From: David Ensteness (denstene_at_mac.com)
Date: Tue Nov 25 2003 - 06:59:50 PST
Very good point. Sadly "most important" is often a question that
generates a lot of different interpretations. The Star and Alto were
very important, they gave the Mac Team the conceptual ideas they needed
to change the entire world. The Altair generated enough excitement that
a hobby computer movement began and out of that came the Apple I and
Apple //. The Macintosh has defined what a personal computer is
supposed to be from a use standpoint - in terms of how one interacts
with a computer - which the IBM PC defined the direction of the
hardware industry as being clone based and led to the distinction
between hardware OEMs and software OEMs where as before, most companies
tried to for the whole widget approach.
The PowerPC and PowerMac line led to new interest in RISC processors
which have had a huge impact outside of consumer PCs. The PowerBook
helped in large part to define what a portable computer should be
capable of - for a kick go look at some of what PC makers were putting
out as "laptops" before the PowerBook, they are more the Macintosh
Portable concept but they are certainly a beast all their own. The
Newton defined the concept of pen computing and led it from the Palm
Pilot type product to the laptop substitute. An OMP, 100, 110, 120 ...
they are basically Palm Pilots in their level of functionality, while a
2x00 was on par with a lower end laptop of its time. A business person
could do with a MP2000 most of what he or she would want a PowerBook
190 for. And the MP2000 weighed less, had a smaller form factor, and
the batteries lasted "forever" in comparison to those of a laptop.
It is very hard to say what has had the most influence. I think that it
is easy to say Apple has had the most of all PC OEMs and software OEMs.
While other companies have added to the industry Apple's name seems to
come up far more. But just what product? Very hard to say.
David
> The question is "Which was the most important PC of all time?". I
> personally tend to think that the machines that ignited the personal
> computing revolution, such as the Altair, are way more important than
> our beloved green friends. Without the Newton, there would be no Palm
> or PocketPC, but without those early Altairs and Apple IIs there would
> be no Newton. Just my 2 cents.
>
> Eric
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