Macintosh 128K
Encyclopedia
The Macintosh 128K machine, released as the "Apple Macintosh", was the original Apple Macintosh
personal computer
. Its beige
case contained a 9 in (22.9 cm) monitor and came with a keyboard and mouse. An indentation in the top of the case made it easier for the computer to be lifted and carried. It had a selling price of US$
2,495. The Macintosh was introduced by the now famous US$1.5 million television commercial by Ridley Scott
, "1984", that most notably aired on CBS
during the third quarter of Super Bowl XVIII
on January 22, 1984. The sales of the Macintosh were strong from its initial release and reached 70,000 on May 3, 1984; afterwards, sales plummeted. After its successor, the Macintosh 512K
, was introduced, it was rebadged as the Macintosh 128K.
performance, which had previously required hardware costing over $10,000 US, at a price accessible to the middle class
. This narrow goal resulted in an efficient design which traded off expandability but met or exceeded the baseline performance of its competitors.
microprocessor
connected to a 128 KB
DRAM
by a 16-bit
data bus. Lack of RAM proved to be a fatal constraint to much multimedia software, and although this baseline was similar to its competitors, it could not be upgraded. A 64 KB ROM chip boosted the effective memory to 192 KB, but this is offset by the display's 22 KB framebuffer
, which is shared with the DMA
video controller.
, 9 in (22.9 cm) CRT
with a resolution of 512×342 pixel
s, establishing the desktop publishing
standard of 72 PPI
. Expansion and networking were achieved using two non-standard RS-422 DE-9 serial ports named "printer" and "modem"; they did not support hardware handshaking
. An external floppy disk
drive could be added using a proprietary connector. The keyboard and mouse used simple proprietary protocols, allowing some third-party upgrades. The keyboard had no arrow keys
, numeric keypad or function keys. This was an intentional decision by Apple, as these keys were common on older platforms and it was thought that the addition of these keys would encourage software developers to simply port
their existing applications to the Mac, rather than design new ones around the GUI paradigm. Later, Apple would make a numeric keypad available for the 128k Mac and the keyboard sold with the still later Macintosh Plus
model would include the keypad as well as arrow keys. As with the Apple Lisa
before it, the mouse had only a single button. Standard headphones could also be connected to a monaural jack. Apple also offered their 300 and 1200 bit/s modems originally released for the Apple II
line. Initially, the only printer available was the Apple ImageWriter
which was designed to produce 144dpi WYSIWYG
output from the Mac's 72dpi screen. Eventually, the LaserWriter
and other printers were capable of being connected using AppleTalk
, Apple's built-in networking system.
The Macintosh contained a 400 kB, single-sided 3.5-inch
floppy disk
drive and dedicated no space to other internal mechanical storage. The Mac OS was disk-based from the beginning, as RAM had to be conserved, but this "Startup Disk" could still be temporarily ejected. (Ejecting the root filesystem remained an unusual feature of the Classic Mac OS until System 7
.) One floppy disk was sufficient to store the System Software, an application, and the data files created with the application. Indeed, the 400 kB drive capacity was larger than the PC XT's 360 kB 5.25-inch drive. However, more sophisticated work environments of the time required separate disks for documents and the system installation. The Macintosh External Disk Drive
(mechanically identical to the internal one, piggybacking on the same controller) was a popular add-on at $495 USD. Third-party hard drives were considerably more expensive and connected to the slower serial port
(as specified by Apple), though a few manufacturers chose to use the faster non-standard floppy port. The 128K can only use the original Macintosh File System
for storage.
insisted that the Macintosh ship without a fan, a marketing (not engineering) decision that persisted until the introduction of the Macintosh SE
in 1987. This was the source of many common — and very expensive — component failures in the first four Macintosh models, so much so that Larry Pina
wrote two very successful how-to repair manuals, The Dead Mac Scrolls
and Macintosh Repair & Upgrade Secrets
. The persistent overheating, and the design of the floppy disk drive, led to the nickname "The beige toaster". This led a number of third-party manufacturers to offer very profitable, self-contained, add-on fans and combination power strips, which mounted in various configurations on the top of the Mac, drawing air up through the existing vents.
and Finder application, known to the public as "System 1.0" (actually version 0.97 in the original release, followed by 1.1). The original Macintosh saw three upgrades to both before it was discontinued. Apple recommends System 2.0 and Finder 4.2, with System 3.2 and Finder 5.3 as the maximum. System 4.0 officially dropped support for the Macintosh 128K as evidenced by its distribution on 800K floppy disks, which the 128K could not use.
The applications MacPaint
and MacWrite
were bundled with the Mac. Other programs available included MacProject
, MacTerminal
and Microsoft
's Word
. Programming languages available at the time included MacBASIC
, MacPascal, and the Macintosh 68000 Development System. The Macintosh also came with a manual and a unique guided tour cassette tape which worked together with the guided tour diskette as a tutorial for both the Macintosh itself and the bundled applications, since almost no one had ever used a mouse before, much less manipulated a graphical user interface
.
which expanded the memory from 128 KB to 512 KB, the original Macintosh was re-branded Macintosh 128K and nicknamed the 'thin Mac', and the new 512K model the 'fat Mac'. While functionally the same, as closed systems, the Macintosh and Macintosh 128K were technically two different computers, with the re-badged 128K containing a completely redesigned logicboard to easily accommodate both 128 K and 512 K RAM configurations during manufacture. Though the RAM was still permanently soldered to the logicboard, the new design allowed for easier, though unsanctioned, third-party upgrades to 512 K than the previous model had. In addition, most of the newer models contained the 1984 revision B of the ROM to accommodate changes in the 400 K floppy disk drive.
The increased RAM was vitally important for the Macintosh as it finally allowed for more powerful software applications such as the popular program Microsoft Multiplan
. However, Apple continued to market the 128K for over a year as an entry-level computer, to the mid-level 512K and high end Lisa
(and claiming it could be easily expanded should the user ever need more RAM).
, and to a lesser extent the Macintosh 512K
, are compatible with much later software, the 128K is limited to specially crafted programs. A stock Mac 128K with the original 64K ROM cannot use Apple's external 800K drive with HFS, nor Apple's HD20 hard drive. A Mac 128K that has been upgraded with the newer 128K ROM (A Macintosh 128Ke) can use internal and external 800K drives with HFS, as well as the HD20. Both can print on an AppleShare network, but neither can do file sharing because of their limited RAM.
, for the price of $995. Additionally, Apple offered an 800 K floppy disk drive kit, including updated 128K ROM
s. Finally, a Mac 128K could be upgraded to a Macintosh Plus
by swapping the logicboard as well as the case back (to accommodate the slightly different port configuration) and optionally adding the Macintosh Plus
extended keyboard. Any of the kits could be purchased alone or together at any time, to upgrade the Macintosh 128K piecemeal or all-at-once. All upgrades were required to be performed by professional Apple technicians.
, Steve Balog, Bob Belleville, Mike Boich, Bill Bull, Matt Carter, Berry Cash, Debbie Coleman, George Crow
, Donn Denman, Christopher Espinosa, Bill Fernandez
, Martin Haeberli, Andy Hertzfeld
, Joanna Hoffman
, Rod Holt, Bruce Horn
, Hap Horn, Brian Howard, Steven Jobs
, Larry Kenyon, Patti King, Daniel Kottke
, Angeline Lo, Ivan Mach, Gerald Manock, Mary Ellen McCammon, Vicki Milledge, Mike Murray, Ron Nicholson Jr, Terry Oyama, Benjamin Pang, Jef Raskin
, Brian Robertson, Dave Roots, Patricia Sharp, Burrell Smith
, Bryan Stearns, Lynn Takahashi, Randy Wigginton
, Linda Wilkin, Woz
, Pamela Wyman, Laszlo Zidek, and two others.
Macintosh
The Macintosh , or Mac, is a series of several lines of personal computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. The first Macintosh was introduced by Apple's then-chairman Steve Jobs on January 24, 1984; it was the first commercially successful personal computer to feature a mouse and a...
personal computer
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
. Its beige
Beige
Beige may be described as an off tan color or an extremely pale brown color.The term originates from beige cloth, a cotton fabric left undyed in its natural color...
case contained a 9 in (22.9 cm) monitor and came with a keyboard and mouse. An indentation in the top of the case made it easier for the computer to be lifted and carried. It had a selling price of US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
2,495. The Macintosh was introduced by the now famous US$1.5 million television commercial by Ridley Scott
Ridley Scott
Sir Ridley Scott is an English film director and producer. His most famous films include The Duellists , Alien , Blade Runner , Legend , Thelma & Louise , G. I...
, "1984", that most notably aired on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
during the third quarter of Super Bowl XVIII
Super Bowl XVIII
Super Bowl XVIII was an American football game played on January 22, 1984, at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida, deciding the National Football League champion following the 1983 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Los Angeles Raiders defeated the National Football Conference...
on January 22, 1984. The sales of the Macintosh were strong from its initial release and reached 70,000 on May 3, 1984; afterwards, sales plummeted. After its successor, the Macintosh 512K
Macintosh 512K
The Macintosh 512K Personal Computer, also known as the "Fat Mac", is the second of a long line of Apple Macintosh computers, was the first update to the original Macintosh 128K. It was virtually identical to the previous Mac, differing primarily in the amount of built-in memory , which quadrupled...
, was introduced, it was rebadged as the Macintosh 128K.
Features
The Macintosh was designed to achieve adequate graphicsComputer graphics
Computer graphics are graphics created using computers and, more generally, the representation and manipulation of image data by a computer with help from specialized software and hardware....
performance, which had previously required hardware costing over $10,000 US, at a price accessible to the middle class
Middle class
The middle class is any class of people in the middle of a societal hierarchy. In Weberian socio-economic terms, the middle class is the broad group of people in contemporary society who fall socio-economically between the working class and upper class....
. This narrow goal resulted in an efficient design which traded off expandability but met or exceeded the baseline performance of its competitors.
Processor and memory
The centerpiece of the machine was an 8 MHz Motorola 68000Motorola 68000
The Motorola 68000 is a 16/32-bit CISC microprocessor core designed and marketed by Freescale Semiconductor...
microprocessor
Microprocessor
A microprocessor incorporates the functions of a computer's central processing unit on a single integrated circuit, or at most a few integrated circuits. It is a multipurpose, programmable device that accepts digital data as input, processes it according to instructions stored in its memory, and...
connected to a 128 KB
Kilobyte
The kilobyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information. Although the prefix kilo- means 1000, the term kilobyte and symbol KB have historically been used to refer to either 1024 bytes or 1000 bytes, dependent upon context, in the fields of computer science and information...
DRAM
Dram
Dram or DRAM may refer to:As a unit of measure:* Dram , an imperial unit of mass and volume* Armenian dram, a monetary unit* Dirham, a unit of currency in several Arab nationsOther uses:...
by a 16-bit
16-bit
-16-bit architecture:The HP BPC, introduced in 1975, was the world's first 16-bit microprocessor. Prominent 16-bit processors include the PDP-11, Intel 8086, Intel 80286 and the WDC 65C816. The Intel 8088 was program-compatible with the Intel 8086, and was 16-bit in that its registers were 16...
data bus. Lack of RAM proved to be a fatal constraint to much multimedia software, and although this baseline was similar to its competitors, it could not be upgraded. A 64 KB ROM chip boosted the effective memory to 192 KB, but this is offset by the display's 22 KB framebuffer
Framebuffer
A framebuffer is a video output device that drives a video display from a memory buffer containing a complete frame of data.The information in the memory buffer typically consists of color values for every pixel on the screen...
, which is shared with the DMA
Direct memory access
Direct memory access is a feature of modern computers that allows certain hardware subsystems within the computer to access system memory independently of the central processing unit ....
video controller.
Peripherals
The built-in display was a one-bit black-and-whiteBlack-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
, 9 in (22.9 cm) CRT
Cathode ray tube
The cathode ray tube is a vacuum tube containing an electron gun and a fluorescent screen used to view images. It has a means to accelerate and deflect the electron beam onto the fluorescent screen to create the images. The image may represent electrical waveforms , pictures , radar targets and...
with a resolution of 512×342 pixel
Pixel
In digital imaging, a pixel, or pel, is a single point in a raster image, or the smallest addressable screen element in a display device; it is the smallest unit of picture that can be represented or controlled....
s, establishing the desktop publishing
Desktop publishing
Desktop publishing is the creation of documents using page layout software on a personal computer.The term has been used for publishing at all levels, from small-circulation documents such as local newsletters to books, magazines and newspapers...
standard of 72 PPI
Pixels per inch
Pixels per inch or pixel density is a measurement of the resolution of devices in various contexts; typically computer displays, image scanners, and digital camera image sensors....
. Expansion and networking were achieved using two non-standard RS-422 DE-9 serial ports named "printer" and "modem"; they did not support hardware handshaking
Handshaking
In information technology, telecommunications, and related fields, handshaking is an automated process of negotiation that dynamically sets parameters of a communications channel established between two entities before normal communication over the channel begins...
. An external floppy disk
Floppy disk
A floppy disk is a disk storage medium composed of a disk of thin and flexible magnetic storage medium, sealed in a rectangular plastic carrier lined with fabric that removes dust particles...
drive could be added using a proprietary connector. The keyboard and mouse used simple proprietary protocols, allowing some third-party upgrades. The keyboard had no arrow keys
Arrow keys
Cursor movement keys or arrow keys are buttons on a computer keyboard that are either programmed or designated to move the cursor in a specified direction....
, numeric keypad or function keys. This was an intentional decision by Apple, as these keys were common on older platforms and it was thought that the addition of these keys would encourage software developers to simply port
Computer port (hardware)
In computer hardware, a port serves as an interface between the computer and other computers or peripheral devices. Physically, a port is a specialized outlet on a piece of equipment to which a plug or cable connects...
their existing applications to the Mac, rather than design new ones around the GUI paradigm. Later, Apple would make a numeric keypad available for the 128k Mac and the keyboard sold with the still later Macintosh Plus
Macintosh Plus
The Macintosh Plus computer was the third model in the Macintosh line, introduced on January 16, 1986, two years after the original Macintosh and a little more than a year after the Macintosh 512K, with a price tag of US$2599...
model would include the keypad as well as arrow keys. As with the Apple Lisa
Apple Lisa
The Apple Lisa—also known as the Lisa—is a :personal computer designed by Apple Computer, Inc. during the early 1980s....
before it, the mouse had only a single button. Standard headphones could also be connected to a monaural jack. Apple also offered their 300 and 1200 bit/s modems originally released for the Apple II
Apple II
The Apple II is an 8-bit home computer, one of the first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products, designed primarily by Steve Wozniak, manufactured by Apple Computer and introduced in 1977...
line. Initially, the only printer available was the Apple ImageWriter
ImageWriter
The ImageWriter was a product line of dot matrix printers manufactured by Apple Computer's and designed to be compatible with their entire line of computers...
which was designed to produce 144dpi WYSIWYG
WYSIWYG
WYSIWYG is an acronym for What You See Is What You Get. The term is used in computing to describe a system in which content displayed onscreen during editing appears in a form closely corresponding to its appearance when printed or displayed as a finished product...
output from the Mac's 72dpi screen. Eventually, the LaserWriter
LaserWriter
The LaserWriter was a laser printer with built-in PostScript interpreter introduced by Apple in 1985. It was one of the first laser printers available to the mass market...
and other printers were capable of being connected using AppleTalk
AppleTalk
AppleTalk is a proprietary suite of protocols developed by Apple Inc. for networking computers. It was included in the original Macintosh released in 1984, but is now unsupported as of the release of Mac OS X v10.6 in 2009 in favor of TCP/IP networking...
, Apple's built-in networking system.
Storage
The Macintosh contained a 400 kB, single-sided 3.5-inch
Inch
An inch is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including Imperial units, and United States customary units. There are 36 inches in a yard and 12 inches in a foot...
floppy disk
Floppy disk
A floppy disk is a disk storage medium composed of a disk of thin and flexible magnetic storage medium, sealed in a rectangular plastic carrier lined with fabric that removes dust particles...
drive and dedicated no space to other internal mechanical storage. The Mac OS was disk-based from the beginning, as RAM had to be conserved, but this "Startup Disk" could still be temporarily ejected. (Ejecting the root filesystem remained an unusual feature of the Classic Mac OS until System 7
System 7
System 7 is the name of a Macintosh operating system introduced in 1991.System 7 may also refer to:* System 7 , a British dance/ambient band* System 7 , 1991 album* IBM System/7, a 1970s computer system...
.) One floppy disk was sufficient to store the System Software, an application, and the data files created with the application. Indeed, the 400 kB drive capacity was larger than the PC XT's 360 kB 5.25-inch drive. However, more sophisticated work environments of the time required separate disks for documents and the system installation. The Macintosh External Disk Drive
Macintosh External Disk Drive
The Macintosh External Disk Drive was the original of a series of external 3.5" floppy disk drives manufactured and sold by Apple Computer exclusively for the Macintosh series of computers introduced in January, 1984. Later, Apple would unify their external drives to work cross-platform between the...
(mechanically identical to the internal one, piggybacking on the same controller) was a popular add-on at $495 USD. Third-party hard drives were considerably more expensive and connected to the slower serial port
Serial port
In computing, a serial port is a serial communication physical interface through which information transfers in or out one bit at a time...
(as specified by Apple), though a few manufacturers chose to use the faster non-standard floppy port. The 128K can only use the original Macintosh File System
Macintosh File System
Macintosh File System is a volume format created by Apple Computer for storing files on 400K floppy disks. MFS was introduced with the Macintosh 128K in January 1984....
for storage.
Cooling
The unit did not include a fan, but instead relied on convection cooling, which made it quiet while in operation. Steve JobsSteve Jobs
Steven Paul Jobs was an American businessman and inventor widely recognized as a charismatic pioneer of the personal computer revolution. He was co-founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of Apple Inc...
insisted that the Macintosh ship without a fan, a marketing (not engineering) decision that persisted until the introduction of the Macintosh SE
Macintosh SE
The Macintosh SE was a personal computer manufactured by Apple between March 1987 and October 1990. This computer marked a significant improvement on the Macintosh Plus design and was introduced by Apple at the same time as the Macintosh II....
in 1987. This was the source of many common — and very expensive — component failures in the first four Macintosh models, so much so that Larry Pina
Larry Pina
Larry Pina is an author of five do-it-yourself repair manuals for Apple Macintosh computers and peripherals. According to several of the books, Pina was living in Westport, Massachusetts when they were published, but he seems to have disappeared of late.- Books :*Macintosh Repair & Upgrade Secrets...
wrote two very successful how-to repair manuals, The Dead Mac Scrolls
The Dead Mac Scrolls
The Dead Mac Scrolls is a 484 page do-it-yourself guide to repairing Apple Macintosh personal computer hardware problems in the most cost-effective way. Written by Larry Pina, the book was amongst other titles written by Pina for repairing Macintoshes. The book is out of print, and was first...
and Macintosh Repair & Upgrade Secrets
Macintosh Repair & Upgrade Secrets
Macintosh Repair & Upgrade Secrets is a hardback book for repairing and upgrading Apple Macintosh personal computers from the Macintosh 128K to Macintosh SE models. The book was written by Larry Pina and is out of print. It was first published in 1990 by Hayden Books, with ISBN 0672484528....
. The persistent overheating, and the design of the floppy disk drive, led to the nickname "The beige toaster". This led a number of third-party manufacturers to offer very profitable, self-contained, add-on fans and combination power strips, which mounted in various configurations on the top of the Mac, drawing air up through the existing vents.
Software
The Macintosh shipped with the very first SystemMac OS history
On January 24, 1984, Apple Computer Inc. introduced the Macintosh personal computer, with the Macintosh 128K model, which came bundled with what was later renamed the Mac OS, but then known simply as the System Software....
and Finder application, known to the public as "System 1.0" (actually version 0.97 in the original release, followed by 1.1). The original Macintosh saw three upgrades to both before it was discontinued. Apple recommends System 2.0 and Finder 4.2, with System 3.2 and Finder 5.3 as the maximum. System 4.0 officially dropped support for the Macintosh 128K as evidenced by its distribution on 800K floppy disks, which the 128K could not use.
The applications MacPaint
MacPaint
MacPaint was a bitmap-based graphics painting software program developed by Apple Computer and released with the original Macintosh personal computer on January 22, 1984. It was sold separately for US$195 with its word processor counterpart, MacWrite. MacPaint was notable because it could generate...
and MacWrite
MacWrite
MacWrite was a word processor application released along with the first Apple Macintosh systems in 1984. It was the first such program that was widely available to the public to offer WYSIWYG operation, with multiple fonts and styles...
were bundled with the Mac. Other programs available included MacProject
MacProject
MacProject was a project management and scheduling business application released along with the first Apple Macintosh systems in 1984. MacProject was one of the first major business tools for the Macintosh which enabled users to calculate the "critical path" to completion and estimate costs in...
, MacTerminal
MacTerminal
MacTerminal was the first telecommunications and terminal emulation application software program available for Mac OS. MacTerminal enabled users to connect via modem or serial port to bulletin board systems and online services , and to other computers...
and Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
's Word
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word is a word processor designed by Microsoft. It was first released in 1983 under the name Multi-Tool Word for Xenix systems. Subsequent versions were later written for several other platforms including IBM PCs running DOS , the Apple Macintosh , the AT&T Unix PC , Atari ST , SCO UNIX,...
. Programming languages available at the time included MacBASIC
MacBASIC
MacBASIC was developed by Donn Denmann, with help from Marianne Hsiung,Larry Kenyon, and Bryan Stearns, all of Apple as part of the original Macintosh development effort starting in 1982....
, MacPascal, and the Macintosh 68000 Development System. The Macintosh also came with a manual and a unique guided tour cassette tape which worked together with the guided tour diskette as a tutorial for both the Macintosh itself and the bundled applications, since almost no one had ever used a mouse before, much less manipulated a graphical user interface
Graphical user interface
In computing, a graphical user interface is a type of user interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices with images rather than text commands. GUIs can be used in computers, hand-held devices such as MP3 players, portable media players or gaming devices, household appliances and...
.
Models
It was released in 1984 as simply the Apple Macintosh. Following the release of the Macintosh 512KMacintosh 512K
The Macintosh 512K Personal Computer, also known as the "Fat Mac", is the second of a long line of Apple Macintosh computers, was the first update to the original Macintosh 128K. It was virtually identical to the previous Mac, differing primarily in the amount of built-in memory , which quadrupled...
which expanded the memory from 128 KB to 512 KB, the original Macintosh was re-branded Macintosh 128K and nicknamed the 'thin Mac', and the new 512K model the 'fat Mac'. While functionally the same, as closed systems, the Macintosh and Macintosh 128K were technically two different computers, with the re-badged 128K containing a completely redesigned logicboard to easily accommodate both 128 K and 512 K RAM configurations during manufacture. Though the RAM was still permanently soldered to the logicboard, the new design allowed for easier, though unsanctioned, third-party upgrades to 512 K than the previous model had. In addition, most of the newer models contained the 1984 revision B of the ROM to accommodate changes in the 400 K floppy disk drive.
The increased RAM was vitally important for the Macintosh as it finally allowed for more powerful software applications such as the popular program Microsoft Multiplan
MultiPlan
Multiplan was an early spreadsheet program developed by Microsoft. Known initially by the code name "EP" , it was introduced in 1982 as a competitor for VisiCalc....
. However, Apple continued to market the 128K for over a year as an entry-level computer, to the mid-level 512K and high end Lisa
Apple Lisa
The Apple Lisa—also known as the Lisa—is a :personal computer designed by Apple Computer, Inc. during the early 1980s....
(and claiming it could be easily expanded should the user ever need more RAM).
Expansion
The Macintosh 128K was not upgradable: there was no provision for adding internal storage, more RAM capacity or an upgrade card. Improving on the hard-wired RAM thus required a motherboard replacement (which was priced similarly to a new computer), or a third-party chip replacement upgrade, which was not only expensive but would void Apple's warranty. The difficulty of fitting software into its free memory, coupled with the new interface and event driven programming model, discouraged software vendors from supporting it, leaving the 128K with a relatively small software library. Whereas the Macintosh PlusMacintosh Plus
The Macintosh Plus computer was the third model in the Macintosh line, introduced on January 16, 1986, two years after the original Macintosh and a little more than a year after the Macintosh 512K, with a price tag of US$2599...
, and to a lesser extent the Macintosh 512K
Macintosh 512K
The Macintosh 512K Personal Computer, also known as the "Fat Mac", is the second of a long line of Apple Macintosh computers, was the first update to the original Macintosh 128K. It was virtually identical to the previous Mac, differing primarily in the amount of built-in memory , which quadrupled...
, are compatible with much later software, the 128K is limited to specially crafted programs. A stock Mac 128K with the original 64K ROM cannot use Apple's external 800K drive with HFS, nor Apple's HD20 hard drive. A Mac 128K that has been upgraded with the newer 128K ROM (A Macintosh 128Ke) can use internal and external 800K drives with HFS, as well as the HD20. Both can print on an AppleShare network, but neither can do file sharing because of their limited RAM.
OEM upgrades
Apple did provide an expensive "official" upgrade path for the Macintosh 128K, which included a motherboard replacement effectively making it a Macintosh 512KMacintosh 512K
The Macintosh 512K Personal Computer, also known as the "Fat Mac", is the second of a long line of Apple Macintosh computers, was the first update to the original Macintosh 128K. It was virtually identical to the previous Mac, differing primarily in the amount of built-in memory , which quadrupled...
, for the price of $995. Additionally, Apple offered an 800 K floppy disk drive kit, including updated 128K ROM
Old World ROM
Old World ROM Macintosh computers are the Macintosh models that use a Macintosh Toolbox ROM chip, usually in a socket . All Macs prior to the iMac use Old World ROM, while the iMac and all subsequent models until the introduction of the Intel-based EFI Models are New World ROM machines...
s. Finally, a Mac 128K could be upgraded to a Macintosh Plus
Macintosh Plus
The Macintosh Plus computer was the third model in the Macintosh line, introduced on January 16, 1986, two years after the original Macintosh and a little more than a year after the Macintosh 512K, with a price tag of US$2599...
by swapping the logicboard as well as the case back (to accommodate the slightly different port configuration) and optionally adding the Macintosh Plus
Macintosh Plus
The Macintosh Plus computer was the third model in the Macintosh line, introduced on January 16, 1986, two years after the original Macintosh and a little more than a year after the Macintosh 512K, with a price tag of US$2599...
extended keyboard. Any of the kits could be purchased alone or together at any time, to upgrade the Macintosh 128K piecemeal or all-at-once. All upgrades were required to be performed by professional Apple technicians.
Credits
The original Macintosh was unusual in that it included the signatures of the Macintosh Division as of early 1982 molded on the inside of the case. The names were Peggy Aleixo, Colette Askeland, Bill AtkinsonBill Atkinson
Bill Atkinson is an American computer engineer and photographer. Atkinson worked at Apple Computer from 1978 to 1990. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of California, San Diego, where Apple Macintosh developer Jef Raskin was one of his professors...
, Steve Balog, Bob Belleville, Mike Boich, Bill Bull, Matt Carter, Berry Cash, Debbie Coleman, George Crow
George Crow
George L. Crow Jr. was a member of the original Apple Macintosh team in 1984 at Apple Computer. Crow left Apple in 1985 to become a co-founder of Steve Jobs' NeXT. Prior to working at Apple, Crow worked at HP; after leaving NeXT he worked for SuperMac and then Truevision...
, Donn Denman, Christopher Espinosa, Bill Fernandez
Bill Fernandez
Bill Fernandez is a user interface architect who was Apple Computer's first employee when they incorporated in 1977. He was assigned employee number 4. He worked on both the Apple I and Apple II personal computers, and in the 1980s was a member of the Apple Macintosh development team...
, Martin Haeberli, Andy Hertzfeld
Andy Hertzfeld
Andy Hertzfeld is a computer scientist who was a member of the original Apple Macintosh development team during the 1980s. After buying an Apple II in January 1978, he went to work for Apple Computer from August 1979 until March 1984, where he was a designer for the Macintosh system software...
, Joanna Hoffman
Joanna Hoffman
Joanna Hoffman was the fifth person hired by Jef Raskin to be part of the original Apple Macintosh developer team. She acted as the team's only marketing person for more than a year; among her contributions was writing the first draft of the Macintosh User Interface Guidelines.Before joining...
, Rod Holt, Bruce Horn
Bruce Horn
Bruce Lawrence Horn was a programmer with Apple Computer and the creator of the Macintosh Finder and the Macintosh Resource Manager. His signature is amongst those molded to the case of the Macintosh 128K....
, Hap Horn, Brian Howard, Steven Jobs
Steve Jobs
Steven Paul Jobs was an American businessman and inventor widely recognized as a charismatic pioneer of the personal computer revolution. He was co-founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of Apple Inc...
, Larry Kenyon, Patti King, Daniel Kottke
Daniel Kottke
Daniel Kottke is a U.S. computer engineer and one of the earliest employees of Apple Inc. His official employee number was 12, having been assigned a few months after he originally started working. He assembled and tested the first Apple I computers with its computer designer and Apple co-founder...
, Angeline Lo, Ivan Mach, Gerald Manock, Mary Ellen McCammon, Vicki Milledge, Mike Murray, Ron Nicholson Jr, Terry Oyama, Benjamin Pang, Jef Raskin
Jef Raskin
Jef Raskin was an American human-computer interface expert best known for starting the Macintosh project for Apple in the late 1970s.-Early years and education:...
, Brian Robertson, Dave Roots, Patricia Sharp, Burrell Smith
Burrell Smith
Burrell Carver Smith is an American engineer who, while working at Apple Computer, designed the motherboard for the original Macintosh. He was Apple employee #282, and was hired in February, 1979, initially as an Apple II service technician...
, Bryan Stearns, Lynn Takahashi, Randy Wigginton
Randy Wigginton
Randy Wigginton was one of Apple Computer's first employees , creator of MacWrite, Full Impact, and numerous other Mac applications. He used to work in development at eBay, Quigo, Inc and Move.com. In Nov 2010 he left his position as a "Site Reliability Engineer" at Google Inc., purportedly after...
, Linda Wilkin, Woz
Steve Wozniak
Stephen Gary "Woz" Wozniak is an American computer engineer and programmer who founded Apple Computer, Co. with Steve Jobs and Ronald Wayne...
, Pamela Wyman, Laszlo Zidek, and two others.
See also
- Mini vMac Macintosh Plus emulator
- Technical information on the Mac 128K
- 1984 (television commercial)1984 (television commercial)"1984" is an American television commercial which introduced the Apple Macintosh personal computer for the first time. It was conceived by Steve Hayden, Brent Thomas and Lee Clow at Chiat/Day, Venice, produced by New York production company Fairbanks Films, and directed by Ridley Scott. Anya Major...
External links
- Full Macintosh 128K specifications, Apple Computer
- Macintosh 128K profile, Low End Mac.
- Mac 128K Information page at Mac512.com
- Original Review of the Macintosh by Lawrence J. Magid (January 29, 1984)
- Mac Essentials, Lost 1984 Videos
- The Vintage Mac Museum: Mac 128k Slideshows
- Apple Macintosh before System 7 Macintosh 128K Hardware
- Tips For the 128K Support For 128K Diehard Users
- The M0001 Registry Owners of Vintage Macintosh