Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs was a visionary businessman who changed the way we communicate.

He shaped the music industry and, arguably, saved it from complete collapse with the development of iTunes. He changed the way we surf the web with his handheld devices. Every form of communication received a complete cultural overhaul due in large part to this one man because of his inspired devices such as the iPod, iPhone and iPad.

Let’s not kid ourselves; Apple is a huge company. Steve Jobs was the spokesman for an entire team of brilliant individuals, all of whom played a large role in the technological advancements of the past decade

But Jobs truly did supply the vision for his products, taking on an active role in the development of the devices we are now so familiar with and reliant upon.

I have struggled to come up with comparable innovators in our nation’s history. What names will be eternally tied to their game-changing products? Henry Ford, Thomas Edison and Steve Jobs.

Jobs was a rarity who will be truly missed by all of us who have benefited from Apple products.

Take a moment to reflect on your average day and appreciate the impact Apple has had on your life. Just today, I walked to class in the company of my entire music library in my pocket. I played Angry Birds while simultaneously listening to Eminem on my iPod before class started. I used Safari to look up translations for my Spanish assignment. And here, I sit on my MacBook Pro, reflecting on the progress technology has made due in large part to Jobs.

Even if you do not own a single Apple product, you owe your gratitude to the company that pioneered the technology you enjoy on a daily basis. Jobs created products which have been quickly copied by others. Think of the iPad: I remember when it was revealed, there was reluctance to admit or accept the necessity of such a product. It took no time at all for similar devices called “tablets” to blow onto the scene. Now I cannot find a single person who doesn’t drool any time he or she sees a commercial for the iPad.

Steve Jobs left family and close friends behind, but the majority of people affected by his death cannot say they miss him personally. But we will miss his vision, his attention to detail and his artistic eye combined with a keen sense of how his products can improve even further.

I tend to consider myself an optimist, and a part of me has the utmost faith in Apple despite Jobs’s resignation and subsequent death. But a large part of me also feels regret that such an inspirational company may falter in quality due to such a huge loss.