Dumb question!

Steve Jobs had worked during the summer at an apple farm, and admired the Beatles' record label, Apple. He also believed Apples to be the most perfect fruit. He and Steve Wozniak were trying to figure out a name for their new company, and they decided that if they couldn't think of one by the end of the day that was better than Apple, they would choose Apple. They couldn't think of anything better, so on April 1, 1976, Apple Computer, Inc. was born.

But they needed a logo. The first design included Sir Isaac Newton, a tree and a banner that said "Apple Computer." Jobs decided they needed a less busy logo, one that would signify a brand. The second logo attempt was very similar to the current logo, but without the bite taken out of it. Jobs thought this logo looked too much like an orange. The third attempt was the logo that Apple still uses.

 

...but it was rainbow colored...

 

You can also find out more history about Apple here

 

When (and why) did they switch from the rainbow colored apple to the white one? I prefer the white one, but I was just wondering what motivated them...

 

Is the official color white? Because, the way I see it at least, the Apple logo is used as solid color without any particular color. Then, of course, you have the "gel" version of the logo that appears on the Apple menu in OS X (more so with Panther).

 

Official colors

When they switched to the solid apple (at the time the iMacs were first being born), there was a list of specific colors that could be used - just like most companies give specs about how their logo is and isn't to be drawn - it kind of reads like a country's flag handbook.

I believe colors were white, graphite, tangerine, lime, blueberry, strawberry, and grape.

The "yum" colors.

 

well, you learn something new everyday.