'Life is Brief, and Then You Die': Steve Jobs on His Life and Times

With the end of an era as Steve Jobs resigns as Apple CEO, it's a good time to reflect on his tenure with Apple and on some of his famous statements.
1976
Along with Steve Wozniak and Mike Markkula, he began to sell personal computers titled the Apple II series. They were the first commercially successful personal computers.

He said, “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.”
1984
The Macintosh computer is launched. It featured a graphical user interface and a mouse -- revolutionary at that time.

He said, “The people who are doing the work are the moving force behind the Macintosh. My job is to create a space for them, to clear out the rest of the organization and keep it at bay.”
1985
Apple fires Jobs, but that didn't stop him.

He said, “I’m convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the nonsuccessful ones is pure perseverance.”
He went on to establish the NeXT Computer.
1996
Apple acquires the NeXT Computer for $429 million.
Subsequently, Jobs became the interim CEO of Apple in 1997, bringing new life to the company.

He said, “The cure for Apple is not cost-cutting. The cure for Apple is to innovate its way out of its current predicament.”
1998
The iMac is born. It had a USB port -- another revolutionary move. There was no floppy drive. All this led to a change in the use of USB memory sticks.

He said, “People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully.”

2001
The iPod is introduced, changing the way people listened to music. The iTunes store offers a convenient way to purchase entertainment including songs, movies and more.

He said, “Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water or do you want a chance to change the world?”

2006
The MacBook, a powerful laptop, is launched. At the time, it was conveniently small for its size.

He declared, “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.”

2007
The iPhone is unveiled. The demand was so huge that within the first three months, 20 million units were sold.

He said, “We made the buttons on the screen look so good you’ll want to lick them.”
2010
The iPad, the middle ground between a laptop and a smartphone, is introduced. It has become the table that everyone craves.

He said, “You can’t just ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they’ll want something new.”
2011
An ailing Jobs resigns as Apple's chief executive.

He once said, “We don’t get a chance to do that many things, and everyone should be really excellent. Because this is our life, life is brief, and then you die, you know?”