I’m an Apple person… from the Apple II days… even before I worked at a library funded by Apple employee #5, Rod Holt. I’m writing this on my MacBook Pro and I just upgraded from my ancient (by computer carbon dating) iPod Shuffle (max 100 tunes) to a new 64 GB iPod Touch.
Like most of the world, I’m incredibly saddened by the loss of creative genius, Steve Jobs. So, when my neighbor proposed going up to the newly opened iShop Mixup (it’s what the official Apple stores are called in Mexico) in Colonia Reforma, to see what was happening, I enthusiastically agreed. I’d been watching CNN International and their coverage of iPad virtual flames and real flower memorials in front of Apple Stores from Cupertino, California to China. With camera in hand, I thought there would be a great photo-op, blog material, and a chance to pay tribute to the person who had eased my non-techie brain’s entry into computer being, who put the end-user at the forefront, and who encouraged new grads to “Stay hungry. Stay foolish.”
Alas, there was nothing… no flowers… no black ribbon over the doorway… no photos of Steve Jobs… no virtual candles flickering on the iPads, MacBook Airs, and iPhones… not even a tribute posted on the Oaxaca iShop Mixup Facebook page. When I returned home a couple of hours ago, I posted the Spanish language version of Steve’s 2005 commencement speech at Stanford and the front page article (en español) from CNN México on their Facebook page.
Why nothing? Perhaps it’s because the store is new and hasn’t become a center for Apple users. But, I think it’s also because… according to The Oaxaca Fund Initiative, “Over 76% of its residents live in extreme poverty, lacking basic necessities such as food, water, education and healthcare.” Staying hungry isn’t a just metaphor.
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