Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs (February 24, 1955 – October 5, 2011) was an American business magnate, industrial designer, inventor, and media proprietor. He was the chairman, chief executive officer (CEO), and co-founder of Apple Inc., the chairman and majority shareholder of Pixar, a member of The Walt Disney Company's board of directors following its acquisition of Pixar, and the founder, chairman, and CEO of NeXT. Jobs is widely recognized as a pioneer of the personal computer revolution of the 1970s and 1980s, along with Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.

Early life

Jobs was born in San Francisco, California, and put up for adoption. He was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. He attended Reed College in 1972 before dropping out that same year, and traveled through India in 1974 seeking enlightenment and studying Zen Buddhism.

Career

Jobs's interest in electronics began in high school, with his buddy Wozniak. They attended meetings of the Homebrew Computer Club together, and in 1976 they started Apple in Jobs's parents' garage. They funded their entrepreneurial venture by Jobs selling his Volkswagen bus and Wozniak selling his beloved scientific calculator. Jobs was back at Apple within a decade.

Death

Jobs died at his Palo Alto, California home on October 5, 2011, due to complications from a relapse of his previously treated islet-cell pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor.

Legacy

Jobs's legacy is a subject of public debate. He is lauded by many for his technological innovation and design aesthetic, seen in products like the iPhone and iMac. However, his critics argue that his success was more a matter of marketing and ruthless business tactics.