Ten years ago, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs passed away at the age of 56 after years of battling cancer. However, his impact has transcended Apple, influencing competitors and partners in the business world. Even some young people today, whether software engineers or not, look up to Jobs' creativity and success as a source of inspiration.
Bill Gates and Steve Jobs may be the most well-known "tech friends," despite the 30-year rivalry between Microsoft and Apple, but Gates and Jobs became friends. After Jobs' death, Gates tweeted: "For those who were fortunate to work with Steve, it was a great honor. I will miss Steve very much." Gates mentioned on the Armchair Expert podcast, "He was magical in overly motivating people. I was a little magician myself so I couldn't fall under his spells - but I could see him casting spells, and then I would look at people and see them captivated."
In a September 2019 interview with The Wall Street Journal, Gates noted that Jobs had an innate talent for captivating audiences, even while promoting a disappointing product. As for Apple’s current CEO, Tim Cook, he believes that some mentors may leave you ready, but never fully prepared. Shortly before his death, Jobs handed over his position to Cook. However, even Cook, who spent 14 years learning directly from Jobs, said he didn’t feel ready to take his predecessor's place.
In his 2019 Stanford University commencement speech, Cook shared a valuable lesson from his mentor: "
