Local News, Entertainment & More - Racine, Wisconsin, USA
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Apple's 1984 Macintosh Commercial
"Today marks the 25th anniversary of the perhaps biggest advertisement in history. One that generated millions in free coverage and still does today: 1984—presenting the Apple Macintosh—is still a gem that leaves most people speechless."
That was 11 years before Windows 95. Record players, VHS tapes, and corded telephones were the norm. The information explosion had yet to occur, but I think Steve Jobs had an inkling that something was up with these new-fangled personal computer thingies.
My first computer was a Mac512. It had been bought by Unico for over $5k. Two years later I got one for just $350 when they moved up the chain. 512kb of hard drive, the 3.5 floppies held more memory. The Mac 512 had a floppy drive in it, plus I was lucky enough to get a second floppy drive from a friend that worked there. Without the second drive, it was "Please insert disc 2"... "please insert disc 1"... "Please insert disc 2"... Just a little frustrating.
I was 31 years old when I first sat at a real computer and touched a mouse. Yes, it was a Macintosh. I remember it being a strange sensation, almost made me dizzy and disorientated. We've come a long way since then. Well, I might still be slightly dizzy and disorientated....
My first hands-on experience came when they computerized the auto shop I worked at in the late 80's. Real basic programs for invoicing, inventory control, etc. Only keyboard input. And those big floppies - that was the B:/ drive - for daily backups.
In the mid-90's, I went out to UW-Parkside's library one day only to find that their card catalog had been computerized, and I didn't know a thing about it. So I decided to learn. Later, television ads that said, "For more information, visit us at www.whatever.com," helped motivate me to connect to the web.
I remember 8 inch floppy drives (and I am only 40 which tells you that I was really young when I was using them!)
When I got to college, there were only four modem ports for students to call in...and they were never busy. However, my college was ahead of the curve as all students had email and internet access in 1986, my first year. Yes, the internet existed back then.
Strange thing: in high school, one of my nicknames was RS/1 (my initials and everyone thought it sounded really geeky). When I got to college, I found out RS/1 was a graphing program for the VAX VMS operating system...creepy!
My first computer was a Mac512. It had been bought by Unico for over $5k. Two years later I got one for just $350 when they moved up the chain. 512kb of hard drive, the 3.5 floppies held more memory. The Mac 512 had a floppy drive in it, plus I was lucky enough to get a second floppy drive from a friend that worked there. Without the second drive, it was "Please insert disc 2"... "please insert disc 1"... "Please insert disc 2"... Just a little frustrating.
ReplyDeleteWe've come a LOOOONG way
I was 31 years old when I first sat at a real computer and touched a mouse. Yes, it was a Macintosh. I remember it being a strange sensation, almost made me dizzy and disorientated. We've come a long way since then. Well, I might still be slightly dizzy and disorientated....
ReplyDeleteMy first hands-on experience came when they computerized the auto shop I worked at in the late 80's. Real basic programs for invoicing, inventory control, etc. Only keyboard input. And those big floppies - that was the B:/ drive - for daily backups.
ReplyDeleteIn the mid-90's, I went out to UW-Parkside's library one day only to find that their card catalog had been computerized, and I didn't know a thing about it. So I decided to learn. Later, television ads that said, "For more information, visit us at www.whatever.com," helped motivate me to connect to the web.
I remember 8 inch floppy drives (and I am only 40 which tells you that I was really young when I was using them!)
ReplyDeleteWhen I got to college, there were only four modem ports for students to call in...and they were never busy. However, my college was ahead of the curve as all students had email and internet access in 1986, my first year. Yes, the internet existed back then.
Strange thing: in high school, one of my nicknames was RS/1 (my initials and everyone thought it sounded really geeky). When I got to college, I found out RS/1 was a graphing program for the VAX VMS operating system...creepy!