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Apple Celebrates Thirty Years of Macintosh with Homepage Tribute, Visual Timeline, 'Mac 30' Video

Friday January 24, 2014 2:20 am PST by Richard Padilla
To celebrate the debut of the original Macintosh 30 years ago today, Apple has posted a tribute on the homepage of its website, and has also created a special "Thirty Years of Mac" section accompanied by a new "Mac 30" video looking at the past and present of its signature desktop computer.

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Happy Birthday, Mac.

In 1984, Apple introduced the world to Macintosh.

It was designed to be so easy to use that people could actually use it.

And it came with a promise -- that the power of technology taken from a few and put in the hands of everyone, could change the world.

That promise has been kept.

Today, we create, connect, share, and share, and learn in ways that were unimaginable 30 years ago.

Imagine what we can accomplish in the next 30 years.
The special "30 Years" section of Apple's website allows users to scroll through a visual timeline of the Macintosh's history, beginning with the first Mac in 1984 all the way to the recently released Mac Pro. Each page in the timeline is introduced by a passage on the Mac's impact on an individual or entity, such as the Macintosh II's role in the creation of computational program Mathematica by Theodore Gray or the role the MacBook Pro played in helping create online coding tutorial platform Codecademy.

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Pages in the visual timeline also include retrospective information on every Macintosh with photos, and are also followed by research about the most popular uses for a particular Mac. Apple also includes a page for users to input data about their first Mac, which asks questions about location and ownership. The data given by users can be found on another section that gives a visual look at what models were chosen by people as their first Mac, with live updating information.

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Meanwhile, the Mac 30 video on the website includes remarks about the Macintosh by notable individuals such as music composer Hans Zimmer and designer Iris van Herpen, and also features a visual look of the computer's impact in various industries.


In addition to the festivities on Apple's website, three Apple executives spoke to MacWorld about the Macintosh's illustrious history, which will be followed by ABC News airing an interview tonight with Apple CEO Tim Cook about the computer's thirtieth anniversary. Jonathan Zufi, author of the coffee table book "Iconic: A Photographic Tribute to Apple Innovation," also created a new website that includes photos of macintosh computers and portables from Apple's early years.

[ 191 comments ]


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Rogifan
72 months ago

Let me guess... perhaps finally reach 4 GB of RAM on the iPhone/iPad?


You know it would be really nice if this thread could be kept snark-free. :rolleyes:
Rating: 31 Votes
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jowie
72 months ago
This is the first computer I used that really inspired me and is the reason I do what I do today. Happy 30th Birthday, Macintosh!



:apple:
Rating: 17 Votes
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Mackan
72 months ago

Imagine what we can accomplish in the next 30 years.


Let me guess... perhaps finally reach 4 GB of RAM on the iPhone/iPad?
Rating: 13 Votes
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JamonBull
72 months ago
Happy birthday, Mac! What an excellent tribute and history Apple have done on their website. Love all the press they are doing around the Mac as well. Just goes to show how much Apple still respects the Macintosh even though it isn't really the core of their profits anymore. :apple:.
Rating: 13 Votes
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iBug2
72 months ago
They did an amazing job with the design of the homepage.
Rating: 12 Votes
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sully54
72 months ago
if apple ever wanted to rebrand the apple logo, this would be a great start.
Rating: 10 Votes
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abshole765
72 months ago
That 1984 commercial is full of irony now.
Rating: 9 Votes
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Rogifan
72 months ago
Looks like Apple stores will be getting the Mac love too..nice.



H/T 9to5Mac.
Rating: 6 Votes
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Richardgm
72 months ago
...and the page crashes on my iPhone.
Rating: 4 Votes
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laurim
72 months ago

@laurim

I love it when Fanboyz talk nasty. "Basic rule of forums:" - there are rules - you're just making that stuff up, right?

I've probably been a Mac owner longer than you have, it's this tear-jerking sentimentality that I find over-the-moon.


The first time I used a Mac was in 1985. Used a Mac when I worked at P&G in 1991 because the statistical analysis software I wanted to use was MAC-only. Used a Mac IIci when I went back to school for computer graphic design. The first Mac I actually owned was a PowerPC (7000?). Then I owned a gray G4 and then a 2008 Aluminum Mac Pro and 17" MacBook Pro. Then two 2011 17" MacBook Pros and soon a 2013 MacPro.

Just because you don't understand the impact Macs have had on some of our lives doesn't mean it isn't valid. It's actually sad that you might have had no experience with a life-changing technology. Maybe you're blah about your entire life…

P.S. I don't appreciate being called a "fanboy" when I am a woman. Maybe you think all computer users are men??
Rating: 4 Votes

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