FAQ: Black Apple (Was: Saw at goodwill

From: Fred Cisin <cisin_at_xenosoft.com>
Date: Tue May 4 11:38:23 1999

> My old computer class was taught on two model 33's (to a HP2000) and a
> black Apple II.
> I always thought that the black apples were the correct color. What
> exactly is the significance of the black case???

Apple had a hard time breaking into the school market. Two issues:
school boards, etc. had never heard of the company, and any "computer"
purchases were in the realm of "District Data Processing", not at the
whim of educational staff.

So, Apple cut a deal with Howl & Bellow. Thus, Apple computers were
included in the B&H AV price lists, along with movie projectors, etc.
Those hokie 500 series filmosounds cost enough that the microcomputers
fit right in.
[Yes, the filmosounds were nice. But compare with the much older J.A.N.!]

Now, a school that wanted to buy a microcomputer could slide it past the
board of ed by just burying it in the AV budget.

In addition to being black, the black Apples that I've paid attention to
had a non-detachable (theft-resistant) power cord, and a solid latch
instead of velcro to impede access into the case.
Received on Tue May 04 1999 - 11:38:23 BST