The Real Legacy Of Steve Jobs
I know I am just another voice in the gathering throng that is coming forth with anecdotes and remembrances of how Steve Jobs' reign as Apple CEO changed their lives, but allow me this indulgence.
I will never forget the Christmas we received our first Apple computer, the IIc. I remember that it had a built-in (gasp!) 5.25" floppy drive. I also remember that we rigged it up to a thirteen inch color TV so that we could play Stickybear Bop in color. The monochrome monitor was reserved for Zork.
I remember when we upgraded to a Macintosh LC. "50 megabites [sic] hard drive," the salesman told my dad. "You could run a small country with that much capacity." (Note: I am currently carrying a 32GB flashdrive. In my pocket.)
I remember the Powerbook 140 (monochrome) that I took to college that I think cost more than the last three iMacs I have purchased combined. I still have (and still use) the PowerPC 8100/100 that replaced that PowerBook in my junior year. That was the first machine that I ever used to access the Internet.
After graduation and upon entering the business world, I came to realize that there didn't seem to be a place for Macs or even Apple for that matter. Seven years of frustration ensued. However, when my Windows laptop started making funny noises several years back, I decided to rekindle my relationship with Apple, and purchased a MacBook Pro. I already had an iPod, that wonder of wonders, and it just felt right to go back to my roots. I have never looked back.
As I type this entry on my 27" iMac which is currently syncing with my iPad 2 and iPhone 4, I realize that I have not become dependent on these products so much as they have enhanced my life in so many subtle, yet measurable ways.
The word "fanboy" gets tossed around very casually among those who find Apple product evangelists a bit too over the top with their praise and zeal for the latest and greatest from Cupertino. I make no excuses for my unabashed enthusiasm, and if that requires a label, so be it.
The fact of the matter is that all of the products listed above, in addition to several other iPods and previous generation iPhones, still power up, still work. The only exceptions are the LC and the PowerBook, as their whereabouts are unknown.
There is a point to this jaunt down memory lane. As I watch the transition from Steve Jobs to Tim Cook, while I watched the expected (though muted) sell off of Apple shares this morning as the market contemplates whether all Apple products will suddenly turn to dust, and as I read all of the punditry about how this ship will sail without a captain, I am struck by one simple and inalienable thought:
The company that created all of these products is bigger than one man.
I do not believe that in my lifetime we will witness a better example of a corporation. In the last 20 years, Apple has been on the brink of destruction and has also been the most valuable company on earth. They seem to create iconic products at will (see: iPod), have redefined some segments (see: iPhone) and have created entire new categories (see: iPad). This is not just ingenuity and creativity. This is business acumen, hard work, and a vision that will continue to be shepherded and nurtured by an able team of executives, most notably new CEO Tim Cook. I would not be surprised if their product roadmap is 20 years out... they are just that good. Certainly, Steve Jobs has been the driving force behind this success, but he did not do it alone.
As for me, I look forward to those next 20 years. Without a doubt, I will continue to purchase Apple products, and I expect that I will learn a thing or two from Apple ex-CEO and Chairman Steve Jobs. Business icon, motivational leader, technology visionary: call him what you will. His influence will continue to be felt within and without Apple's walls for years to come, and specifically through the team that he has built. 
Update: John Gruber of Daring Fireball has another, much more eloquent take on Jobs's resignation. He is, by far, one of the best writers I have the pleasure of following.