Technology Executives Comment on Steve Jobs’s Death: Voices October 06, 2011, 3:24 AM EDT By Bloomberg News (For more coverage on Jobs’s passing, see EXT5 .) Oct. 6 (Bloomberg) -- Executives and politicians comment on the death of Steve Jobs, the co- founder and former chief executive officer of Apple Inc.: Bill Gates, chairman and founder of Microsoft Corp. “I’m truly saddened to learn of Steve Jobs’s death. Melinda and I extend our sincere condolences to his family and friends, and to everyone Steve has touched through his work. ‘‘Steve and I first met nearly 30 years ago, and have been colleagues, competitors and friends over the course of more than half our lives. ‘‘The world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come. ‘‘For those of us lucky enough to get to work with him, it’s been an insanely great honor. I will miss Steve immensely.’’ U.S. President Barack Obama. ‘‘Steve was among the greatest of American innovators -- brave enough to think differently, bold enough to believe he could change the world, and talented enough to do it. ‘‘By building one of the planet’s most successful companies from his garage, he exemplified the spirit of American ingenuity. By making computers personal and putting the Internet in our pockets, he made the information revolution not only accessible, but intuitive and fun. And by turning his talents to storytelling, he has brought joy to millions of children and grownups alike. Steve was fond of saying that he lived every day like it was his last. Because he did, he transformed our lives, redefined entire industries, and achieved one of the rarest feats in human history: he changed the way each of us sees the world. ‘‘The world has lost a visionary. And there may be no greater tribute to Steve’s success than the fact that much of the world learned of his passing on a device he invented. Michelle and I send our thoughts and prayers to Steve’s wife Laurene, his family, and all those who loved him.’’ Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple. ‘‘It felt a lot like you just heard that John Lennon got shot, or JFK, or Martin Luther King. ‘‘He was one of those cool guys. He knew technology. He understood it. We talked about the philosophies of the day -- the counterculture was strong, the hippy movement, words in songs -- and went to concerts together. It was a strong friendship. ‘‘I think most people are going to miss the great products. That’s why we are stunned so much. It’s going to be hard to sleep tonight.’’ John Chambers, chief executive officer of Cisco Systems Inc. ‘‘The world lost a true visionary and great man today. Steve Jobs did more than simply shape our concepts of technology and invention, he helped define our understanding of how great innovation and design can bring people closer together. ‘‘I, and everyone at Cisco, are deeply saddened by Steve’s loss. Our deepest sympathies go out to his colleagues and family. We’ll miss you, Steve, but your legacy will continue forever.’’ Mark Zuckerberg, founder and chief executive officer of Facebook Inc. ‘‘Steve, thank you for being a mentor and a friend. Thanks for showing that what you build can change the world. I will miss you.’’ Meg Whitman, chief executive officer of Hewlett- Packard Co. ‘‘Steve Jobs was an iconic entrepreneur and businessman whose impact on technology was felt beyond Silicon Valley. He will be remembered for the innovation he brought to market and the inspiration he brought to the world.’’ Robert Iger, chief executive officer of Walt Disney Co. ‘‘Steve Jobs was a great friend as well as a trusted adviser. His legacy will extend far beyond the products he created or the businesses he built. ‘‘It will be the millions of people he inspired, the lives he changed, and the culture he defined. Steve was such an ‘original,’ with a thoroughly creative, imaginative mind that defined an era. Despite all he accomplished, it feels like he was just getting started. ‘‘With his passing the world has lost a rare original, Disney has lost a member of our family, and I have lost a great friend. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Laurene and his children during this difficult time.’’ Larry Page, chief executive officer of Google Inc. ‘‘I am very, very sad to hear the news about Steve. He was a great man with incredible achievements and amazing brilliance. ‘‘He always seemed to be able to say in very few words what you actually should have been thinking before you thought it. ‘‘His focus on the user experience above all else has always been an inspiration to me. He was very kind to reach out to me as I became CEO of Google and spend time offering his advice and knowledge even though he was not at all well. ‘‘My thoughts and Google’s are with his family and the whole Apple family.’’ Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google. ‘‘From the earliest days of Google, whenever Larry and I sought inspiration for vision and leadership, we needed to look no farther than Cupertino. ‘‘Steve, your passion for excellence is felt by anyone who has ever touched an Apple product (including the Macbook I am writing this on right now). And I have witnessed it in person the few times we have met. ‘‘On behalf of all of us at Google and more broadly in technology, you will be missed very much. My condolences to family, friends, and colleagues at Apple.’’ Marc Benioff, chief executive officer of Salesforce.com Inc. ‘‘Steve Jobs was the greatest leader our industry has ever known. We are all blessed by his life. My thoughts and prayers are with his family. ‘‘I am really sad. It’s such a terrible loss for the whole world. I will never forget him. He did so much for me.’’ Guy Kawasaki, who served as an ‘‘evangelist’’ for Apple’s Macintosh computer when it was introduced in 1984 and is a founder of Garage Technology Ventures in Palo Alto, California. ‘‘No CEO ever has done more for his customers, shareholders and employees than Steve Jobs.’’ Michael Dell, chief executive officer of Dell Inc. ‘‘Today the world lost a visionary leader, the technology industry lost an iconic legend and I lost a friend and fellow founder. ‘‘The legacy of Steve Jobs will be remembered for generations to come. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and to the Apple team.’’ Scott McGregor, chief executive officer of Broadcom Corp. ‘‘Steve’s passion for innovation and creativity will carry on for decades to come. ‘‘His legacy is enormous, touching millions of people around the world. Our entire industry and economy is better for his presence and incredible contributions. ‘‘On behalf of Broadcom, we send our deepest condolences to Steve’s family and to Apple employees.’’ Jay Elliot, author of ‘‘The Steve Jobs Way’’ who worked at Apple with Jobs for six years. ‘‘It’s very sad. I can’t believe it. I’ve been preparing for it as we’ve all known it’s coming. But he was a unique person who we’ll never see or meet again. ‘‘He changed my life. He lived in a direct way, the way he wanted. Some people criticize him but I worked for him for many years and he was a very moral individual.’’ Choi Gee Sung, chief executive officer of Samsung Electronics Co. ‘‘Samsung Electronics is saddened to hear of Chairman Steve Jobs’s passing and would like to extend our deepest condolences. ‘‘Chairman Steve Jobs introduced numerous revolutionary changes to the information technology industry and was a great entrepreneur. ‘‘His innovative spirit and remarkable accomplishments will forever be remembered by people around the world. ‘‘We would like to again express our sincerest condolences to Mr. Jobs family and his colleagues.’’ Maria Shriver, former first lady of California. ‘‘I’m going to turn off my Apple computer, iPhone and iPad tonight at 8 p.m. and honor Steve with a moment of digital silence. Will you join me?’’ Jim Allchin, former chief architect of Microsoft Corp.’s Windows operating system. ‘‘In my view Steve’s contributions to society grew over time and, although he was always innovative, his best work came during the last 10 years. Steve’s ability to understand user- centric computing was the best I have ever seen. He was a truly remarkable man.’’ California Governor Jerry Brown. ‘‘Steve Jobs was a great California innovator who demonstrated what a totally independent and creative mind can accomplish. ‘‘Few people have made such a powerful and elegant imprint on our lives. Anne and I wish to express our deepest sympathy to Steve’s wife, Laurene, and their entire family.’’ Jeff Bewkes, Time Warner Inc. chief executive officer. ‘‘The entire Time Warner family mourns the loss of Steve Jobs. The world is a better place because of Steve, and the stories our company tells have been made richer by the products he created. ‘‘He was a dynamic and fearless competitor, collaborator, and friend. In a society that has seen incredible technological innovation during our lifetimes, Steve may be the one true icon whose legacy will be remembered for a thousand years.’’ Rupert Murdoch, chairman and founder of News Corp. ‘‘Today, we lost one of the most influential thinkers, creators and entrepreneurs of all time. ‘‘Steve Jobs was simply the greatest CEO of his generation. While I am deeply saddened by his passing, I’m reminded of the stunning impact he had in revolutionizing the way people consume media and entertainment. ‘‘My heart goes out to his family and to everyone who had the opportunity to work beside him in bringing his many visions to life.’’ Mike Bloomberg, mayor of New York City and founder of Bloomberg LP, owner of Bloomberg News. ‘‘Tonight, America lost a genius who will be remembered with Edison and Einstein, and whose ideas will shape the world for generations to come. ‘‘Again and again over the last four decades, Steve Jobs saw the future and brought it to life long before most people could even see the horizon. And Steve’s passionate belief in the power of technology to transform the way we live brought us more than smartphones and iPads: It brought knowledge and power that is reshaping the face of civilization.