January 24th marked the 30th anniversary of the original Macintosh debut. Apple’s website features an interactive history of their revolutionary product line, starting with the 1984 Macintosh, all the way up to today’s current models.
I strongly encourage even the mildest Mac enthusiast to visit the site, and participate in their “What was your first Mac” survey. This simply asks, “What was the first Mac you owned? What year did you buy it? What did you use if for?” Upon reviewing the survey’s results, it’s amazing to see how Apple’s imprint on the professional world has shifted so dramatically since the beginning.
Initially, these machines were primarily used for Education and Desktop Publishing. As you scroll forward on the timeline, you see the Education category shrink, and as the Internet/Email field appears, it rapidly takes over the majority of the spectrum.
There’s an interesting influx of Graphic Designers who adopted Mac in 1997, and this is the only year after 1994 that you’ll see anything trump Internet/Email. Certain categories such as Desktop Publishing, will disappear entirely as the 1990’s progress. These results are subject to change as more users interact and submit their answers.
Of course, Apple’s “Thirty Years of Mac” campaign video focuses on the ground breaking artists who rely on their systems today, especially those who adopted early. The incredible thing about Apple is that they have never stopped expanding, always reaching new markets while improving the creative industry every step of the way.
As a musician and photo enthusiast, I have yet to find another suitable computer solution. For that reason and many others, I look forward to seeing the next thirty years of Apple’s history.