25 Years of the Macintosh
So today marked 25 years since the Apple Macintosh was released to a massive uproar of applause and much thoroughfare. Not to mention the incredible George Orwell inspired advertisement which was screened only once in the middle of the super bowl of that year.
Mac lover or hater, its well regarded that the computer would not have evolved to what it is now if it was not for the placement of the most radical thing at the time in the Mac, a GUI. True that Xerox came up with the idea, but the Mac marked the first product to bring it to the general population. Much in the same way Apple has brought capacitive multi-touch to the general public. Other companies have the technology, but the iPod Touch and iPhone are two of the first to be available to the general consumer with the technology built into them.
I don't think that back then in the 80's anyone could imagine what the Macintosh would have evolved into. Perhaps even more impressive is that in 1997 people doubted whether Apple as a company itself would last until the end of the year. Now in 2009, Apple is the worlds 6th largest computer retailer. I think it'd be impossible to foresee where the Mac will be in another 10 or 25 years time. My own predictions are most likely a move away from the keyboard and mouse. I still think there will be a keyboard of sorts, perhaps not a physical one, replaced by multi touch sounds plausible. I can easily see the iMac fading from view as working in a mobile environment becomes more accessible. A pity considering the iMac was what helped re-ignite Apple.
I switched to Mac at the beginning of 2006. Never before had i seriously considered the possibility of switching to the Mac, but after having seen previews of what would become Vista, I was disappointed. I was bored. Bored of Windows, blue screens, crashes and associated problems. In honesty, it was the best thing that I ever done. The computer became interesting again. More than something you regularly wrestle with in day to day life but something which is fun and enjoyable but still productful. I apparantly caught the start of the current wave of people moving to the Mac. Since getting mine I regularly hear about my friends who are switching to the Mac, sometimes because of seeing and using my laptop, but the reasons vary greatly.
I feel part of something, a grand change in thoughts and perceptions of the Mac. Feel free to criticize the choice of a Mac over a PC. In short though, I'm happier on a Mac than i was ever on a PC.
Mac lover or hater, its well regarded that the computer would not have evolved to what it is now if it was not for the placement of the most radical thing at the time in the Mac, a GUI. True that Xerox came up with the idea, but the Mac marked the first product to bring it to the general population. Much in the same way Apple has brought capacitive multi-touch to the general public. Other companies have the technology, but the iPod Touch and iPhone are two of the first to be available to the general consumer with the technology built into them.
I don't think that back then in the 80's anyone could imagine what the Macintosh would have evolved into. Perhaps even more impressive is that in 1997 people doubted whether Apple as a company itself would last until the end of the year. Now in 2009, Apple is the worlds 6th largest computer retailer. I think it'd be impossible to foresee where the Mac will be in another 10 or 25 years time. My own predictions are most likely a move away from the keyboard and mouse. I still think there will be a keyboard of sorts, perhaps not a physical one, replaced by multi touch sounds plausible. I can easily see the iMac fading from view as working in a mobile environment becomes more accessible. A pity considering the iMac was what helped re-ignite Apple.
I switched to Mac at the beginning of 2006. Never before had i seriously considered the possibility of switching to the Mac, but after having seen previews of what would become Vista, I was disappointed. I was bored. Bored of Windows, blue screens, crashes and associated problems. In honesty, it was the best thing that I ever done. The computer became interesting again. More than something you regularly wrestle with in day to day life but something which is fun and enjoyable but still productful. I apparantly caught the start of the current wave of people moving to the Mac. Since getting mine I regularly hear about my friends who are switching to the Mac, sometimes because of seeing and using my laptop, but the reasons vary greatly.
I feel part of something, a grand change in thoughts and perceptions of the Mac. Feel free to criticize the choice of a Mac over a PC. In short though, I'm happier on a Mac than i was ever on a PC.