The Macintosh was the first commercially successful personal computer to use a graphical user interface. The WIMPS system (Windows, Icons, Mouse and Pull-down menus) was originally developed at Xerox's PARC laboratory. Steve Jobs, at the urging of the Mac development team, saw the interfaces that were being developed at PARC and was convinced that the GUI (Graphical User Interface) with mouse was the way of the future. Apple went on to develop the Lisa which employed this user friendly interface. The Lisa's marketability was impaired by its high retail cost and was not a commercial success.

The Apple Macintosh was released in 1984. the initial success of the "Mac" was thwarted by the distinct lack of software with the appropriate platform format (the Macintosh operating system). The Mac came with Mac write / Mac paint etc. Within a year Microsoft and other software manufacturers had tailored applications for the Mac significantly contributing to its sales there after.

The Mac was used by writers, designers, publishers and was very popular among academics and students. it was used by people who did not particularly want to get involved with the intricacies of their computer systems. The Macintosh and the laser printer were the technologies that helped engender the desk top publishing revolution of the second half of the 1980s.

The Macintosh computer became something of an icon to people in the creative (media) industries. it is often associated with the Californian yuppie culture. It has also been regarded as a toy by the more traditional PC user. It is still common for Macintosh and IBM style PC users to argue over which system is better with neither side being particularly prepared to hear the others case. The debate is now considered to be a 'religious' matter.

Whatever the initial derision over the use of icons and mouses, the graphical user interface has now become a feature of most computer systems since.

Campbell Bickerstaff

The design of the Macintosh, both hardware and software, was tailored toward user friendliness and was targeting a large market of people who might use a word processor but who did not see themselves as computer users. The marketing of Mac included lots of references to "computers for the rest of us", and the notion that they enhanced the creative process not just calculation and data handling in expressions like "skis for the mind".

The casing was designed as single portable unit with simple connectors for keyboard, mouse and printer. The design was softer and more stylised than other PCs. The Mac was very simple to unpack, connect, turn on and use.

The Macintosh operating system was a graphical user interface or GUI, incorporating Windows, Icons, Mouse and Pull-down menus or WIMPs. The Mac was the first commercially successful PC to do so.

While it was often referred to as toy by traditional computer users it developed a very large following of new computer users, particularly among writer, designers, publishers.

All components for the 512 are designed by Apple Computer Corp.


Example of 2nd generation Macintosh machine with first use of small hard disks. Influenced computer interface design.

The components are manufactured in the USA (512, mouse, keyboard) and Japan (ext. disk drive, printer)

1985 to 1986 when it was superseded by the Mac 512 with a 800 KB floppy disk drive.

The Mac was used primarily by writers, designer, desktop publishers and was very popular amongst academics and students. It was used by people who did not particularly want to get involved with the intricacies of their computer system.

This Macintosh 512 was used by the donor in Sydney, Australia.
These machines were relatively expensive costing AUS. $4,000 in 1985. Apple set up special arrangements for universities in order to dominate the education market. Universities could become a part of a cooperative if they set up a shop, a Macintosh classroom, and a user group. The University and its students then got a very significant discount (approximately 33%). The education price became the benchmark for the price of second hand Macs.

This Macintosh 512 was owned by Jack Cribb of Sydney, Australia.

Computer/ Printing Equipment/ Computer Hardware (3) / Cables (4), Apple Macintosh 512 / Apple "Image Writer" printer / Apple QWERTY keyboard + Apple mouse & external disk drive unit / 2 X power cables + printer and keyboard connection cables, designed and manufactured in USA (except: printer & ext. disk drive mechanisms manufactured in Japan), 1985.

Computer: the Macintosh 512 computer is a beige colored plastic desktop unit that houses a monochrome monitor with glass screen, a 3.5" disk drive mechanism and contains the central processing unit & memory circuits of the 512. At the rear of the unit are connections for the mouse, a printer port, modem, sound output and external disk drive interface. There is a small clip on hatch that reveals a space for a 4.5 volt. DC current cell at the rear.

Printer: the Apple "ImageWriter" dot matrix printer has components of clear and beige plastic. The top has a clear plastic hinged panel. A switch to release roller, a power switch, feed switches and indicator lights. It houses an electro mechanical printing mechanism and uses tractor fed continuous concertina form paper. There is an Apple logo on the front.

Keyboard: the Apple keyboard is beige colored plastic and houses a QWERTY alpha-numeric keyboard in dark beige plastic. There are two sockets at the back and four short feet on the base.

Mouse: the Apple mouse is of beige plastic, it has one button on the top and a free ranging roller ball in its base. There is a solid wired cable that exits from the rear of the unit, is approximately 700mm long and finishes in a 9 pin D plug for connection to the 512 computer.

Disk drive: the external disk drive is a compact squarish beige plastic unit that houses a 3.5 inch disk drive mechanism with a slot in the front for disk. There is a solid wired cable at the rear of the unit that connects to the 512 computer.

Cables: One domestic power plug to Macintosh 512 made of grey plastic. One domestic power plug to ImageWriter printer made of grey plastic. One connection cable for the keyboard to 512 (a coil form flat telephone type cable) and one connection cable for printer to 512 (with 9 pin D plug to 25 pin D plug).

Designed: Apple Computer Incorporated; United States of America; 1985 - 1986

Made: Apple Computer Incorporated; United States of America; 1985 - 1986

Made: Apple Computer Incorporated; Japan; 1985 - 1986


Used: Sydney

Owned: Australia

Computer: printed in black on back 'Apple Computer, Inc. Model Number:/Cupertino, California 95014 M00001WP/Made in U.S.A. 512K/871-8/Certified to.../CAUTION/Warning...'.

Printer: makers plate on back panel 'Apple Computer/Model A9M0303P/Serial No:/Rating/220/240V/50HZ. 1A MAX./ P/N 825-0569-A/Apple Computer/20525 Mariani Ave./Cupertino, CA, 95014/MADE IN JAPAN/CAUTION-WARNING...'.

Keyboard: printed white paper sticker on base 'Apple Computer, Inc./Model Number: M0110/Made in U.S.A./Serial Number: 6439M0111127'.

Mouse: makers mark on base, white paper sticker 'Apple Computer, Inc./Model Number: M0100/Made in U.S.A./Serial Number: 6441M010007345'.

External disk drive: on base 'Apple Computer, Inc./Model Number: M0130/Made in Japan/Serial Number: Y42971QM0130/FCC ID: BCG96AM-130/Made in Japan/Certified'.
Domestic power cords: impressed on plug 'PEASTON/V76480/A/250V 7.5A'.

Keyboard connector cable has no marks.

Printer connector cable has Apple logo on both plugs and on one plug '6910-069'.

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1985 - 1986