Thank you, Mr. Jobs

As half-time librarian and half-time English teacher in a small junior-high school, I found an Apple II computer sitting on my desk at the beginning of the 1982 school year. I was pretty darned mad that 1) somebody had decided the school needed a computer in the first place, 2) the library budget was used to buy it, and, 3) I was supposed to be the one to figure out the dumb thing. After three rather frustrating days, I produced my first half-page memo using AppleWriter, a daisywheel printer and more patience than I ever thought I could muster. But by the time I finished the memo, I was deeply in love with the little machine.

The Apple II and its word processing program, both primitive by today's standards, was a writer's dream. It compensated for my bad spelling and handwriting. I could revise without retyping a whole document. My printed documents looked professional. Wow! Then a little light bulb appeared over my head. "I teach 75 kids every day who struggle with their writing too. If this thing helps me, just think what it might do for them!" I couldn't wait to share my enthusiasm with my 7th graders and my fellow teachers.

Over the past 30 years, I've fallen in love quite a number of times with these silicon-enhanced creatures and their abilities - no small number created by Apple - and my career, for better or worse, changed the day the Apple II appeared on my desk. The light about helping regular teachers and student empower themselves with technology has never gone off.

Thank you, Mr. Jobs. 

Comments

[Cathy Jo Nelson]

I've had a similar relationship with my gadgets over my career, and I can certainly attribute it to my (well may as well have been mine--it was my husbands before we married) Apple IIe in 1985. I was the first person in my district to do my grades electronically, and I even mastered mail merge using my rock solid Appleworks program that offered the spreadsheet and the applewriter program. I also had the coolest banners printshop could make, way before my coworkers even realized it could be done. Since then, I've been one to try out any new thing. Probably what got me where I am today. A daydreamer who works in the library! Also one who has a rep for being willing to try out any program and answer any question. Yep--I reckon that is thanks to Steve Jobs too.

[Doug Johnson]

Hi Cathy Jo,

I expect those of us who see technology as a means of accomplishing something rather than as objects and electrons will always "think different."

Thanks for sharing this,

Doug