The Man That Changed the World(b)|改变世界的男人

The Man That Changed the World

by Brian Foden

Steve Jobs was a visionary that was always ahead of his time.

　　The Apple II marked the rise of the company, destroyed its competition, and made its founders millionaires. Jobs' goal was to change the world and it's accurate to say that Apple has done that. The Mac line of computers, iPod music player, iPhone, and iPad have all been a part of the transformation of the world of consumer electronics. These highly innovative products changed the high-tech industry and also brought user-friendly technology to the masses. Apple's OS X and iOS operating systems, iTunes media browser, Safari web browser, and iLife and iWork creativity and production suites have all been eagerly embraced.

　　Of course, Apple didn't invent the computer, laptop, smartphone, or even a store to buy apps, but they reinvented them all. Jobs had a passion for aesthetics, so one of Apple's trademarks is mixing technology with elegant design. Similar devices are far less attractive, which is one of the reasons why Apple is so dominant. Also, without Apple, the growth of the personal computer market would have been much slower. The original Apple computer showed that a market for home computers existed. User-friendly right out of the box, Apple's products made IBM pay attention and start working on personal computers to catch up.

　　Apple's impact on the digital music industry, especially on song sales, cannot be overstated. It built partnerships with major record labels to sell music at a time when the only way to get songs and albums online was through piracy. This finally gave consumers a legal means to access music through the Internet in a seamless user environment. Overall, Jobs and Apple are two names that have changed the world as we know it.

改变世界的男人

史帝夫‧贾伯斯是永远走在时代前端的先驱。

　　苹果的 Apple II 计算机记录了该公司的兴起、摧毁了敌手，也让它的创始人成了百万富翁。贾伯斯的目标是要改变这个世界，而精确说来，苹果公司已达成这个目标。Mac 系列计算机、iPod 音乐播放器、iPhone 及 iPad 都是消费性电子产品转变的一部份。这些高度创新的产品改变了高科技产业，也为大众带来人性化的科技。苹果的 OS X 和 iOS 作业系统、iTunes 媒体浏览器、Safari 网络浏览器，以及 iLife 和 iWork 创意及生产外围产品都受到热烈欢迎。

　　当然，苹果公司并没有发明计算机、笔记型计算机、智能型手机，甚至是可以购买应用程序的商店，但他们重新打造了以上所有东西。贾伯斯对美学情有独锺，因此苹果公司的其中一项商标结合了科技和优雅的设计。而类似的设备比较起来就很没有吸引力，这也是为什么苹果能如此占优势的原因之一。此外，如果没有苹果公司的话，个人计算机市场的成长速度将会缓慢许多。最初的苹果计算机显示了家用计算机是有其市场的。由于其机器相当人性化，苹果的产品引起了 IBM 公司的注意，并开始发展个人计算机来迎头赶上。

　　苹果公司对数位音乐产业，尤其是歌曲销售的影响再怎么夸大也不为过。在那个时代，唯一能从网络上取得歌曲和专辑的方式就是盗版，而该公司和各大唱片公司合作来销售歌曲。这项作法最后提供了一种合法的方式，让消费者可以在天衣无缝的使用者环境中透过网络来购买音乐。整体说来，贾伯斯和苹果公司是将这个世界改变成现今我们所知样子的两大推手。