Re: What is Apple II

["Erik Klein" <ekklein@pacbell.net>]

"Linards Ticmanis" <ticmanis@coli.uni-sb.de> wrote in message
news:bi5fhi$1gm09$1@hades.rz.uni-saarland.de...

> Erik Klein wrote:
>
> > The Apple I wasn't all that revolutionary or special.  Steve and Steve
only
> > sold a few hundred examples and quickly replaced them with the Apple ][
> > which also wasn't particularly special but was very well received and,
> > therefore, helpful in moving the computer revolution along.  Most of the
> > impact, however, came from a couple of guys who wrote a little program
> > called VisiCalc.  That's what made real people (i.e. not geeks) buy PCs.
>
> Wasn't the Apple II, the Radio Shack TRS-80, and the Commodore PET 2001
> the first three computers (coming out at the same time) that were sold
> to the general public (not to businesses only, not at geek stores only),
> in one piece? I.e. the first Personal Computers?



It all depends on how you define things.  The MITS Altair (1975) was
available in kit or assembled form.  The IMSAI 8080 and several other S-100
machines debuted in 1976 and could all easily be considered "personal
computers." even though they took a bit more tinkering then is expected
today.



The Sol-20 was introduced in 1976 as well and brought the concept of an
integrated terminal/computer with built-in video to market before Apple
introduced the Apple ][ in 1977.



Several other significant micros were introduced in 1977 including the Pet
and TRS-80 you mentioned.



All of these machines were sold and marketed in pretty much the same way
(magazine ads, direct marketing and a new fangled invention called the
"computer store") except for the TRS-80 which had a built-in sales and
marketing force and, therefore, a bit of an advantage.



In short, while the Apple ][ was certainly a technical marvel, it wasn't
anything special when it was introduced.  Apple's success was set when Dan
Bricklin and friends dropped VisiCalc on the world in 1979.



   Erik Klein

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