Apple Macintosh Microcomputer
date: label: Date made
content: 1984
name: label: maker
content: Apple Computer
notes: label: Description
content: The Apple Macintosh microcomputer introduced a graphic user interface (GUI) to the Apple line of computers. The idea had originated at Xerox's Palo Alto Research Center in the 1970s, but Xerox was slow to commercialize it. Apple proved far more successful when it introduced the Macintosh in January 1984, with a splashy television advertisement during the Superbowl. The original price was around $2,500.
label: Description
content: Instead of typing out names of programs on command lines, users with a GUI could click "icons," or pictures that represented the programs they wanted to run. They could also execute functions like saving, moving, or deleting files by clicking and dragging the icons around the screen with a pointing device called a mouse. Apple's version of the mouse had a single button, which became an Apple standard. The first Macintosh, exemplified by this object, had only 128K RAM, and users quickly found this insufficient. The Macintosh 512 KB, nicknamed "Fat Mac," was introduced in September 1984. It gave users four times as much memory, and allowed them to keep several major programs open simultaneously (for an example of this machine see 1985.3011.01). The vertical processor case and 9" monochrome screen were distinguishing features of all the early Macintosh line.
label: Description
content: The Macintosh 512 KB contained a Motorola 68000 microprocessor which ran at 8 MHz. It contained 512 KB of RAM and 64 KB of ROM and initially had a 400 KB Floppy disk drive. Applications included MacWrite, a word processor, and MacPaint, a drawing program that turned the mouse into a paintbrush. Shortly after the 512 KB appeared, Apple also introduced a LaserWriter printer, which enabled desktop publishing for individuals and small businesses. Over time, Apple computers would appeal most strongly to artists and designers, while the IBM/DOS line of computers sold better in business markets.
label: Description
content: After selling hundreds of thousands of units, Apple discontinued the "Mac Classic" line of computers in April 1986.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: Place Made
content: United States: California, Cupertino
topic: label: Subject
content: Macintosh
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Computers
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content: Family & Social Life
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content: Work
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content: Computers & Business Machines
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Apple Computer
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1985.0118.01
label: catalog number
content: 1985.0118.01
label: accession number
content: 1985.0118
objectType: label: Object Name
content: microcomputer
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: manufactured (overall production method/technique)
label: Physical Description
content: plastic (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 13 1/2 in x 16 in x 20 in; 34.29 cm x 40.64 cm x 50.8 cm