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iMac Turns 10

Posted by timothy on from the nifty-design dept.

UnknowingFool writes "Ten years ago, Apple announced the original iMac. In some ways it was Apple returning to its roots with an all-in-one design, but in other ways it was a departure from the normal. Certainly it didn't look like any other computer. Apple dropped SCSI, their proprietary connectors, and the floppy drive. Instead Apple used USB for all peripherals including the ergonomically uncomfortable hockey puck mouse. At the time, both the lack of a floppy and the inclusion of USB were much criticized. In hindsight, these moves are now considered forward thinking."

5 of 179 comments (clear)

  1. I can remember by jayhawk88 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Working at CompUSSR right about the time the iMac's were starting to become available. Maybe it was the second model that came in your choice of "flavors"? Don't recall exactly. What I do remember is that in the Wichita, KS store you could get pretty much any color you wanted, except the purple ones. The purple they used was almost an exact match for K-State purple, and people were buying them as soon as they hit the sales floor. That's when I knew computers had changed.

    1. Re:I can remember by Phroggy · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I spent a couple days as an Apple representative in Circuit City, making sure their sales guys knew what iMacs could do. In addition to Apple's demo software, I brought in a copy of Unreal Tournament and an Ethernet crossover cable. Of course you can't really play UT without a two-button mouse, and iMacs at that time were shipping with hockey pucks, so I asked the sales guys if there was a PC with an extra USB mouse we could borrow.

      They had no idea that an HP USB mouse could be plugged into a Mac.

      They had also never heard of Unreal Tournament before, although a very attractive girl from the appliances department wandered over and mentioned that she had seen her boyfriend playing it at home. I was shocked that none of the computer salesmen were aware of such a popular game. It was definitely an eye-opening experience.

      This is why Apple now has their own retail stores.

      --
      $x='S24;r)>63/* h@<5+oZ)32"5cz';$me='phroggy'x$];
      $x=~y+ -xz+\0-Tx+;print$_^chop$me for split'',$x;
  2. It wasn't all roses. by argent · · Score: 5, Insightful

    At the time, both the lack of a floppy and the inclusion of USB were much criticized. In hindsight, these moves are now considered forward thinking.

    On the other hand the hockey-puck mouse was a disaster, and its descendants (down to and including the Mighty Mouse) are still ergonomic nightmares. The iMac keyboard was also pretty but unpleasant to use compared to the ADB keyboards, and Apple still hasn't really recovered. Luckily PC USB keyboards and Mice work well with the Mac, and I'm using a Microsoft keyboard and Microsoft mouse on mine.

  3. Re:Hmm... by jcr · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I would say that iPod/iTunes actually saved Apple

    No, Apple was already back on its feet financially by the time the iPod shipped.

    -jcr

    --
    The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."
  4. Re:iblame imac . . . by wass · · Score: 5, Funny

    Look at the bright side, the iEra ended the period where everything ended in Tron.

    --

    make world, not war