Steve Jobs’ legacy is evident in residence-hall rooms, on every green and dangling from the ears of students walking to class.
Students and professors at Ohio University said Apple co-founder Steve Jobs and the technology his company produced profoundly affected their lives.
Although Apple’s Mac computer began as an anomaly, many students now express a preference for the computer that originated in Jobs’ mind.
“If I turn around in my seat at my sociology lecture, all I can see are glowing Apple logos,” said Mike Lopez, a junior studying mathematics. “This just shows how much Steve Jobs impacted the computer industry. Almost everybody has Macs.”
Between the Mac, iPod, iPhone and most recently the iPad, Apple products have become a part of OU students’ everyday lives.
“The world has been completely connected in a way no one thought possible. … I would be nothing without Apple,” said Eric Tiu, a freshman studying video production. “My MacBook would not have existed; this iPod would not have been made. I don’t know what I would do.”
For many students, the use of Apple products has become a way of life.
Alex Snyder, a second-year graduate student studying interactive multimedia, came to OU as a freshman five years ago with an iBook G4. He encountered few other people with Apple products.
Snyder said he was the first person in Athens County to buy an iPhone and has waited in line for each upgrade since.
“I was like, ‘How did I ever live without this?’ ” he said. “(Apple) really is the best product.”
For many students, Apple technology adds substance to their fields of study.
“Everything I do on a daily basis takes place on technology Steve Jobs has developed,” said Eric Miller, a junior studying media arts and studies. “Every gadget I own is an Apple product. All the tools I use in my career are descendants of, or are Apple products. Some of the most industry-standard programs, such as Final Cut and Logic, are made by Apple.”
Don Flournoy, a professor in the School of Media Arts and Studies, said he has been a Mac user for most of his professional career and has been witness to Apple’s rise in the technology world.
“I’ve seen the rapid development of a company many considered an underdog become one of the most profitable companies in the world,” said Flournoy. “It’s been a phenomenal success, and Steve Jobs has been the person responsible for making it possible.”
Jobs’ death has led to questions about the future of Apple.
Jobs stepped down as CEO in August, and Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook replaced him.
Apple users say that no matter what happens to the company in the future, Jobs has cemented his legacy in the products used by millions throughout the world.
Zach Sebastian, a senior studying audio production who owns an Apple TV, iMac, iPad and iPhone, said he doesn’t expect the quality of Apple’s products to deteriorate following Jobs’ death.
“They will continue to make good products,” he said. “They will continue to innovate, because that’s what they do.”
— Brandon Carte and Sara Jerde contributed to this article.
jf392708@ohiou.edu
