Time-Warp Tech Presents Apple : The Early Years (1977-2004)

The IS Museum has been given a new identity: Time warp Tech. Our aim is to gather various forms of old technology and create displays showing how the tech we use today has evolved over time. Our first display Apple : The Early Years is now Live in Aldrich Library. It shows Apple computers which … Continue reading Time-Warp Tech Presents Apple : The Early Years (1977-2004)

Apple – the early years (1977 – 2004)

Although the recent history of Apple Computer is relatively well known, the iPod was only introduced in 2001. Prior to that, Apple’s story is one of shady beginnings to multi-million dollar success, to near implosion and then reinvention. Our first exhibit tells the story of Apple’s first twenty years through the hardware that made them famous. There will be more detailed articles about each computer, including the process of restoring them where applicable, but here is a summary of each milestone.

1977: The Apple II
Apple ][+Following the unexpected success of the first Apple computer in 1976, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak immediately set about designing the sequel. By the time it was ready in 1977, The Apple II was one of the first pre-assembled personal computers available to consumers. It was capable of colour graphics and came equipped with an ample 4KB of RAM and the BASIC programming language built in. Programs could be loaded from cassette tape or floppy disk and although it didn’t come with a monitor, it could be plugged into a regular TV. In the three years that followed, Apple’s sales grew from $775,000 to $118 million and various incarnations of the Apple II were sold right up until 1993. The version we are displaying is the Apple II Plus, manufactured in 1982, which brought some improvements to the original design, the most significant being 48KB of RAM.

1984: The Macintosh
Today, all of Apple’s computers use ‘Mac’ in Apple Macintosh Plustheir name somewhere but the first was in 1983. The model in our display is the Macintosh Plus which was released in 1986. Although the Apple II made a name for Apple, the Macintosh completely revolutionised the very idea of what a PC was, mostly because it was the first personal computer to come with a graphical user interface (GUI) and mouse. Its competition was the popular Commodore 64 and IBM’s business-focused PC but it was relatively expensive so didn’t find a foothold in the home market. It did find success in education and publishing, however. The Macintosh was named after the apple of the same name (spelled McIntosh) and the project was led by Steve Jobs. His first ever keynote speech was a demonstration of the Macintosh in action. However, it failed to establish anywhere near the popularity of the IBM PC with software makers and didn’t sell as many as Apple hoped it would. It ultimately led to Jobs leaving Apple in 1985.

1985 – 1998: The Non-Jobs Years
In the years following Steve Jobs’ ousting, Apple went on to establish the Desktop Publishing (DTP) phenomenon, thanks to their monopoly on graphics- and print-based software, and the introduction of the world’s first consumer laser printer. This allowed Apple to increase prices of their hardware significantly. Despite competition from Windows-based PCs for much lower prices, Apple continued to innovate by introducing their first portable computer and the PowerBook range. Some of their products were less successful such as the Newton PDA and even a games console called the Pippin.

1990: Macintosh Classic
After their sales figures declined for the first timeApple Mac Classic in their history, Apple introduced low-cost versions of their computers and attempted to restructure their product line. An example is the next Macintosh in our Museum, the Classic, which was released in October 1990.  This was the first Macintosh personal computer that could be purchased for under US$1000, and can be seen as the first Mac aimed at the mass market.  However, clones of Apple computers, produced by third-party companies, helped to damage the Apple brand through poor performance and reliability. The writing was on the wall and, by 1997, Apple were on their knees and were making various cutbacks. In an attempt to revolutionise their ailing operating system, Apple purchased NeXT, the company that Steve Jobs started in 1985, as they had one of the most innovative operating systems around at the time. Within months, Jobs was CEO of Apple and made a raft of changes to the organisational structure and discontinued all 15 of the existing product lines. A year later, the iMac was born.

1998: The iMac
Jobs simplified the Apple product line to, essentially, 4 devices: laptops and desktops aimed at home and business. The iMac represented the home desktop computer and made a huge impact when it was announced thanks to its colourful design and controversial hardware. The iMac we are displaying is a sage-coloured model from summer 2000, one of the rarer colours. It was designed by Jonathan Ive, who joined Apple in 1992. It is arguably their creative partnership that subsequently rejuvenated Apple, leading to the introduction of the iPod, the iPad and the iPhone. It was one of the first Apple computers to come with the new Pro keyboard and mouse.

2002: The iMac G4
In a stark departure from the candy-colouredApple Mac G4 transparent G3, the G4 was created in snow white, and was again designed by Jonathan Ive. At the time it was difficult to imagine there was a computer somewhere within the arm, screen and dome “all in one” combination. It was advertised as having the flexibility of a desk lamp and consequently was given the nickname “iLamp”. There is more than a passing resemblance to the Pixar lamp, Luxo Jr. (which interestingly Steve Jobs also invested in). It was also known as the “sunflower”. The G4 in our display has the 15″ LCD screen, but a much larger 20″ screen was added as an option later, in 2003.

2004: iMac G5

Apple Mac G5With the iMac G5, the computer had been built into the white polycarbonate flat-panel monitor, which gave the simplicity we all now  associate with Apple design. The whole computer had now “disappeared” into the screen casing, Apple was returning to it’s all-in-one roots. This design looks familiar to us even now; the 2017 iMac Pro, although sporting a much refined look from years of tinkering, definitely has its design roots based in the 2004 iMac G5.

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About the IS museum project

Technology changes quickly and those of us working in IT do enjoy exciting new shiny toys.

But there is also something nostalgic about the computing equipment of days gone by…in some cases not many years ago at all.

Apple SE/30
Apple Macintosh SE/30

The IS Museum project aims to collect, curate and share examples of technology that might otherwise be lost in the dusty store cupboards of a large university. Although we already have a number of items that we can’t wait to exhibit, donations and loans would be very welcome!

Like any subject that may appear boring to the uninitiated (take football, computer games, stamp collecting), it’s the history of these things that brings in an element of soap opera. Only through telling a story and familiarising people with the characters, the plot and the controversy can you make a subject fascinating, where it may otherwise appear mundane.

Some of you may have seen the American TV Series Halt & Catch Fire via Amazon Prime, centered around the birth of the IBM PC and the ensuing fight to clone it and sell as many computers to as many people as possible. Competition, intrigue, cloak-and-dagger – it’s all in there. We aim to take you on a journey through not just the development of the hardware itself, but the phenomenon of the PC – the tale of how computers went from being kits-for-geeks to an essential household item.

Our intention is not just to tell the story behind these technological gems, but to create a living exhibit. Most of the computers we currently have do not work or don’t work very well. Part of the process will be to restore these items to their former glory, as much as is possible and reasonable, so that current generations can experience technology they’ve never seen or used before, and those who were there at the time can experience a healthy dose of nostalgia.