Legacy of Steve Jobs.

Steve Jobs left us today, but perhaps will go into the history books as another college drop out, who created a Legendary Global Brand in computers and consumer electronics.

Only in my very last blog " Carding machines...." I had written about when the Textile Industry will start thinking like iPad and iPhones and now I have to come back and salute this extraordinary person who changed the whole world of computers . If only Textile Industry had the visionaries as that of the " Apple", we would have been into another world by now.

Last week, I was at ITMA and the owner of a large Textile machine maker commented that I was now a owner of a company and I should wear a proper business suit, as I was dressed in a T shirt and Trousers. I told him, has he seen " Steve Jobs" ever in his life time wearing a Suit , even when he was launching his products globally. Or had he seen Bill Gates wearing a suit or lately Obama in suit. He agreed and confirmed that perhaps, he was not concurrent.

The fact is that the whole Textile Industry is non concurrent. Because we still believe that the 18th century suits are suitable for 21st century. Conventionally yes, but if you are " Apple" then you are miles ahead of your time.

The " i " in Apple meant two things, first, it was " me " and second it was " Eye" . "Me the visionary". It outclassed itself in the computer world to consumer electronics and the music industry.

The fact remains that in Textiles, there are umpteen such opportunities which are available, but we don't have an " i " here.

I was telling " Muller " at the show that their Ribbon Dyeing machine was an excellent example of a yarn dyeing machine. Wherein the yarn got dyed, dried and wound in one single operation and with speeds of 20 meters per minute and several hundred yarns being wound at one time. The productivity was good enough. It needs no boilers, water which is one third of the conventional vessel and much lower power and a dryer, which is not a power guzzler. A wonderful integrated yarn dyeing machine.
" Muller" told me that yes, they did work on yarn dyeing machine , but did not succeed in marketing.

This is where " Apple " was legendary . iPad is simply an extension of laptop with touch screen. " Muller " still does not have an " Apple " in it to see that opportunity.

Whatever be the case " Steve Jobs" needs to be saluted for the way he outclassed the competition. The design and deliverable s of each of its product lines was unique , though the applications were as regular as other available products.

I only hope that there are visionaries in the Textile area, who get motivated out of " Steve " and bring something extraordinary to the market.