Monday, January 22, 2007

1984

On this day in 1984...

The
Apple Macintosh, the first consumer computer to popularize the computer mouse and the graphical user interface, is introduced during Super Bowl XVIII with its famous "1984" television commercial.

We've come a long way, baby. Without the mouse, the computer, the internet, you and I, dear reader, would not know one another. Reason enough to celebrate, I think.

13 comments:

Fee said...

I'll drink to that!

Having said that, I'll drink to anything but at least I've got an excuse now :P

Anonymous said...

I remember that baby. I had to write a program on it in school.

Anonymous said...

I have one of those in my basement (or a slightly newer version, but very similar in appearance).

I think this is a great thing to celebrate - computer power had long been locked behind closed doors. Apple drove the personal computer home to individuals, and constantly looked for ways to make it easy to use.

And I, for one, am very glad that computers and the Internet made it possible for us to know each other!

Anonymous said...

It is so so so INSANE how the internet has made people friends and others enemies!

Anonymous said...

Oh my God! I remember using one of these old units! I say we have a HUGE celebration. Long live Apple and computers! ;)

Old Cheeser said...

I remember in the early 1980s my Maths teacher had an enormous computer in his classroom, not an Apple but something similar. Called a Research Machine I think. It was mammoth and took up about half the room. When you turned it on the screen was all in green font. Very primitive.

My, haven't we come a long way in jsut a couple of decades?

And who remember the ZX81 or Spectrum? And the Vic 20? My friend had one with lots of groovy games, and I was dead jealous, used to go round to his house all the time...Oh but we did get an Acorn Electron though. Wow!!

Anonymous said...

And yet people still insist on being misguided and whoring themselves out to Microsoft. Why you wouldn't want to go with the company that created the mouse is beyond me, but ho hum.

Nice post Minge

matty said...

I love my Apple so much!

My iBook is one of my best friends.

Is that sad?

Wait. Don't answer that.

Anonymous said...

Well, part of my scotch will be dedicated to Apple tonight!
Can you imagine computers are already in museums?! One of these days you're old the very same day you're born...
:-)

Anonymous said...

It looks like an old TV set, really?rs
See you!

Minge said...

I'll have a drink with you, Coal. Make mine a double. No, hold that. A treble! Can I go for a quad?

I vaguely remember it or something like it, JAG. Our school had one Mac, one PC and one BBC computer at the time. We pupils got to have a go on one if we got an A in maths, otherwise, they were reserved for sixth formers. Due to the dreadful state of my torrid mind, my maths assignments rarely came back with an A so I can count on one hand the number of times I used the Mac. Why I bothered, I don't know. I only drew pictures with something like whiteboard. Didn't know what else do do with the bloody thing. Thought it was an expensive etch-a-sketch.

You have one in your basement, Rand? Bloody hell! I actually bet it'll be worth a bob or two now. You lucky boy! I wonder how many people hung onto their old computers and how many threw them out? My cousin has an IBM machine from the mid 80s. He said he's thinking of donating it to a charity or museum. First, I thought he was joking, but now I see the point.

.25 life crisis kid, I know you are right. It's easy to make enemies online. Our machines protect us from the harshness of true reality as cars protect raod ragers . Sad, innit!

A Novelist, get the champers out, sweetie. We're going to rock!

Cheeser, I remember the VIC 20. My pal had one. Do you think it was the same boy? LOL! I was also very jealous.

I touch nothing Microsoft, Alan. Minge is a good boy. I agree with you wholeheartedly.

Matty, not sad, fabulous.

Did you enjoy your drink, Ric? I once saw a ZX Spectrum 48K in one of the museums here in Edinburgh, on Chambers Street. I couldn't believe it. My sister still has my old one and my old Commodore 64 in her wardrobe.

Carioca, it does look like a TV set, doesn't it? I love the way Apple integrate the monitor and computer. it's fabulous. I'm going to get a new iMac in a few months. I'll miss my domes moddle. You can't get it any longer.

:(

matty said...

Oh, good. I don't wanna be sad!

Minge said...

No need, Matty. Having an iBook as one of your best friends is fabulous and something to be celebrated!