Steve Jobs' death, although unexpected, has affected me more than I thought it would. Maybe it is because he was only 11 years older than I am. Or, it could be the fact that I have watched him grow Apple over the last 30 years, reading about every new product he launched with eager anticipation.
I was never an Apple aficionado; my first computer was a Commodore Pet, in high school we used TRS-80s (there was one Apple II in the corner), and my design and programming (now management) career has kept me on a tight PC path. However, I have always been impressed with his creations. I remember how badly I wanted a Mac when they first came out - even if it was just for the "cool" tech high. Last year, I finally became a member of the Apple family (in-law?) - I bought two iPod Touches for my children.
I guess it comes down to respect and admiration for Steve - as an industry leader, as an entrepreneur, as a visionary. Steve Jobs truly was a man well worth respecting and his demise is a loss the entire world will feel. His name will be remembered for decades, even centuries, as one of the few great men that truly changed humankind.