve Jobs? Probably not in my lifetime."
With Emily Ngo and wires
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