Apple Celebrates Thirty Years of Macintosh with Homepage Tribute, Visual Timeline, 'Mac 30' Video

[MartiNZ]

Maybe they did that because Apple has always been about creating computers that get the technology out of the way of people doing what they need to do, especially in the creative fields. With that in mind, they wouldn't want to create a nerd video, although for some of us that would be interesting, too. And I don't think passionate people are self-absorbed at all, maybe because I don't find their ambition and talent intimidating.

Yes very true, but what I found a bit jarring was that all of those people said it was the Macintosh that allowed them to do all their creative stuff - no mention was given of the software at all, which is kind of the enabling factor (well maybe it was mentioned, I couldn't bear to watch more than half of it). Yes some of it was eventually made by Apple, but still, it just didn't sit right for me, and I agree with inkswamp that it came across more as a corporate marketing piece than an unbiased celebration, which is what I think they might have focused on more.

Apart from anything else, it focuses on what kept them so darn niche for 20 years and nearly sent them under. But then again, it would have been worse to focus on the new mad consumerism uses of devices of this day. "People 30 years ago couldn't see what these tools would be used for today" ... indeed.

I like the homepage thing, but it seems one needs a retina display just to see that whole image lol. Here's hoping for the next big thing.

 

[longofest]

This isn't a sign of anything other than that of a company that understands how to focus and execute now. The vast number of products you cite was not a good thing and Apple suffered because of it. Apple's product offerings were a mess before Jobs came back. In my opinion, the most important move he made was to clear out the clutter and reduce the number of SKUs.

Even post-Jobs' return you had some really cool progression. You had the old G3 towers -> G3 iMac -> G4 iMac -> G5 iMac all within a few years, which is where it has stayed until the introduction of aluminum in the last decade to the slimming down of the iMac recently.

In the consumer notebook category, you had the original iBook introduction that had an integrated handle go to the G3 iBook, which is essentially the form factor until the "MacBook" died in the past decade.

In the pro notebook category, you had the powerbook/powerbook g3 morph into the beautiful powerbook G4, and then again morph into the Aluminum powerbooks which is where it stayed until the unibody designs of the past decade.

Sorry, the Jobs argument doesn't hold much weight. The pace of revolutionary designs has definitely slowed in the past decade.

 

[cube]

There's no Lisa in the timeline. That seems like the actual first Mac to me.

And the Cube is a milestone.

Note how Programming disappears towards the end.

 

[Traverse]

The Mac is a joy to use.

There is a lot of hate for the Mac in other forums, but for me it is simply the best computer and most productive experience.

I hope Apple always keeps it a priority.

 

[CyBeRino]

There's no Lisa in the timeline. That seems like the actual first Mac to me.

The Lisa was not a Mac though. It was a Lisa, and it was one-of-a-kind. And the Mac killed it.

(It also pre-dates the Mac, so its 30th anniversary would've been earlier.)

Note how Programming disappears towards the end.

Note how at the same time, internet/email starts being the biggest thing. That is when computers (in general) became things more and more for people to generally do useless stuff on. Something that was done only by nerds (who would typically program) before.

 

[cube]

The Lisa was not a Mac though. It was a Lisa, and it was one-of-a-kind. And the Mac killed it.

(It also pre-dates the Mac, so its 30th anniversary would've been earlier.)



Note how at the same time, internet/email starts being the biggest thing. That is when computers (in general) became things more and more for people to generally do useless stuff on. Something that was done only by nerds (who would typically program) before.

1. Yes. But I always saw the first Mac as a cheap version of the Lisa, not what one would really want.

2. With the machines becoming toy-like and inadequate for a lot of serious stuff.

 

[SusanK]

My Mac and I are enjoying birthday cake at this moment.

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The Mac is a joy to use.

I hope Apple always keeps it a priority.

As do I.

 

[herr_neumann]

@laurim

I love it when Fanboyz talk nasty. "Basic rule of forums:" - there are rules - you're just making that stuff up, right?

I've probably been a Mac owner longer than you have, it's this tear-jerking sentimentality that I find over-the-moon.

Things Not To Do #6
Off-topic posts. Off-topic posts will be deleted/edited.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1672419/

 

[hogo]

Absolutely love the video. Got a little misty, I must say...

 

[herr_neumann]

It's amazing the dozens of hardware configurations Apple went through from 1984 - 2004, and then from 2004-2014, only really having introduced a handful at best. I'm talking radical here, not just relatively minor changes... g3 imac - g4 imac counts as does g4-g5. g5 imac - intel imac does not, nor does switch to aluminum or the macbook pro change to unibody (though that was at least a significant switch).

From what I can see, from 2004-2014, you really only had the MacBook air and the latest Mac Pro. If you want to stretch you can throw in the slim iMac or the retina macbook pro. Still, literally dozens in the previous periods.

One argument is that Apple found designs that work and are sticking with them. Another is that they just have lost their drive to try bold new ideas as often. Maybe a combination of the two?

The current designs are a realization of where Jony Ive was going with the 20th Anniversary Mac.

Looking at the speaker manufacturing section it reminded me of the promo video for the New Mac Pro.

 

[mryingster]

1. Yes. But I always saw the first Mac as a cheap version of the Lisa, not what one would really want.

2. With the machines becoming toy-like and inadequate for a lot of serious stuff.

As far as I've ever known/heard (mind you I've never actually used a Lisa), I've heard that the Lisa was inferior from a hardware perspective and had limitations that required a lot of software hacks, and that there was less software available at launch than the Mac.

I may be completely wrong, but what makes it more desirable than the original Macintosh?

Secondly, programming came back on the time-line towards the end. I suspect that with the proliferation of iOS devices, many now purchase Macs solely for the purpose of programming iOS apps. Besides programming Macs are still prevalent in industries that require heavy lifting, although it has been diluted with all the hipsters and college kids using MacBooks for facebook and email...

 

[bigpoppamac31]

I personally think the best Mac designs were in the late 90's - early 2000's. But maybe that's just me. My first Mac in my house was an Apple IIci which debuted in 1989 but we didn't have a computer in our house until 1997. Then it was the first iMac in 1998. Followed by the graphite iMac DV SE in 2000 as well as a dual G4 Power Mac. Then when I moved out I got to take the iMac DV SE with me which I used (and worked perfectly) until 2006 when I moved cross country but did not take it with me. I then got a 2nd gen black Macbook around the end of 2006 which I used until 2011 when I upgraded to an Early 2011 Macbook Pro.

I just like the designs of that era. The early iMacs, The clamshell iBook, The G3/G4 towers. I love those designs even more then I love the current ones.

 

[mryingster]

I just like the designs of that era. The early iMacs, The clamshell iBook, The G3/G4 towers. I love those designs even more then I love the current ones.

My favorites are: G4 iMac ("Basketball "), PowerBook G4 "Titanium", B/W G3, and of course, the Cube. (I didn't love the aesthetic of the MDD G4, but functionality wise, it was great!) I think the computers back then had more personality. The new computers are very clean and slick and even pretty, but sterile.

 

[rgarjr]

Happy b-day Mac

 

[bigpoppamac31]

My favorites are: G4 iMac ("Basketball "), PowerBook G4 "Titanium", B/W G3, and of course, the Cube. (I didn't love the aesthetic of the MDD G4, but functionality wise, it was great!) I think the computers back then had more personality. The new computers are very clean and slick and even pretty, but sterile.

Yeah the Macs back then definitely had more character and personality. They stood out much more from the rest. I can't believe I forgot about the Cube. I wish I had gotten one of those. Apple should have re-introduced the Cube as the new Mac Pro.

 

[mryingster]

Yeah the Macs back then definitely had more character and personality. They stood out much more from the rest. I can't believe I forgot about the Cube. I wish I had gotten one of those. Apple should have re-introduced the Cube as the new Mac Pro.

I'm lucky enough to have one stored away safely, but unfortunately it suffered from the acrylic cracking that happend to cubes exposed to too much sunlight Its minor, but still sad.

 

[Lynxpoint]

Why do the F and I in FIRST have a connecting line?

Image

ligatures

"A character, letter, or type, such as æ, combining two or more letters"
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ligature

I personally find them annoying since I need to check that ligatures are turned off prior to output for my work.

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I used things like pc pursuit in high school (1987-1990) to telnet to BBS's sidestepping long distance charges, that would be considered an "internet" service. There was electronic mail then. The internet isn't just the web.

In 1988 my parents got for me a service called i-net which you dialed into a local number to connect to, but then could connect to services offered over it such as national government libraries and some universities.

The intent was for school, but I did not use it much because the connection rate was by the minute.

I don't remember if it had email. I got my first email address in 1989.

 

[inkswamp]

And I don't think passionate people are self-absorbed at all, maybe because I don't find their ambition and talent intimidating.

I don't find their ambition and talent intimidating at all. But the pretentiousness rolls off these people in waves. There's more to the Mac than a bunch of people overly engrossed by their own product.

Anyway, just feels like a very generic marketing video to me.

 

[laurim]

I don't find their ambition and talent intimidating at all. But the pretentiousness rolls off these people in waves. There's more to the Mac than a bunch of people overly engrossed by their own product.

Anyway, just feels like a very generic marketing video to me.

Define "pretentiousness" because I fail to see it in people who are just saying a Mac is the ideal computer for them to do their work. It's the ideal computer for me to do MY work, no matter what work I do. Am I pretentious?

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Yeah the Macs back then definitely had more character and personality. They stood out much more from the rest. I can't believe I forgot about the Cube. I wish I had gotten one of those. Apple should have re-introduced the Cube as the new Mac Pro.

why would a cube rehash be more different than the current MacPro that's like nothing out there??

 

[apple_iBoy]

I find that Iris van Herpen's fashion designs, featured in the video, really push my buttons... in all the wrong ways.

I almost get a sense of trypophobia looking at that monstrous dress with all the little projections.

 

[krravi]

I love the first Mac.

Imagine today's guts and processors and SSD's in the form of a first Mac.

It would be awesome!

 

[bigpoppamac31]

why would a cube rehash be more different than the current MacPro that's like nothing out there??

Well cause the Cube looks awesome. But also cause if the Cube's internals were redesigned with todays's tech it could possibly hold maybe four standard size 2.5" SSD or HDD. Use the new PCIe bus that's in the new Mac Pro and make them hot swappable like the old Mac Pro and it's be amazing. Get's rid of all the wire clutter which is something I had always thought Apple was in favour of since the first iMac introduction.

As seen here: http://themaclawyer.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/09/14/neat_mac_vs_pc_mess.png

 

[kockgunner]

You mean with the text embedded as a graphic? o.0

I actually think this is a bit… well, not what Steve Would Do©

What about it? It could be said that Apple cares about typography as Steve was so it chose to properly kern the text and not just let it be manipulated by browsers. As long as the text is sharp and and alt tag is used there is no problem. Are you mad you can't copy and paste the headlines or something?

 

[GregAndonian]

Oh, lets for one day put the swords down and wish the Macintosh a happy 30 years!

Whether you’re an Apple lover or hater, gloater or loather, you have to admit it made a massive impact upon the way we all interact with computers and technology on a whole.

Regardless of who was first or whatever, the Mac helped pave the way for the personal technology of today, whichever company(s) you buy your devices from.

Very well said.

I myself am primarily a desktop PC guy, because I like the freedom of being able to customize my computer however I want. But I'm willing to admit that a lot of the things that I have really liked about my PCs would never have happened if Apple hadn't shown the PC industry the way forward.

Despite my slant toward PCs, I also have a couple Macs, and recently got an iPad 4 too.

This Mac Mini G4 was my first Mac. I really liked the idea of a very compact, very quiet computer that could sit ON THE DESK next to the keyboard and monitor. I remember thinking that while a lot of computer makers like to call their systems "desktops", with this system Apple really means it.

 

[laurim]

Well cause the Cube looks awesome. But also cause if the Cube's internals were redesigned with todays's tech it could possibly hold maybe four standard size 2.5" SSD or HDD. Use the new PCIe bus that's in the new Mac Pro and make them hot swappable like the old Mac Pro and it's be amazing. Get's rid of all the wire clutter which is something I had always thought Apple was in favour of since the first iMac introduction.

As seen here: http://themaclawyer.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/09/14/neat_mac_vs_pc_mess.png

I've never heard of the old MacPro's hard drives being hot swappable. I wouldn't dream of opening my MacPro while it's on and taking out a live hard drive. If you are afraid of a few wires coming out of the back of a computer you probably aren't the target market for a MacPro. You should see all the stuff plugged into my 2008 MacPro now.

P.S. Happy 500th post for me!

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What about it? It could be said that Apple cares about typography as Steve was so it chose to properly kern the text and not just let it be manipulated by browsers. As long as the text is sharp and and alt tag is used there is no problem. Are you mad you can't copy and paste the headlines or something?

The only reason you don't want to embed text in a graphic is because of SEO. Obviously, for this kind of thing Apple wouldn't care about search engine optimization so they are free to format it properly via graphics so it looks beautiful for everyone.