This has left me feeling very sad today. Steve Jobs represented, to me anyway, the idea that you don't have to conform and that if you believe in something strongly enough you shouldn't let anything or anyone stand in your way.

I first saw an Apple II in 1981 at college, we couldn't use it as the UK educational establishment had set it's stall out with the BBC Micro.

The Ridley Scott 1984 commercial introduced me to the Macintosh and in 1989 I set up my own Graphic design business. I mortgage my soul to buy a Mac iicx, 19inch mono monitor, Agfa Mono Scanner and an Apple Laserwriter. I coupled this with Quark Xpress, Freehand and Photoshop. Total cost £19,000 ish.

I was branded an 'idiot', a 'fool' and had the old school telling me, in between coughing up their spray mounted lungs, that digital artwork would 'never catch on'.

I no longer use Apple having moved over to PC with my move to 3D but next to seeing the twin Suns of Tatooine on the screen aged 12 Apple and Steve Jobs have made a huge impact on my life and that is why it is a sad day.