Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple's Macintosh Turns 25 Years Old Today

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
63,545
30,856





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.
Click to expand...
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.
....
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."
Click to expand...
The introduction of the Macintosh was also marked by the broadcast of Apple's famous 1984 commercial (YouTube Video) during that year's Super Bowl.

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.

Article Link: Apple's Macintosh Turns 25 Years Old Today
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2009/01/24/apples-macintosh-turns-25-years-old-today/
macduke

macduke

macrumors G5
Jun 27, 2007
13,141
19,677
Long live the Mac! Long live the Steve!

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.
 
M

Macminiintel

macrumors regular
Aug 25, 2007
182
0
Macrumors Listened...

Lol maybe its just coincidence, but I emailed them saying it should be posted on the homepage and someone must of listened lol

: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
 
arn

arn

macrumors god
Staff member
Apr 9, 2001
16,363
5,795
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
 
brop52

brop52

macrumors 68000
Feb 26, 2007
1,620
3
Michigan
arn said:
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
Click to expand...

When I was about 8 I would sneak down stairs in the middle of the night to read my IIsi and OS 7 manuals.
 
Watabou

Watabou

macrumors 68040
Feb 10, 2008
3,425
755
United States
doubleohseven said:
Hip-Hip?
Click to expand...

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!
 
PeterQC

PeterQC

macrumors 6502a
Jun 30, 2008
727
0
The first to turn this new on debate is heartless! :D

I'm a new user, having Windows "in my life" for 17 years. Never through of switching until my old computer wasn't able to hold unto the relatively simple graphical work I was doing at the time, mostly photoshopping. Getting a new computer for my studies was an awesome thing to me. I was thinking of building myself a cheap tower and just crack Adobe suite and be all right for my 3 years. I spoke to some of the students that we already in their first year and that was enough for me, I would be getting a Mac no matter what. I have to say that the 4 months wait for the new Aluminum Macbook was cruel, but now I know it was well worth it. I love my computer, and more then happy to have joined this awesome community.

I've got a 2.4GHz Al. Macbook, and I'm looking forward to get mores in the coming years, the first thing being an maxed Mac Pro or an iPhone, once I'm a full time graphic designer.

Happy birthday and long life Mac.
 
xUKHCx

xUKHCx

Administrator emeritus
Jan 15, 2006
12,583
9
The Kop
arn said:
figured I'd share. :)

arn
Click to expand...

Newbie here, Windows 98 SE 500MHz -> iMac G5 bought on release day -> iMac Core 2 Duo and then about a year or so later added a Macbook 2.2 C2D.

So I joined Mac at around 10.3.5 seems so long ago but in terms of the companies history it is a small fleck in their timescale.
 
WildCowboy

WildCowboy

Administrator/Editor
Staff member
Jan 20, 2005
18,390
2,829
My family didn't have a computer when I was growing up, but I certainly used various flavors of Apple //s in elementary and middle school, and spent a good bit of time on my friend's Performa. Didn't get my first computer until I was heading off to college, and I bought a PC because, well, it was the summer of '96 and Steve hadn't yet arrived back on the scene to pull Apple back from the brink.

My first Mac was a May 2001 iBook 500 MHz Dual USB, and I'm now running a January 2005 15" PowerBook, which is starting to get a bit long in the tooth. :)
 
M

Marvy

macrumors regular
Jul 2, 2003
106
0
Germany
arn said:
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
Click to expand...

Similar here, though used the Apple II's in school. My very first Mac of my own was a IIsi. Years later upgraded to a Power Performa 6400, and then to my first mobile Mac, the iBook G3 (2x USB). That was my last PPC before making the switch to the iMac Core Duo, which I have to this very day (along with a used MacBook I bought a few months ago). It's been a long time.. :)
 
La Porta

La Porta

macrumors regular
Dec 15, 2006
241
0
My Dad purchased our Mac Plus back in 1988, when I was 4 years old. I have been hooked ever since. I remember starting elementary school around 1990, and they had Apple IIs there. Not knowing the history or evolution of Apple, I was confused as to why they used them to teach us, they did not have mice, and why all of the graphics looked like crap!
 
richard.mac

richard.mac

macrumors 603
Feb 2, 2007
6,292
4
51.50024, -0.12662
arn said:
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
Click to expand...

i only ever used PCs and Windows growing up (post internets era) and got a MacBook Pro 2 years ago ;).
 
B

Babybandit

macrumors regular
Oct 29, 2008
126
0
I'm a new user! Fairly new.

I've been a Hardcore Windows user because I'm a gamer. Because of School, I started using Macintosh' Jan 08. I bought myself a MacBook Pro and never looked back.

Before the MBP, I used a PowerBook because of Garage Band from my uncle which I gotten for free.

To another 25 years of Macintosh!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom