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The Evolution Of Apple

The Evolution of Apple - January 1976 to May 1995

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 screen editing for $1,195. Apple II
Pascal is also released.

In 1980 Apple FORTRAN introduced and proves to be a catalyst for high-
level...