The Original Macintosh

[MacBytes]

Category: Apple Hardware
Link: The Original Macintosh (http://www.macbytes.com/link.php?sid=20050130222031)
Posted on MacBytes.com (http://www.macbytes.com)

Approved by Mudbug

[Daveway]

yea, this was part of my term paper. If you read a lot about the Macintosh's development, you'll see Steve was a real big a*s. Some say it was because he was passionate.

[Mainyehc]

The prices would also drop, with the cheapest Mac until the mini was released at $1,000, the Mac Classic.

False. The G3 iMac hit $799, if I'm not mistaken, and the eMac also starts at $799. AND the iBook, at $999. And this was already true before the mini was introduced, so, they got that one wrong in their article... :rolleyes:

But anyway, overall, it was a good read. It's interesting to see how a lot of people are being hit by some "original Macintosh nostalgia"... Is it because of the mini, or because of those german guys that restored and published that historical footage of Steve Jobs introducing the Mac in 1984?? Hmmmm... I don't know, but it seems weird to me. 2004, being the 20th Anniversary, would be more fit for all these articles, they all seem one year late :cool:

[kerb]

False. The G3 iMac hit $799, if I'm not mistaken, and the eMac also starts at $799. AND the iBook, at $999. And this was already true before the mini was introduced, so, they got that one wrong in their article... :rolleyes:

But anyway, overall, it was a good read. It's interesting to see how a lot of people are being hit by some "original Macintosh nostalgia"... Is it because of the mini, or because of those german guys that restored and published that historical footage of Steve Jobs introducing the Mac in 1984?? Hmmmm... I don't know, but it seems weird to me. 2004, being the 20th Anniversary, would be more fit for all these articles, they all seem one year late :cool:

what footage and where?

[redAPPLE]

who is mitch jagger?

[Mainyehc]

what footage and where?

http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/index.cfm?home&NewsID=10696

Just follow the link in that article, and... what can I say... ENJOY! ;)

[wdlove]

An interesting read. History that I live through. I remember the original Macintosh and the Lisa.

[shamino]

False. The G3 iMac hit $799, if I'm not mistaken...
The original iMac (http://www.apple-history.com/frames/body.php?page=gallery&model=imac) debuted at $1299in August 1998. The Summer 2000 (http://www.apple-history.com/frames/body.php?page=gallery&model=imac2000) edition was the first to have a $799 pricetag. From this point forward, Apple has made a point of always selling one model at the $799 price point. Initially, the low-end iMac/G3, then the low-end eMac.

Note the dates. Apple has been selling a $799 Mac since July 2000. Four and a half years ago.
But anyway, overall, it was a good read. It's interesting to see how a lot of people are being hit by some "original Macintosh nostalgia"... Is it because of the mini, or because of those german guys that restored and published that historical footage of Steve Jobs introducing the Mac in 1984?? Hmmmm... I don't know, but it seems weird to me. 2004, being the 20th Anniversary, would be more fit for all these articles, they all seem one year late :cool:
It is interesting. Both for what they get right, and for what they get wrong.

Anybody interested in the politics of Apple at the time must read through the stories on Folklore.org (http://www.folklore.org/). These stories, unlike many that are going around the internet, were written by the actual people involved. (Most by Andy Hertzfeld.)

[wrldwzrd89]

The original iMac (http://www.apple-history.com/frames/body.php?page=gallery&model=imac) debuted at $1299in August 1998. The Summer 2000 (http://www.apple-history.com/frames/body.php?page=gallery&model=imac2000) edition was the first to have a $799 pricetag. From this point forward, Apple has made a point of always selling one model at the $799 price point. Initially, the low-end iMac/G3, then the low-end eMac.

Note the dates. Apple has been selling a $799 Mac since July 2000. Four and a half years ago.
It is interesting. Both for what they get right, and for what they get wrong.

Anybody interested in the politics of Apple at the time must read through the stories on Folklore.org (http://www.folklore.org/). These stories, unlike many that are going around the internet, were written by the actual people involved. (Most by Andy Hertzfeld.)
Thanks for the link to Folklore.org, shamino. I'll have to add that to my collection of Apple-related bookmarks. I read one of the stories there, and it was a good one.

Your post brings up an interesting point - as Apple has grown, the price of the cheapest Mac they offer has steadily decreased, with the Mac mini breaking into ground Apple's never been in before. Surely, in coming years, Apple will continue this trend, offering a US$200 and $300 Mac. After that, going much lower becomes difficult due to the cost of the operating system.

[shamino]

Surely, in coming years, Apple will continue this trend, offering a US$200 and $300 Mac. After that, going much lower becomes difficult due to the cost of the operating system.
Well, Apple makes the OS, so the differential cost to them is zero.

It's not like Sony, Dell and the rest ot the PC makers that have to buy Windows licenses from Microsoft.

But you're right that there is a lower limit to a computer's price. Even if the hardware and software cost nothing to produce, there are still costs associated with marketing, distribution and tech support. These have to be paid for, and you can't expect customers to pay for them later on (e.g. a subscription to a service or software suite.)

A few (stupid in hindsight) companies have tried to give away free PCs, expecting to make it up through subscriptions to things like software, internet access or product support. They've invariably failed - the newbies don't buy in, and the geeks buy the product without the value-add features, preferring to hack their own into it.

On the other hand, the wireless phone companies have done a good job of deferring these costs. They do it by not giving you the discount without a one or two year commitment to the service, with a substantial early- termination penalty. I suppose a computer company could try this, but the only service I can think of that might would would be broadband internet access, and that's a market Apple probably doesn't want to jump into.

Which means there will be a minimum price that Apple won't be able to sell a computer below. Is that the current $500 price or something lower? I don't know. I suspect the price could slip a little lower, but probably not too much lower, and definitely not within the next 3 years or so.