One Day You’re Indispensable, the Next Day... - NYTimes.com

One Day You’re Indispensable, the Next Day... - NYTimes.com: "...the indispensable-man debate was fueled anew last week when Steven P. Jobs said he was taking a leave of absence from Apple until July because his health problems were “more complicated” than he first thought.

Since he returned to Apple in late 1996, Mr. Jobs has been the product team leader, taste arbiter and public face of a company that has been a stylish breath of fresh air in the personal computer business. With the introduction of the iPod, iTunes and the iPhone, Apple has shaken up the music and cellphone industries as well.

What is it, then, that makes someone a candidate for the cloak of indispensability?"