Macintosh
(Mac) A range of single user, 32-bit {personal
computers} manufactured by {Apple Computer, Inc.} originally
based on the {Motorola 68000} {microprocessor} family and a
proprietary {operating system}. The Mac was Apple's successor
to the {Lisa}.
The project was proposed by {Jef Raskin} some time before
{Steve Jobs}'s famous visit to {Xerox PARC}. Jobs tried to
scuttle the Macintosh project and only joined it later because
he wasn't trusted to manage the {Lisa} project.
The {Macintosh user interface} was notable for popularising
the {graphical user interface}, with its easy to learn and
easy to use {desktop} metaphor.
The {Macintosh Operating System} is now officially called
Mac OS.
The first Macintosh, introduced in January 1984, had a
{Motorola 68000} {CPU}, 128K of {RAM}, a small {monochrome}
screen, and one built-in {floppy disk} drive with an external
slot for one more, two {serial ports} and a four-voice sound
generator. This was all housed in one small plastic case,
including the screen. When more memory was available later in
the year, a 512K Macintosh was nicknamed the "Fat Mac."
The standard Macintosh screen {resolution} is 72 {dpi} (making
one {point} ◦ one {pixel}), exactly half the 144 dpi
resolution of the ancient {Apple Imagewriter} {dot matrix}
printer.
The Mac Plus (January 1986) added expandability by providing
an external {SCSI} port for connecting {hard disks}, {magnetic
tape}, and other high-speed devices.
The Mac SE (March 1987) had up to four megabytes of {RAM}, an
optional built-in 20 megabyte hard disk and one internal
expansion slot for connecting a third-party device.
The Mac II (March 1987) used the faster {Motorola 68020} {CPU}
with a 32-bit {bus}.
In 1994 {PowerPC} based Macs, {PowerMacs}, were launched, and
in 1999, the {iMac}.
See also {Macintosh file system}, {Macintosh user interface}.
{Brock Kyle's Macintosh Guide Book
(http://www.everymac.com/)}.
(2000-02-05)