Steve Jobs’s death [became] the trending topic of all trending topics (@deliacabe). He was the most innovative entrepreneur of our generation (@SteveCase). Not many people have a vision, and then execute it so thoroughly. A role model for control freaks everywhere (@anamariecox). For those of us lucky enough to get to work with him, it’s been an insanely great honor (@billgates). Jobs’s legacy winks light from every shiny wonder he put in our eager hands (@carr2n).



Steve Jobs was a genius who will be remembered with Edison and Einstein. His ideas will shape the world for generations (@mikebloomberg). Writing our obituary for Steve (which I had not done before, because it seemed ghoulish). My fingers are still unwilling to write it (@jason_pontin).”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” [President Barack Obama eulogized] (@pfeiffer44).



I’ve never been this sad about the passing of someone I didn’t know (@glennf). I feel bad I never wrote him a letter, even if he never saw it, telling him how immeasurably my life was changed by his genius (@rosannecash). The joy and delight my first Mac brought to college work touched everything I created with it and set me on this course (@shobe). I was never an Apple fanboy but I will always be a Steve Jobs fanboy (@weldpond). Once in a rare while, somebody comes along who doesn’t just raise the bar, they create an entirely new standard of measurement (@candylion5).



Thank You For Saving Us From Mediocrity (@om). Thank you Steve Jobs, for the iPad–the best babysitting tool ever (@matthewherper). Thank you for making 1984 not like ‘1984’ (@adnys). Turn your iPhone off for an hour, honor Steve Jobs. When you turn it back on, remember how different your life is because of his work (@thatdrew). Prayers tonight from the 5-year old, not kidding: “Dear God, please have fun tonight with the guy who invented iPhone and iPad” (@nicolebernier). In memory of Steve Jobs, all music’s on shuffle for the next 24 hours (@annkpowers). Sacrilegious image: Steve Jobs arrives in Heaven. The music is terrible. Pressed against the gates, John Lennon: “Steve! Get me out of here!” (@tcarmody) My dog is howling at the top of her lungs, in what I can only imagine is her own personal tribute to Steve Jobs (@pwthornton). I know with absolute certainty I could never make my life as profoundly impactful as yours was. I stand in awe (@clevertitletk).



Apple campus flags at half-staff (@mental_floss). It’s really kind of touching to see virtually every tweet and post be about Steve Jobs. True influence isn’t measured in Twitter followers (@augieray). Apple changed my life. Over and over again (@poetabook). Honor Steve Jobs by building things which matter & lead from your heart (@hunterwalk).

The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do (@jackiyo).



Fuck cancer. Seriously (@kul).

Adam L. Penenberg is a journalism professor at NYU and a contributing writer to Fast Company. Follow him on Twitter: @penenberg.

[image: Flickr user tsevis]