Steve Jobs' death has touched off an outpouring of grief, memories and reflection in Silicon Valley and around the world. That outpouring is only just beginning, and we'll catalog the most notable reactions here, as they come in.

It's no surprise Jobs' death has elicited reactions from a wide range of luminaries. Time and time again, Jobs stretched the world of technology beyond its narrow niche.

He helped take the computer out of universities and corporations and into people's homes. He helped move it beyond crude text and into typography and graphics; from fixed images into moving pictures; from beeps into music; and from large machines into desktop cases, then handheld jukeboxes, then phones and tablets.

His ability to meld diverse influences was evident in the success of Pixar's digitally rendered movies, of iTunes' digital media sales, and of devices like the original Macintosh and iPad that were objects not just of tremendous computing power but of design and whimsy.

But don't take our word for it:

  • Barack Obama: "Steve's brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve."
  • Bill Gates: "The world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come. For those of us lucky enough to get to work with him, it's been an insanely great honor."
  • Larry Page: "He always seemed to be able to say in very few words what you actually should have been thinking before you thought it."
  • Mark Zuckerberg: "Thanks for showing that what you build can change the world."
  • Walter Isaacson: "We will never see his like again." [Email to Gawker]
  • Sergey Brin: "Your passion for excellence is felt by anyone who has ever touched an Apple product... you will be missed very much."
  • Walt Mossberg: "In my many conversations with him, the dominant tone he struck was optimism and certainty... he'd surprise me by forcefully disagreeing, explaining how the world looked from [the other] point of view."
  • Salman Rushdie: "He was one of the great architects of the real."
  • Joel Spolsky: "Steve Jobs taught us that you can't start changing the world until you let people point at things, without learning what all the buttons are for."
  • Brian Lam: "He replied, 'You're just doing your job.' And he said it in the kindest way possible. Which made me feel better and worse."
  • Sean Parker: "Tje most important technology leader of our era-perhaps even the most important business leader of our era. He was also a unique figure in the world of business and technology, a man who demonstrated-more so than any other-that pure force of will, energy, and creative drive can change the world for the better."
  • Rupert Murdoch: "Steve Jobs was simply the greatest CEO of his generation."
  • Jerry Brown: "Steve Jobs was a great California innovator who demonstrated what a totally independent and creative mind can accomplish. Few people have made such a powerful and elegant imprint on our lives."
  • Tim Cook, email to Apple employees: "Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple."

    "No words can adequately express our sadness at Steve's death or our gratitude for the opportunity to work with him. We will honor his memory by dedicating ourselves to continuing the work he loved so much."

[Photo of Jobs unveiling iTunes in 2004 via AP]