Macintosh 128K

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The Macintosh 128K, originally released as the Apple Macintosh, is the original Apple Macintosh personal computer. It was introduced by Steve Jobs on January 24, 1984, and was the first commercially successful personal computer to feature a graphical user interface (GUI) and a mouse.

History

The development of the Macintosh began in the late 1970s with Jef Raskin, an Apple employee who envisioned an easy-to-use, low-cost computer for the average consumer. The project gained momentum when Steve Jobs took over and redefined its direction, focusing on a graphical user interface inspired by the Xerox Alto.

Design and Features

The Macintosh 128K featured a compact design with an all-in-one case that housed a 9-inch monochrome CRT display, the Motorola 68000 microprocessor, and 128 KB of DRAM. It included a 400 KB 3.5-inch floppy disk drive for storage and came with a keyboard and a single-button mouse.

The operating system, known as System 1, introduced the concept of the desktop metaphor, with icons representing files and applications, and a menu bar at the top of the screen. The bundled software included MacPaint and MacWrite, which showcased the computer's graphical capabilities.

Impact

The Macintosh 128K had a significant impact on the personal computer industry. Its user-friendly interface and innovative design set a new standard for personal computing. Despite its initial high price and limited memory, it gained a loyal following and paved the way for future Macintosh models.

Legacy

The Macintosh 128K was succeeded by the Macintosh 512K, which offered increased memory and improved performance. The original Macintosh's influence can still be seen in modern Apple products, and it remains a celebrated piece of computing history.

See also

• Apple Inc.
• Macintosh
• Steve Jobs
• Motorola 68000
• Graphical user interface
• MacPaint
• MacWrite

Related pages

• Apple Lisa
• Macintosh 512K
• System 1
• Xerox Alto

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