Apple celebrates 30 years of Mac with special webpage, video
Apple changed the computing world forever 30 years ago today when it launched the first Macintosh. To commemorate the anniversary, the company posted to its website a video and interactive timeline chronicling not only the machine's history, but its effect on the world.
As of Friday, visitors to Apple's official website are met with a new splash page wishing Mac a happy birthday. After a short intro, users are directed to the "Mac 30" mini site, essentially an interactive animated timeline crafted to tell the Mac story from its beginning in 1984.
From the first pane of Apple's Mac 30 timeline:
Along with milestones marking every year, the pages have a "What people did with it" graphic that shows the spread of Mac users in a variety of fields. In 1984, for example, most Macs were being used by in music creation and photography, while 2013 shows a significant move into the consumer realm with Internet and email taking over professional-minded tasks.
Apple also offers a page where visitors can tell their own Mac story. Users select which machine they started on, where they lived and how they used it. Results are shown in an interactive graph. Currently, the most-selected "first Mac" is the Macintosh 512Ke from 1986. That year also saw the highest use in education and teaching, according to the poll results.
A video was also made especially for the Mac 30 site:
With numerous interviews, beautiful photos and rich data presentation, the level of work Apple put into the mini site is obvious and goes well beyond any promotional effort in recent memory. And rightfully so.
The Macintosh is one of the most important products Apple has created thus far. It brought computing to the masses; empowering both professionals and everyday users to accomplish feats never imaginable before its debut.
As of Friday, visitors to Apple's official website are met with a new splash page wishing Mac a happy birthday. After a short intro, users are directed to the "Mac 30" mini site, essentially an interactive animated timeline crafted to tell the Mac story from its beginning in 1984.
From the first pane of Apple's Mac 30 timeline:
The timeline includes high-resolution photos of legacy Mac hardware, accomplished in the company's current "hero" advertising style. Each page of the timeline marks a year in the life of Mac, with famous users expounding on how the computer enabled them to create great things or break new ground.The one that started it all -- the original Macintosh -- wasn't just a computer. It was a declaration that the power of the computer now belonged to everyone. At the time, most people didn't even know how to use one. But thanks to the simple graphical interface of the Macintosh, they didn't have to. It was approachable and friendly, starting with the smiley face that greeted you. There were folders that looked like file folders and a trash can for throwing things away. And with the click of a mouse, you could suddenly do the unimaginable. You could move things around on the screen, change the way they looked, combine words with images and sounds, and create like never before. A new era had begun.
Along with milestones marking every year, the pages have a "What people did with it" graphic that shows the spread of Mac users in a variety of fields. In 1984, for example, most Macs were being used by in music creation and photography, while 2013 shows a significant move into the consumer realm with Internet and email taking over professional-minded tasks.
Apple also offers a page where visitors can tell their own Mac story. Users select which machine they started on, where they lived and how they used it. Results are shown in an interactive graph. Currently, the most-selected "first Mac" is the Macintosh 512Ke from 1986. That year also saw the highest use in education and teaching, according to the poll results.
A video was also made especially for the Mac 30 site:
With numerous interviews, beautiful photos and rich data presentation, the level of work Apple put into the mini site is obvious and goes well beyond any promotional effort in recent memory. And rightfully so.
The Macintosh is one of the most important products Apple has created thus far. It brought computing to the masses; empowering both professionals and everyday users to accomplish feats never imaginable before its debut.
Comments
http://www.apple.com/30-years/your-first-mac/
My was the iMac G4 "lamp"
That was an awesome Mac.
My first experience of Mac, which my parents bought as the family computer, was the Performa LC 630.
The first Mac I bought for myself was a 12" Powerbook G4.
Since then I've bought an iMac G5, two 17" MacBook Pros (the second being the unibody model), a Mac Pro and the latest (and currently only Mac in my possession) a 15" retina MacBook Pro. Somewhere in there I also took ownership of a 15" iMac G4, which was one of my favourites.
Least favourite would have to be the iMac G5, and while the PowerBook G4 was great, its screen was way too dim and poor by today's standards. If I'd seen the rMBP's screen back then I wouldn't have believed it!
My first Mac was a Powerbook Pismo G3 w/dvd. I had the dual batteries for it, which lasted for ages (compared to other laptops at the time), and I loved that machine and thought that it looked great, the keyboard was great and I just liked it in general even though it's probably incredibly weak by today's standards of course. Hell, my iPad beats the hell out of it, in terms of raw power and especially in graphics power. I forget what the max RAM for that machine was, but whatever it was, I had it installed to the max.
In 2001 though, the Pismo suited me well, and I used it on many projects.
I did, and found it confusing to use radio buttons for multi-selection. They should've used check boxes. Still, some will say it is a cool way for data mining ¡
Since then I've bought an iMac G5, two 17" MacBook Pros (the second being the unibody model), a Mac Pro and the latest (and currently only Mac in my possession) a 15" retina MacBook Pro. Somewhere in there I also took ownership of a 15" iMac G4, which was one of my favourites.
We have travelled very similar paths, I also am using a 15" Retina MBP at the moment. But truly the iMac is where my heart is and as soon as there is a Retina iMac, I will switch back.
My first iMac came with Mac OS X 10.1 and could run OS 9 apps under Classic. My Retina MBP of course has OS X 10.9. After using OS X for so many years I sometimes get bored of it, but whenever I try the competition (Linux or Win) it is just not up to scratch (sorry MS and the open source community) and after a few days it's back to OS X.
The Mac Pro was great and served me well for 3 years but overall the rMBP is the best and most enjoyable Mac I've owned. The combination of gorgeous screen, fast and silent SSD (a big one), extreme sexiness and portability and finally fast USB 3 puts it way out ahead of even my Mac Pro, which had a faster processor and graphics card.
I did have a build it yourself Sinclair prior, a little membrane keyboard thing that plugged into a tv and had basic with a small amount of RAM. But the Mac was quite different.
I had it upgraded to a 512 as soon as it became available, and I found a bag to carry everything and took it to work. We didn't have any computers to work with other than an HP-85 (a great little computer/ I picked up a few on ebay a couple of years ago to have refurbed) and I would let all my brethren in the group use it for presentations and stuff.
Their also was a user group that met saturdays at one of the Apple buildings and I would go to those frequently. Don't remember many details, but saw Andy Herzfield demo a scanner that was a cartridge that you placed in your printer.
It was a great time.
Have had a number of macs and PC's since, but that single computer really did change everything.
I kinda hoped they would't do anything like this. First thing Steve Jobs did after his return in 1997 was eliminating the "Mac museum" in the headquarters. Never look back. Moreover, he considered most of their products since 1985 to 1997 total crap (which they obviously were at least in some cases).
I see your point. When Steve came back he definitely needed to make a clean break from the products that almost killed the company.
I think now it's long enough ago and Apple are confident and successful enough that they can permit themselves a bit of nostalgia?
My first ever computer @ age 15 - 128k Macintosh, purchased - Nov 1984. Since then, the Royal flush;
128k Mac -> Mac SE -> PowerMac G3 (blue) -> PowerMac G4 (QuickSilver) -> iMac G5 -> 15" MacbookPro (2009) -> 15" MacbookPro (2011) -> 15" MacBookPro retina (2012)
What I still own (and in working condition):
128k Mac + iMac G5 + 15" MacBookPro retina (2012)
Do I win???
I owned the Amiga 500, 1200 and 4000 and these computers to me changed the world. They symbolized the change from fancy calculators to creative multimedia tools. Shame Commodore sucked at marketing and didn't had the marketing brilliance of Steve Jobs.
Guess I'm saying that I personally don't consider Apple to have changed the world with Mac, at all. To me, Apple changed the world with iPod and iPhone.
I agree dacloo. The Amiga was amazing. Not to mention a games powerhouse beyond its years. I and most of my friends had one.
It was only when Amiga died that I ended up with a Mac. I think my parents viewed Mac OS as being closer to Amiga OS and therefore easier to transition and adapt. Plus they had Macs where they worked. Funny how things work out.
My first ever computer @ age 15 - 128k Macintosh, purchased - Nov 1984. Since then, the Royal flush;
128k Mac -> Mac SE -> PowerMac G3 (blue) -> PowerMac G4 (QuickSilver) -> iMac G5 -> 15" MacbookPro (2009) -> 15" MacbookPro (2011) -> 15" MacBookPro retina (2012)
What I still own (and in working condition):
128k Mac + iMac G5 + 15" MacBookPro retina (2012)
Do I win???
So far...
The Commodore Amiga was released in 1985 and was much, much more advanced compared to the Mac. It had pre-emptive multitasking (something that was introduced on MacOS X!), 4096 colors and was a true multi-media computer. Apple was scared shitless when the Amiga was introduced. Their Mac could only do 2 colors and had beep-sounds. The Amiga and its OS kicked ass. The Amiga was much cheaper as well.
I owned the Amiga 500, 1200 and 4000 and these computers to me changed the world. They symbolized the change from fancy calculators to creative multimedia tools. Shame Commodore sucked at marketing and didn't had the marketing brilliance of Steve Jobs.
Guess I'm saying that I personally don't consider Apple to have changed the world with Mac, at all. To me, Apple changed the world with iPod and iPhone.
Taking an historical view of the home computer, in terms of who did what first and what features survive to the present day, you still have to give the Mac credit for a GUI OS. The preemptive multitasking of Workbench was nice but there was no accompanying memory protection so 1 app could still take down the whole system.
What makes the Amiga stand out from an historical viewpoint (for me) is more it's hardware. It was the first home computer (as far as I know) to come with a dedicated GPU that was more than just a framebuffer. It had the same Motorola 68000 as the Mac, but due to having a whole other processor just for graphics, it left Mac graphics in the dust. Today, it is taken for granted that every computer needs a GPU, even if it is just one built in to the CPU. That is the real legacy of the Amiga.
I started with an Apple ][+ in high school, couldn't afford a computer in college, but used many SE's, ci's, cx's, in the lab for classwork (BFA). Post college, at work I've used quadra 650's and all sorts of PowerMacs.
Still own a Classic II, a G4 Cube, a G5 PowerMac, a i7 iMac, and all sorts of iPods/iPads.
My first home computer was a Performa 400 but we started integrating Macs at work in the late 80's, first to compliment then replace our commercial Atex system.
The 30th anniversary movie shows more about Apple, its ad agency and Macs (I'm sure it was created entirely on Macs) than any other computer company could possibly show. Apple provides tools for creative people and this movie really demonstrates that. Microsoft could never produce a video like this about its products and when they've tried, they've used Macs to produce it. Samsung isn't even in the running since their ads never demonstrate the capability of their products, they only try to baffle you with ** (you know how that saying goes).
[img]http://9to5mac.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/window.jpg?w=1232&h=564[/img]
I kinda hoped they would't do anything like this. First thing Steve Jobs did after his return in 1997 was eliminating the "Mac museum" in the headquarters. Never look back. Moreover, he considered most of their products since 1985 to 1997 total crap (which they obviously were at least in some cases).
He considered them to be total crap because he wasn't there. Don't tell me the SE/30 or the IIci was total crap. The first PowerBooks came out in that period and projected Apple from nowhere to the top notebook seller in a matter of months. There were a few crappy models, the IIvi, IIvx, PowerBook 190, 5300, and much of the performa line.
Apple's problem that time was in the decisions the company made, not the engineering of their products.
The Commodore Amiga was released in 1985 and was much, much more advanced compared to the Mac. It had pre-emptive multitasking (something that was introduced on MacOS X!), 4096 colors and was a true multi-media computer. Apple was scared shitless when the Amiga was introduced. Their Mac could only do 2 colors and had beep-sounds. The Amiga and its OS kicked ass. The Amiga was much cheaper as well.
I owned the Amiga 500, 1200 and 4000 and these computers to me changed the world. They symbolized the change from fancy calculators to creative multimedia tools. Shame Commodore sucked at marketing and didn't had the marketing brilliance of Steve Jobs.
Guess I'm saying that I personally don't consider Apple to have changed the world with Mac, at all. To me, Apple changed the world with iPod and iPhone.
Quite true, but I suspect that Amiga's roots and perception as a gaming machine vs Apple's as a business and personal tool doomed Amiga from the start. Perhaps it was business applications that turned the tide in Apple's favor, but even then, it was the PC that dominated. My own perception at the time is that Amiga was first a gaming machine.
I suspect that there are dissertations written about the fall of Commodore, just as there are about the fall and rise of Apple.