It's just like how Carnegie wasn't spoken of very well until later in his life, after he became a philanthropist. On the other hand, Fred Harvey (a very Jobs-like entrepreneur and a hero of mine) is remembered by very few.
I'm sure you could find dozens of other examples throughout recent history, but the thing I've noticed is that the true heroes don't care if they're remembered; they're content in knowing they made a meaningful contribution to humanity.
Eradiacting a disease that has killed millions...that is a meaningful contribution to society. Helping fund massive innovation in the education system...that is a meaningful contribution to society. Selling electronics gadgets for a lot of money is not a meaningful contribution to society.
Education system reform in any sense that an HN'er would generally conceive of is first going to be built upon a foundation of selling lots of cheap electronic gadgets for what still comes to a lot of money.
Are you sure it's not a meaningful contribution to society? If electronic gadgets are extensions of our minds, are you sure it's not a meaningful contribution to work out how to make them do more, more cheaply, for more people, until the utility of the devices is so great that it overcomes nearly everyone's reluctance to part with their money?
The picture is not so clear cut as that. Every leaf node on the tree of human accomplishment nowadays is built upon an awful lot of other less glamorous nodes, but take them away and the glamorous stuff doesn't happen. You may not understand how the sewer worker contributes to the cancer cure, until the sewer worker stops showing up for work on the cancer research facility's beat, at which point your nose may explain it to you.
It's easily conceivable that Apple products will have a significantly larger positive impact on education and healthcare than anything the Gates Foundation does.
And I think it is pathetic to insinuate that Apple products are not a "meaningful contribution to society".
I'm sure you could find dozens of other examples throughout recent history, but the thing I've noticed is that the true heroes don't care if they're remembered; they're content in knowing they made a meaningful contribution to humanity.