Apple's Macintosh Turns 25 Years Old Today
Twenty-five years ago today, Steve Jobs introduced the Macintosh at an event in the Flint Center for the Performing Arts to an audience of about 3000 people (YouTube video).
"There wasn't a person in the room who didn't think this was history happening," recalled Richard Doherty, analyst with the Envisioneering Group, who was there.
Computerworld recaps some of the history surrounding the original Mac project which was originally considered just a "research project": After the failure of the Apple III, the Apple board had reservations about allowing Jobs to manage another high-profile project. When Jobs asked to take over the Mac project, the board allowed him to do so, feeling that the relatively unknown project wasn't critical to Apple's wellbeing.
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The result was a resolution by Jobs and his Mac team not only to make a "baby Lisa" but also to turn the Mac into a product that could advance the computing industry as much as or more than the Apple II had done -- or, as Jobs has been quoted as saying, to "put a dent in the universe."
Readers interested in more of the history of the original Mac should visit Folklore.org which has collected anecdotes about the original Macintosh project and the people who created it. Meanwhile, Mac512.com has posted video from a 1984 VHS tape produced by Apple to showcase the Macintosh as well as the new Mouse/Desktop interface.
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I used my first mac in Kindergarten. We used Apple II's to play Oregon Trail. I remember how fun it was to load the 5 1/4" floppy disks and push the power button on the back of the computer.
I was briefly able to use a G3's and eMac's in Middle School. Then in high school I used G4's to edit video in FCP for broadcast on Comcast 15 in KC.
When I first started college we had G5's, then I was out of college a few years. Since I've been back we've gone from dual core Mac Pros to double 2.8GHz quad core Xeon babies. I was also finally able to afford a mac of my own, my 2.4ghz MBP friend that I bought last March.
I've grown up Mac!! Thank you Steve and Apple. Your computer systems sparked my imagination and have shaped my career path, positively influencing my life and the lives of my loved ones. I couldn't be happier.
Best wishes on this incredible anniversary.
:apple: forever, been using macs for almost 11 years now first mac I ever used was a Performa 5200 in 96/97, then my parents got an iMac G3 in 1998. I wonder what the next 25 years will bring
figured I'd share. :)
arn
Hip-Hip?
I was an Apple II guy growing up. Apple //c, Apple //gs. Apple discontinued the Apple II line (to my dismay at the time), so I got a Mac IIsi for college. Later upgraded to a PowerMac 7500. PowerMac G3, I think next. PowerMac G4 Dual 800. Now on a Mac Pro 2.6GHz Dual Xeon.
figured I'd share. :)
arn
When I was about 8 I would sneak down stairs in the middle of the night to read my IIsi and OS 7 manuals.
Hip-Hip?
Horray!
So glad I switched over to the Mac albeit just recently. I regret not switching over earlier so I could have participated in the rumor round-up before each Macworlds and WWDCs. I didn't even care about the iPhone until I saw it in person and used it for five minutes before loving every single thing about it.
It was then my attention was turned to OS X. I read really, the best reviews for OS X around the internet and folks I know who use a mac. I knew then that I had to get a mac and I did. I got a Macbook Pro for college and I love it. Just love Mac OS X so much. Here's to 25 more!
But really, where's the special 25th anniversary Mac?
But really, where's the special 25th anniversary Mac?
An OS 1.0 "skin" for OS X would be fun.
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