The Evolution of Apple

Let’s take a trip back in time and review the evolution of a


computer company. It’s not IBM or Microsoft.   This company is Apple


Computers, Incorporated.


In the year 1976, before most people even thought about buying a


computer for their homes. Back then the computer community added up to a


few brainy hobbyist.   So when Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs sold a van and


two programmable calculators for thirteen hundred dollars and started


Apple Computers, Inc., in Jobs garage, the reach for success seemed far.


But these two young business men, Wozniak 26 years old and Jobs 21


years old, had a vision. “Computers aren’t for nerds anymore,” they


announced. “Computers are going to be the bicycle of the mind. Low cost


computers for everyone.”


From the first day on the founders of Apple kept their vision


intact, and they spoke it at every turn. They only hired people into the


company that had the same visions as they did.


In early 1976 Wozniak and Jobs finish work on a preassembled


computer circuit board. It has no Product keyboard, case, sound or


graphics. They call it the Apple I. They form the Apple Computer Company


on April Fool's Day and sold the Apple I board for $666.66 at the Home


brew Computer Club in Palo Alto, California.


In 1977 the Apple II is available to the general public. Fully


assembled and pretested, it includes 4K of standard memory, and comes


equipped with two game paddles and a demo cassette. The price is $1,298.


Customers use their own TV set as a monitor and store programs on audio


cassette recorders. Compare this price with computers today. The price


about the same, but the computer has changed tremendously.


In 1979 Apple II+ is introduced, available with 48K of memory and


a new auto-start ROM for easier startup and...