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Watch as Kids React to Apple's First Desktop Computer
Yahoo ^ | May 27, 2014 | Ralphie Aversa

Posted on 05/29/2014 6:45:54 AM PDT by C19fan

A new video that shows kids reacting to old technology is stirring up memories of clunky monitors and large floppy disks. The Apple II, which was released in 1977, was the pioneer of desktop computers. The 8-bit Apple computer featured a green and black screen and a floppy disk drive for 3.5-by-5-inch media.

Relative to today's technology, describing the Apple II as simply obsolete or primitive does not do the situation justice. When the computers first hit the marketplace, Apple sold them for about $1,300. Adjusted for inflation, that translates to $5,000 in today's world, and that amount of money would buy you a device with about 32 gigabytes of RAM, or over 67 million times what the Apple II first offered.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Computers/Internet; History
KEYWORDS: apple; computers
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I had friends whose family bought Apple II's when it came out. What a marvel that machine was at the time especially some decent games like the original Castle Wolfenstein. The floppy disk was a big improvement over cassette tapes used by PET computers at school.
1 posted on 05/29/2014 6:45:54 AM PDT by C19fan
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To: C19fan

Technology has come a long way since then, hasn’t it?

Who could have conceived of cellular phones with internet access in those days? Who would have conceived of the internet itself?


2 posted on 05/29/2014 6:48:31 AM PDT by Dilbert San Diego (et)
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To: C19fan

This whole thing seemed kind of bogus.

They were trying to talk to it. Serious? I mean I rarely see anyone ever try talking to SIRI or computers in 2014.


3 posted on 05/29/2014 6:49:06 AM PDT by MNDude
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To: C19fan

My first Apple was an Apple 2e. When the first Macs came along I had transitioned to PCs but now I have an iMac and a MacbookPro and I love them. I also have a PC because I have software that I have to run that is not supported by Apple. I know I can split my Apple. I tried that but its just easier to have two computers on my desk. Besides, it looks cool.


4 posted on 05/29/2014 6:51:24 AM PDT by Mercat
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To: C19fan

We had one in the office where I worked in about 1982? It was kept in a locked office, and we all (about 30 in the office) had to sign up for times to use it. LOTUS 1-2-3.


5 posted on 05/29/2014 6:52:12 AM PDT by NEMDF
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To: C19fan

That was us. We had the Apple II Plus and it was awesome. Still fondly remember a lot of the games (like Castle Wolfenstein and Ultima). I learned basic programming on that thing.


6 posted on 05/29/2014 6:52:45 AM PDT by pgyanke (Republicans get in trouble when not living up to their principles. Democrats... when they do.)
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To: C19fan
floppy disk drive for 3.5-by-5-inch media

Did Apple really use asymmetrical floppy disks?

7 posted on 05/29/2014 6:53:22 AM PDT by MortMan (Avoid temporary variables and strange women.)
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To: NEMDF

Lotus 123 came out in 1983. We had to start on Visicalc.


8 posted on 05/29/2014 6:56:00 AM PDT by LivingNet
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To: Mercat

I work on a MacBook Pro but need Windows for connecting to home office servers. I use bootcamp through Parallels and run both operating systems at the same time. I have a big screen TV on my wall and simply plug in when I get to the office (through an app, I can also go dual screen on my iPad).

I put Windows on the second screen and use Apple stuff on everything I can. My set up looks pretty impressive, too. ;)


9 posted on 05/29/2014 6:56:30 AM PDT by pgyanke (Republicans get in trouble when not living up to their principles. Democrats... when they do.)
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To: C19fan

My first computer was an Apple IIc. Amazing product at the time.


10 posted on 05/29/2014 6:59:55 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer (The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.)
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To: Dilbert San Diego
my first was the MAC SE (1987) then the MAC Classi (1990)... i cannot believe i did layout editing for newspapers, magazines and newsletters on that thing... the screen was so small!

then around 1990-91 we brought in MS Windows! and wow--GUI! (gooey) :)

11 posted on 05/29/2014 7:00:02 AM PDT by latina4dubya (when i have money i buy books... if i have anything left, i buy 6-inch heels and a bottle of wine...)
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To: pgyanke

My server can be easily accessed by all my puters.


12 posted on 05/29/2014 7:03:57 AM PDT by Mercat
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To: MortMan

I remember seeing an Apple II demonstration running at a expo in the 70s.Drooled but couldn’t afford one.Probably should have been 3.5 and 5.25 inch floppy disks;and each required a different drive unit. I still have a lot of legacy hardware stored.Apple,Atari,Commodore,Amiga,Tandy,IBM and PC clones each had their good and bad features.
IBM type became standard because of business managers.

There was a Mac SE30 still used only by authorized personnel in my work as late as late 1995.

Apple was easier to use IF there was(is) a program available for your needs.But more costly . Many of 8 bit machines were good to learn Basic and ML .

Today’s smartphone has more power than mainframes of the 1970s!


13 posted on 05/29/2014 7:08:47 AM PDT by hoosierham (Freedom isn't free)
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To: C19fan
A working Apple II is worth a lot of money, as in >$50,000.

I have a friend that buys broken ones and restores them. It's almost entirely discrete logic chips, so if you can identify the malfunctioning chip with a logic analyzer, it can be replaced. Broken circuit boards are a bit harder to repair.

14 posted on 05/29/2014 7:10:26 AM PDT by justlurking (tagline removed, as demanded by Admin Moderator)
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To: C19fan

Would be funny if the kids weren’t so dang annoying!!


15 posted on 05/29/2014 7:11:34 AM PDT by KosmicKitty (WARNING: Hormonally crazed woman ahead!!)
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To: pgyanke
I use bootcamp through Parallels and run both operating systems at the same time.

I use Virtual Box. I run a Windows 8 VM for one application that I need.

16 posted on 05/29/2014 7:12:01 AM PDT by justlurking (tagline removed, as demanded by Admin Moderator)
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To: Dilbert San Diego; Larry Lucido; F15Eagle

Who could have conceived of cellular phones with internet access in those days? Who would have conceived of the internet itself?
__________________________________________

NINA: And they call it the World Wide Web. You can e-mail anyone!

JERRY: (Mesmerized) What are you, a scientist?!


17 posted on 05/29/2014 7:21:01 AM PDT by Gamecock (#BringTheAdultsBackToDC)
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To: Mercat

Financial Services industry... gotta be Windows still.


18 posted on 05/29/2014 7:25:01 AM PDT by pgyanke (Republicans get in trouble when not living up to their principles. Democrats... when they do.)
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To: C19fan

Curiously enough the Amiga was available at the same time, and it actually had a preemptive operating system that Microsoft and Apple to this day, envies.


19 posted on 05/29/2014 7:25:49 AM PDT by RideForever
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To: justlurking

Yeah... when I set it up, I needed to be able to run Windows natively. Hence, bootcamp. At the time, I was told that virtualization wouldn’t fly. When I set up Parallels, I just have it view the bootcamp drive.


20 posted on 05/29/2014 7:27:29 AM PDT by pgyanke (Republicans get in trouble when not living up to their principles. Democrats... when they do.)
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