1987 Macintosh SE: 1st Apple Experience
Bunschoten, The Netherlands 1987….
I was NCOIC (Non Commission Officer in Charge) of Computer Operations for the Logistic Complex, at Soestergberg AFB, The Netherlands, home of the Wolfhounds. Mission to provide support for the F15 Fighter, which protected the northern tier of Europe.
Oh yes, I had seen the 1984 Superbowl Commercial announcing the Macintosh and thought what a neat computer, but really had no time to pay much attention to it.
I worked full time for the Air Force, was taking graduate classes with Troy State University (Alabama) and later a 2nd degree with the University of Maryland European College, and was a single Father of two young boys, John and Ken.
At work we had moved from UNIVAC 1100-60 Main Frame with SBSS Remote Processing Station using UNIVAC Universal Terminal System, UTS-40 ‘dumb’ terminals. Later we integrated the Air Forces first Personal Computers Zenith Z-248, equiped with an 80286 microprocessor, using MS-DOS operating system. The Zenith Z-248, personal computers were equipped with the proper programing software known as an emulator, which allowed these computers to communicate as terminals with the 1100/60 system. Besides being used as terminals these computers were also being used as Word Processors, initially WordStar then later WordPerfect; Spreadsheet – Lotus 1-2-3; and to a lesser extend Computer Graphics – initially CorelDraw then later Harvard Graphics. Computer Operations was responsible for training for these stand alone applications. They each had their own special menus and functionality. Harvard Graphics could import data from Lotus 1-2-3. Later we also used and trained users on the Microsoft Word application. As you can see we had our hands full. But like all Professionals we “Done Good”.
The base had college courses I could take on base. I was working toward a Masters Degree and most semesters I would take usually a minimum of two classes (6 hrs) and sometime three (9 hrs) depending what was offered by Heidelberg, Germany. On the night of classes the I would have someone watch over the boys until I came in from class. Of course on the nights when I did not have classes I would get the boys to bed and then study the rest of the night.
On top of it all, we would always, always have a houseful of kids from the neighborhood and was known as Mr. Mike to all of them. The house we lived in was provided by the Air Force, located Soesterberg, The Netherlands. We were located in the Apollo neighborhood. There was always shopping, washing, sports, and all the other activities associated with raising two young boys
As you can see there were no cracks in time for me to even think about another computer much less an Apple Macintosh.
Having finished my degree, I had a little more time to spend with the boys and we picked a Commodore 128 (another Computer Days Story) from the Base Exchange (BX). Needless to say there was not a big demand for computers in those days and therefore the BX did not have a large selection of them.
Then I met Marga on a Blind Date setup by Jim L. , my neighbor in Apollo, who had been her neighbor when he and his family lived in Bunschoten. It was a pleasant evening and Jim knowing the both of us and our liberal thoughts performed the cupid brilliantly. Tossing out questions and anecdotes that we both would respond to in a similar fashion.
She had been working at Apple Computer in Ziest since 1984, then Headquarters for Apple Computer Europe. I still had a couple of years to go in the Air Force before retirement. To make a long story short we ended up getting together from time to time.
Macintosh SE
On one of my first few visits to her home on Rembrandt van Rijn #2, Bunschoten, she told me of her time at Apple and what a great company it was to work for. She also showed me her computer,
Then there was an Apple Macintosh SE computer (40 MB internal Drive, CPU 6800 MHz, RAM 1 MB std. to 4MB ).
My first thought was wow that is a small computer, but when she showed me its graphical user interface and ease of use I was totally blown away. I sat down and started working with MacPaint, it was so easy, so intuitive, so friendly to use, I was Blown Away.
My thoughts tumbled back to all the PC applications and the DOS computing world I had been living and working within. The headaches, frustrations and difficulty in training users in the DOS commands and Applications.
Which lead to my next thoughts, “What is wrong with the Air Force?” and “Why don’t we have these to work with?”
There was no MS-DOS Command Line to deal with, in order to go from on directory to another or .exe files to lauch applications, there were folders, happy little icons, and a desktop. I could jump from one application to the next, with just a click of the mouse. I opened MacWrite and all the menus were standard, in order, and as drop down menus no less. Each application, I did not have to relearn where ‘what’ was, just to open or save a file, or copy and paste text. Yes, yes it was a “Mouse” that guided the left leaning Arrow (of the Xerox PARC days of the late ’70s) called a Cursor on screen that responded so smoothly, just by movement of my hand. When moving over a Folder or Icon on the Desktop, the Cursor would change to a small hand with a pointing finger as if it was my hand on the desktop. What a wonderful environment, this Desktop, truly a powerful and intuitive idea. I have to admit throughout all the wonder, and joy, MacPaint, the bitmap based painting program, was the highlight of the day, I could draw pixel by pixel, with different patterns. The pictures from MacPaint could be pasted into MacWrite, the word processing application that came with the Macintosh. Oh the Fonts, “Whoa Mama!” the fonts.
It was hard to believe all the Magic in this Little Box. This Macintosh was So Much, Much Bigger than my initial thought. It is and was, Simply Beautiful. A Delightful union of Technology and Design. You know, I do not believe I thought ‘Computer’ the whole time I used it.
It really was Magic.
That day I fell in Love with the Apple Macintosh and Apple.
And since then and all these years in between I am still in Love with the Mac.
I have purchased only Apple computers and products since that time.
Mike
Specifications for the Apple Macintosh SE:
Processor: Motorola 68000, 8 MHz
System Bus Speed: 8 MHz
ROM Size: 256 kB
Data Path: 16-bit Level 1
RAM Type: 150 ns 30-pin SIMM
VRAM Type: Built-in
Standard RAM: 1 MB
Maximum RAM: 4 MB
RAM Slots: 4 (in pairs)
Standard Hard Drive: 20 MB
Int. Hard Drive Type: SCSI
Standard Disk: 3.5 in, 800 kB, 800 kB x 2 (auto)
Exp. Slots: SE PDS
Battery Type: 3.6 V lithium
Display: 512×342 9 inches (23 cm) monochrome[2][6]
Video memory: 512x384x1
Supported Mac OS: 3.3–7.5.1, 7.5.3–7.5.5
Avg. Weight: 17.0 lb/7.7 kg