A designers life with Apple – goodbye Steve Jobs

Rather than explain what Steve Job’s has done throughout his reign at Apple, you can go on the internet and read all the tributes, I’d rather talk about how apple has affected my career.

When I was a kid there was no such thing as a computer, I climbed trees, rode my bike, drank from the tap and watched TV via a choice of 4 channels, like any kid in the 80’s.

Computers then started to slowly come in. My first experience was the old BBC, then ATARI and other computer games consoles but these were superficial products, fun products, nothing that showed me an insight into my future as a graphic designer.

My journey using Apple products began in a galaxy far far away (well early 90’s)…

In 1993/4 I began a desktop publishing course at Parson Cross College, this is where I used for the first time a Power Macintosh. This was a simple machine with a mouse and it was the first time i created anything graphic design wise what so ever. Yes I already knew how to use computers and yes it was a simple machine, I also think it was Quark I was using but it opened up a world of possibilities in creation.

Finishing up with school I went to College and entered the world of Graphic Design, times had moved on, now Power Mac G3’s were atop the college desks, with various software installed on them, Photoshop, Quark, freehand etc.

When using an Apple product, it may not be as powerful as the highest spec PC and it’s not the easiest thing to upgrade. What they are brilliant for is a designers work-flow, not only do they look good, but it’s the manner of which they work for the designer that makes our jobs that much easier.

The way you can move from programme to programme instantly, it just made the whole experience less mechanical and more a joy to use.

The next few years saw, G4’s, G5’s, iMacs, all products that made our design jobs easier and easier. During this time the design industry widely adopted Apple products as the tools of the trade and I for one cannot imagine a design agency running anything else.

Then over the last few years, the iPhone and in particular the iPad are giving new and creative platforms for we the creatives to work on. This tablet machine, with it’s large and sensitive screen, allows portfolios, presentations, internet, photographs to be displayed without the need to print, use a projector, or turn a computer on, for me this truly shows the invention of Apple.

Which brings me to Steve Jobs, he was amidst all these products and was one of the main reasons these products are how they are today, his inventiveness and foresight made it all possible not to mention Pixar and his contribution to animation and cinema, he is the reason Apple has followed me throughout my career in the creative world.

He will be missed.

However here’s to the next innovation from the next genius from Apple.

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design understood’s creative director