Apple's Famous '1984' Commercial Aired 41 Years Ago Today

[drrich2]

I would love for someone to name the next Steve Jobs or any of the other tech visionaries of the last generation.

Ironically, someone thinking outside the box did come along and throw a 'hammer' (novel product and ideology) in marked contrast to the corporate powers-that-be that had in theory great potential to seriously upend the status quo and change the lives of the user base.

That would've been Finnish (not American!) software engineer Linus Torvalds (representing the open source software movement) throwing the Linux (open source software) hammer at the face of the commercial software platform establishment. You could run an ad. like that and under the year have it gradually fade into view 'This Year; the Dawn of Open Source.'

Problem - the hammer didn't break the screen. Linux is such a small share player on the desktop computer market it's mainly the province of techies, from what I understand (wonder what % of Windows and Mac users know of and have some idea what Linux is?). Linux is the basis for the Steam OS on the Steam Deck handheld gaming device. On the other hand, it's a big force in servers (which are generally corporate devices). Linux didn't free the masses from our corporate overlords; Linux further empowered our corporate overlords.

From the Wikipedia page on him:

"
Time magazine has recognized Torvalds multiple times:

• In 2000, he was 17th in their Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century poll.[83]
• In 2004, he was named one of the most influential people in the world by Time magazine.[84]
• In 2006, the magazine's Europe edition named him one of the revolutionary heroes of the past 60 years.[30]

"

 

[Horselover Fat]

Here‘s my 2025 Version:

The commercial starts exactly the same as the original. Big Brother talking, grey architecture, people marching slavishly, in between the scenes we see the woman running. Then she stops to spin and gain momentum for her throw. Behind her the soldiers are coming closer, we see her legs spinning. The soldiers stop in amazement. It turns out that what she is going to throw is just a cucumber. She releases it and it hits a soldier‘s helmet.

Off:

Apple. Not what you thought it was.

 

[loopy123]

Apple is the ONLY company that makes a verifiable and sincere effort to keep your data private with on device encrypted data, hidden IP addresses, blocking of trackers etc, etc. It's quite pathetic to see all the posts somehow linking Apple, as it is now, to the dystopian "bad actors" of the ad. If Apple did not exist then I'm sure using my Windows or Google "Brand X" Watch would be sending my health data to my insurance company and they could deny health coverage or make it $$$.

I am 100% confident that data is safe on my Apple Watch , is encrypted and cannot be accessed unless I deliberately decide to share it.

 

[CarAnalogy]

Ironically, someone thinking outside the box did come along and throw a 'hammer' (novel product and ideology) in marked contrast to the corporate powers-that-be that had in theory great potential to seriously upend the status quo and change the lives of the user base.

That would've been Finnish (not American!) software engineer Linus Torvalds (representing the open source software movement) throwing the Linux (open source software) hammer at the face of the commercial software platform establishment. You could run an ad. like that and under the year have it gradually fade into view 'This Year; the Dawn of Open Source.'

Problem - the hammer didn't break the screen. Linux is such a small share player on the desktop computer market it's mainly the province of techies, from what I understand (wonder what % of Windows and Mac users know of and have some idea what Linux is?). Linux is the basis for the Steam OS on the Steam Deck handheld gaming device. On the other hand, it's a big force in servers (which are generally corporate devices). Linux didn't free the masses from our corporate overlords; Linux further empowered our corporate overlords.

From the Wikipedia page on him:

"
Time magazine has recognized Torvalds multiple times:

• In 2000, he was 17th in their Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century poll.[83]
• In 2004, he was named one of the most influential people in the world by Time magazine.[84]
• In 2006, the magazine's Europe edition named him one of the revolutionary heroes of the past 60 years.[30]

"

Ha ok but I count Linus at this point as the last of the great generation. Not to move the goalposts here.

I agree with your last paragraph. This was also part of Stallman's warning and the reason GPL is supposed to "infect" any software it's used with. He knew full well if you give corporations something for free, they'll just take it and laugh at you for giving it away.

I agree also that Open Source is the closest thing we have to an answer. Still has the problem that there's not enough money in it compared to doing it the evil way.

At this point it seems Linus is getting to the point of being worn out. He's been at this a long time.

Can you name anyone from, say, the last ten years?

 

[mrr]

I remember seeing this air LIVE.
I was stunned.
I loved it.

 

[wyrdness]

What a weird ad.

Not if you understand the reference to "1984"

 

[Mizouse]

Ain’t no way this ad is 41 years old. Aren’t the 80s only 20 years ago???

 

[Foulenough]

I'm on my 6th iPhone and god knows how many MacBooks. But it will be a long time before I buy the next one - not that the alternatives are much better, it's just that it's become a commodity. The shine has gone so I'll wait until it stops working.

 

[ErikGrim]

Tim Cook would do well to rewatch this

 

[alfonsog]

I would've been 10 when this came out and we didn't watch football in my house. My dad was from Italy he watched soccer. Let's see I would have been living in Cape Coral, Florida and in 5th grade. First time I touched a Mac was in high school which they used for the newspaper layout. All I remember is they were super expensive back then. I had one friend in high school that used a Mac at home and we are still friends. My very first Mac was the iMac G4.

 

[Maxis]

And now Apple epitomizes all the dystopia they were critically highlighting

The legacy of Tim Cook

Free Apple again

 

[drumcat]

Be the hero, or live long enough to become the villain.

 

[svish]

It was a great ad. Saw it recently too. Long time since the first Mac were launched. Macs are very good computers too.

 

[cosmichobo]

it got upgraded by the stock holders

Yes, for a mere $999 you can get the hammer with aluminium handle. Apple does recommend paying an extra $79 for AppleCare, because you can never be too careful, and if you really want to be cool, you should also buy the iHammer Pro, which does exactly the same thing, but it's "Pro", and costs an additional $2,495. That may seem like a lot of money, but it's ok, because Apple doesn't dictate the prices of its products, it just makes them and charges what they know enough of the market will be willing to pay. Also please be aware that the App Store includes a range of amazing Hammer-themed apps, many of which are completely free to download, but you'll need to provide your credit card for when you are suckered into making in app purchases.

Apple. Let them show you how they went from 1984 to a multi trillion dollar company.

--

and the fact I just wrote that really tells me it's time to find alternatives to Apple after 33 years...

 

[MacHeritage]

In the end they became 1984

"You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain"

 

[MacHeritage]

And then came the lemmings.

IYKYK

Love that game!

 

[mv24]

Woman with white shirt and orange shorts holding a hammer, created with Apple Intelligence. Look how bold and brave this little company from April 1, 1976 has pushed humanity forward.

View attachment 2474695

Every single element in this picture is out of place and out of substance. AI at work - fluf in, fluf out.