Apple’s first computer is 50 and it’s nothing like you remember
Back in 1976, the Apple I showed that a computer for the rest of us meant something very different from today
Apple is 50! Today, it’s best known for the iPhone and the Mac. But before both of those – and even the legendary Apple II – came Apple’s very first computer: the Apple I.
Hang on, that is a circuit board. Where is the rest of it?
And to think people grumbled about the Mac Mini when Apple said “Bring your own keyboard and display”. At least it had a case – the Apple I didn’t. Still, it did come pre-assembled (rare at the time) rather than you needing an engineering degree to set the thing up. The one thing it wasn’t equipped for was saving your work, unless you shelled out for the Apple I Cassette Interface (ACI). And a tape deck. And some tapes.
This is all starting to sound expensive.
Actually, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak designed this to be the most affordable computer around – not something you’d associate with Apple today. (Although…) But back then, computers cost a fortune. So Woz added a 44-pin connector to allow for expansion, and chose tapes for storage because they were cheap. Composite video output let you connect the Apple I to a TV. These savings added up, allowing the Apple I to be sold for a genuine 1976 bargain of $666.66. Today, expect to pay six figures for one of the handful that still work.
That definitely sounds expensive. So what could you do if you actually bought one?
You could have it print a continuous stream of ASCII. Write your own software. Or, with an ACI, try the tiny range of games from 1970s hobbyists with too much time on their hands. Text-based bowling! Chess that redraws the board after every move! A slot machine that swaps lights and sound for sober text like BELL CHERRY LEMON! Still, you’ve got to start somewhere. The Apple I laid the groundwork for everything that followed, including Apple’s obsession with innovation and usability.
- Now read: [Apple 50 link here]
Craig Grannell
Contributor 
