PC freak

Windows Vista

2007-04-24T10:33:00.000-07:00

Windows Vista is a line of graphical operating systems used on personal computers, including home and business desktops, notebook computers, Tablet PCs, and media centers. Prior to its announcement on July 22, 2005, Windows Vista was known by its codename "Longhorn".[1] Development was completed on November 8, 2006; over the following three months it was released in stages to computer hardware and software manufacturers, business customers, and retail channels. On January 30, 2007, it was released worldwide to the general public,[2] and was made available for purchase and downloading from Microsoft's web site.[3] The release of Windows Vista comes more than five years after the introduction of its predecessor, Windows XP, making it the longest time span between two releases of Microsoft Windows.

Windows Vista contains hundreds of new features; some of the most significant include an updated graphical user interface and visual style dubbed Windows Aero, improved searching features, new multimedia creation tools such as Windows DVD Maker, and completely redesigned networking, audio, print, and display sub-systems. Vista also aims to increase the level of communication between machines on a home network using peer-to-peer technology, making it easier to share files and digital media between computers and devices. For developers, Vista includes version 3.0 of the .NET Framework, which aims to make it significantly easier for developers to write high-quality applications than with the traditional Windows API.

Microsoft's primary stated objective with Windows Vista, however, has been to improve the state of security in the Windows operating system.[4] One common criticism of Windows XP and its predecessors has been their commonly exploited security vulnerabilities and overall susceptibility to malware, viruses and buffer overflows. In light of this, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates announced in early 2002 a company-wide 'Trustworthy Computing initiative' which aims to incorporate security work into every aspect of software development at the company. Microsoft stated that it prioritized improving the security of Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 above finishing Windows Vista, thus delaying its completion.[5]

Windows Vista has been the target of a number of negative assessments by various groups. Criticism of Windows Vista has included protracted development time, more restrictive licensing terms, the inclusion of a number of new Digital Rights Management technologies aimed at restricting the copying of protected digital media, and the usability of other new features such as User Account Control.

2007-04-21T10:34:00.000-07:00

Microsoft started work on their plans for Windows Vista ("Longhorn") in 2001, prior to the release of Windows XP. It was originally expected to ship sometime late in 2003 as a minor step between Windows XP (codenamed "Whistler") and "Blackcomb" (now known as Windows "Vienna"). Gradually, "Longhorn" assimilated many of the important new features and technologies slated for "Blackcomb," resulting in the release date being pushed back several times. Many of Microsoft's developers were also re-tasked with improving the security of Windows XP. Faced with ongoing delays and concerns about feature creep, Microsoft announced on August 27, 2004 that it was making changes. The original "Longhorn," based on the Windows XP source code, was scrapped, and Vista development started anew, building on the Windows Server 2003 codebase, and re-incorporating only the features that would be intended for an actual operating system release. Some previously announced features such as WinFS were dropped or postponed, and a new software development methodology called the "Security Development Lifecycle" was incorporated in an effort to address concerns with the security of the Windows codebase. After "Longhorn" was named Windows Vista, an unprecedented beta-test program was started, involving hundreds of thousands of volunteers and companies. In September 2005, Microsoft started releasing regular Community Technology Previews (CTP) to beta testers. The first of these was distributed among 2005 Microsoft Professional Developers Conference attendees, and was subsequently released to Microsoft Beta testers and Microsoft Developer Network subscribers. The builds that followed incorporated most of the planned features for the final product, as well as a number of changes to the user interface, based largely on feedback from beta testers. Windows Vista was deemed feature-complete with the release of the "February CTP," released on February 22, 2006, and much of the remainder of work between that build and the final release of the product focused on stability, performance, application and driver compatibility, and documentation. Beta 2, released in late May, was the first build to be made available to the general public through Microsoft's Customer Preview Program. It was downloaded by over five million people. Two release candidates followed in September and October, both of which were made available to a large number of users.

While Microsoft had originally hoped to have the operating system available worldwide in time for Christmas 2006, it was announced in March 2006 that the release date would be pushed back to January 2007, so as to give the company – and the hardware and software companies which Microsoft depends on for providing device drivers – additional time to prepare.

Through much of 2006, analysts and bloggers had speculated that Windows Vista would be delayed further, owing to anti-trust concerns raised by the European Commission and South Korea, and due to a perceived lack of progress with the beta releases. However, with the November 8, 2006 announcement of the completion of Windows Vista, Microsoft's most lengthy operating system development project came to an end.

Core technologies

2007-04-04T10:35:00.000-07:00

Windows Vista is intended to be a technology-based release, to provide a solid base to include technologies, many of which will be related to how the system functions, and hence not readily visible to the user. An example of this is the restructuring of the architecture of the audio, print, display, and networking subsystems; while the results of this work will be visible to software developers, end-users will only see what appear to be evolutionary changes in the user interface.

Vista includes technologies such as ReadyBoost and ReadyDrive which employ fast flash memory (located on USB drives and hybrid hard disk drives respectively) to improve system performance by caching commonly-used programs and data. This manifests itself in improved battery life on notebook computers as well, since a hybrid drive can use the Flash memory to cache the data currently in use by the OS and/or other applications, spinning down the disc platters till some fresh data is required. Another new technology called SuperFetch utilizes machine learning techniques to analyze usage patterns in order to allow Windows Vista to make decisions about what application and content should be present in system memory at any given time.

As part of the redesign of the networking architecture, IPv6 has been incorporated into the operating system, and a number of performance improvements have been introduced, such as TCP window scaling. Windows Vista includes a more comprehensive support for Wireless Networks, compared to previous versions of Windows.

For graphics, Vista introduces a new Windows Display Driver Model, as well as major revisions to Direct3D. The new driver model facilitates the new Desktop Window Manager, which provides the tearing-free desktop and special effects that are the cornerstones of Windows Aero. WDDM's current version 1.0 is able to offload rudimentary tasks to the GPU, install drivers without requiring a system reboot and seamlessly recover from rare driver errors due to illegal application behavior. The next version is going to require an entirely new generation of GPUs, which nVidia and ATI are working on. Direct3D 10, developed in conjunction with major display driver manufacturers, is a new architecture with more advanced shader support, and allows the graphics processing unit to render more complex scenes without assistance from the CPU. It features improved load balancing between CPU and GPU and also optimizes data transfer between them.

At the core of the operating system, many improvements have been made to the memory manager, process scheduler, heap manager, and I/O scheduler. A Kernel Transaction Manager has been implemented that gives applications the ability to work with the file system and registry using atomic transaction operations.

Security-related technologies

2007-03-24T10:36:00.000-07:00

Microsoft stated that security was a primary design goal for Vista. Microsoft's Trustworthy Computing initiative, which aims to improve public trust in its products, has had a direct effect on its development. This effort has resulted in a number of new security and safety features.

User Account Control is perhaps the most significant and visible of these changes. User Account Control is a security technology that makes it possible for users to use their computer with fewer privileges by default. This was often difficult in previous versions of Windows, as the previous "limited" user accounts proved too restrictive and incompatible with a large proportion of application software, and even prevented some basic operations such as looking at the calendar from the notification tray. In Windows Vista, when an action requiring administrative rights is requested, the user will be first prompted for an administrator name and password; in cases where the user is already an administrator, the user is still prompted to confirm the pending privileged action. User Account Control asks for credentials in a Secure Desktop mode, where the entire screen is blacked out, temporarily disabled, and only the authorization window is active and highlighted. The intent is to stop a malicious program 'spoofing' the user interface, attempting to capture admin credentials.

Internet Explorer 7's new security and safety features include a phishing filter, IDN with anti-spoofing capabilities, and integration with system-wide parental controls. For added security, ActiveX controls are disabled by default. Also, Internet Explorer operates in a "protected mode" which operates with lower permissions than the user and it runs in isolation from other applications in the operating system, preventing it from accessing or modifying anything besides the Temporary Internet Files directory. Microsoft's anti-spyware product, Windows Defender, has been incorporated into Windows, providing protection against malware and other threats. Changes to various system configuration settings (such as new auto-starting applications) are blocked unless the user gives consent.

Another significant new feature is BitLocker Drive Encryption, a data protection feature included in the Enterprise and Ultimate editions of Vista that provides encryption for the entire operating system volume. Bitlocker can work in conjunction with a Trusted Platform Module chip (version 1.2) that is on a computer's motherboard, or with a USB key.

A variety of other privilege-restriction techniques are also built into Vista. An example is the concept of "integrity levels" in user processes, whereby a process with a lower integrity level cannot interact with processes of a higher integrity level and cannot perform DLL–injection to a processes of a higher integrity level. The security restrictions of Windows services are more fine-grained, so that services (especially those listening on the network) have no ability to interact with parts of the operating system they do not need to. Obfuscation techniques such as address space layout randomization and Kernel Patch Protection are used to increase the amount of effort required of malware before successful infiltration of a system. Code Integrity verifies that system binaries haven’t been tampered with by malicious code.

As part of the redesign of the network stack, Windows Firewall has been upgraded, with new support for filtering both incoming and outgoing traffic. Advanced packet filter rules can be created which can grant or deny communications to specific services.

Business technologies

2007-03-02T10:37:00.000-08:00

While much of the focus of Vista's new capabilities has been on the new user interface, security technologies, and improvements to the core operating system, Microsoft is also adding new deployment and maintenance features.

The WIM image format (Windows IMage) is the cornerstone of Microsoft's new deployment and packaging system. WIM files, which contain an image of Windows Vista, can be maintained and patched without having to rebuild new images. Windows Images can be delivered via Systems Management Server or Business Desktop Deployment technologies. Images can be customized and configured with applications then deployed to corporate client personal computers using little to no touch by a system administrator. ImageX is the Microsoft tool used to create and customize images.
Windows Deployment Services replaces Remote Installation Services for deploying Vista and prior versions of Windows.
Approximately 700 new Group Policy settings have been added, covering most aspects of the new features in the operating system, as well as significantly expanding the configurability of wireless networks, removable storage devices, and user desktop experience.
Services for UNIX has been renamed "Subsystem for UNIX-based Applications," and is included with the Enterprise and Ultimate editions of Vista. Network File System (NFS) client support is also included.
Multi-lingual User Interface - Unlike previous version of Windows which required language packs to be loaded to provide local language support, Windows Vista Ultimate and Enterprise editions supports the ability to dynamically change languages based on the logged on user's preference.
Wireless Projector support

Developer technologies

2007-03-01T10:38:00.000-08:00

Windows Vista includes a large number of new application programming interfaces. Chief among them is the inclusion of version 3.0 of the .NET Framework, which consists of a class library and Common Language Runtime. Version 3.0 includes four new major components:

Windows Presentation Foundation is a user interface subsystem and framework based vector graphics, which will make use of 3D computer graphics hardware and Direct3D technologies. It provides the foundation for building applications and blending together application UI, documents, and media content. It is the successor to Windows Forms.
Windows Communication Foundation is a service-oriented messaging subsystem which will enable applications and systems to interoperate locally or remotely using Web services.
Windows Workflow Foundation provides task automation and integrated transactions using workflows. It is the programming model, engine and tools for building workflow-enabled applications on Windows.
Windows CardSpace is a component which securely stores digital identities of a person, and provides a unified interface for choosing the identity for a particular transaction, such as logging into a website.
These technologies will also be available for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 to facilitate their introduction to and usage by developers and end users.

There are also significant new development APIs in the core of the operating system, notably the completely re-architected audio, networking, print, and video interfaces, major changes to the security infrastructure, improvements to the deployment and installation of applications ("ClickOnce" and Windows Installer 4.0), new device driver development model ("Windows Driver Foundation"), Transactional NTFS, mobile computing API advancements (power management, Tablet PC Ink support, SideShow) and major updates to (or complete replacements of) many core subsystems such as Winlogon and CAPI.

There are some issues for software developers using some of the graphics APIs in Vista. Games or programs which are built on Vista's version of DirectX, 10, will not work on prior versions of Windows, as DirectX 10 is not backwards-compatible with DirectX 9. According to a Microsoft blog, there are three choices for OpenGL implementation on Vista. An application can use the default implementation, which translates OpenGL calls into the Direct3D API and is frozen at OpenGL version 1.4, or an application can use an Installable Client Driver (ICD), which comes in two flavors: legacy and Vista-compatible. A legacy ICD, the kind already provided by independent hardware vendors targeting Windows XP, will disable the Desktop Window Manager, noticeably degrading user experience under Windows Aero. A Vista-compatible ICD takes advantage of a new API, and will be fully compatible with the Desktop Window Manager. At least two primary vendors, ATI and NVIDIA, are expected to provide full Vista-compatible ICDs in the near future. However, hardware overlay is not supported, because it is considered as an obsolete feature in Vista. ATI and NVIDIA strongly recommend using compositing desktop/FBOs for same functionality.

Visual styles

2007-02-24T10:40:00.000-08:00

Windows Aero
Vista's premier visual style is built on a new desktop composition engine called Desktop Window Manager. Windows Aero introduces support for 3D graphics (Windows Flip 3D), translucency effects (Glass), live thumbnails, window animations, and other visual effects, and is intended for mainstream and high-end graphics cards. To enable these features, the contents of every open window is stored in video memory to facilitate tearing-free movement of windows. As such, Windows Aero has significantly higher hardware requirements than its predecessors. 128 MB of graphics memory is the minimum requirement, depending on resolution used. Windows Aero (including Windows Flip 3D) is not included in the Starter and Home Basic editions.
Windows Vista Standard
This mode is a variation of Windows Aero without the glass effects, window animations, and other advanced graphical effects such as Windows Flip 3D. Like Windows Aero, it uses the Desktop Window Manager, and has generally the same video hardware requirements as Windows Aero. This is the default mode for the Windows Vista Home Basic Edition. The Starter (developing markets) edition does not support this mode.
Windows Vista Basic
This mode has aspects that are similar to Windows XP's visual style with the addition of subtle animations such as those found on progress bars. It does not employ the Desktop Window Manager; as such, it does not feature transparency or translucency, window animation, Windows Flip 3D or any of the functions provided by the DWM. The Basic mode does not require the new Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) for display drivers, and has similar graphics card requirements to Windows XP. For computers with graphics cards that are not powerful enough to support Windows Aero, this is the default graphics mode.
Windows Classic
An option for corporate deployments and upgrades, Windows Classic has the look and feel of Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003, does not use the Desktop Window Manager, and does not require a WDDM driver. As with prior versions of Windows, this visual style supports "color schemes," which are a collection of color settings. Windows Vista includes six classic color schemes, comprised of four high-contrast color schemes and the default color schemes from Windows 98 and Windows 2000. Technology author Paul Thurrott noted Windows Vista's classic visual style "hides much of the useful new functionality that's available in other UI types," and that the "massive changes Microsoft made to Windows Explorer" also affect Windows Classic. Thurrott offers the opinion that Windows Vista's classic visual style is "horrible" and a "misbegotten excuse for a UI.

2006-10-18T20:31:00.000-07:00

Windows History

Many longtime PC users trace the Microsoft Windows® operating system to the 1990 release of Windows 3.0, the first widely popular version of Windows and the first version of Windows many PC users ever tried. However, Microsoft initially announced the Windows product seven years earlier and released the first version in 1983.

1985: Windows 1.0

The first version of Windows provided a new software environment for developing and running applications that use bitmap displays and mouse pointing devices. Before Windows, PC users relied on the MS-DOS® method of typing commands at the C prompt (C:\). With Windows, users moved a mouse to point and click their way through tasks, such as starting applications.
In addition, Windows users could switch among several concurrently running applications. The product included a set of desktop applications, including the MS-DOS file management program, a calendar, card file, notepad, calculator, clock, and telecommunications programs, which helped users manage day-to-day activities.

1987: Windows 2.0

Windows 2.0 took advantage of the improved processing speed of the Intel 286 processor, expanded memory, and inter-application communication capabilities made possible through Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE). With improved graphics support, users could now overlap windows, control screen layout, and use keyboard combinations to move rapidly through Windows operations. Many developers wrote their first Windows–based applications for this release.
The follow-up release, Windows 2.03, took advantage of the protected mode and extended memory capabilities of the Intel 386 processor. Subsequent Windows releases continued to improve the speed, reliability, and usability of the PC as well as interface design and capabilities.

1990: Windows 3.0

The third major release of the Windows platform from Microsoft offered improved performance, advanced graphics with 16 colors, and full support of the more powerful Intel 386 processor. A new wave of 386 PCs helped drive the popularity of Windows 3.0, which offered a wide range of useful features and capabilities, including:
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Program Manager, File Manager, and Print Manager.
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A completely rewritten application development environment.
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An improved set of Windows icons.
The popularity of Windows 3.0 grew with the release of a new Windows software development kit (SDK), which helped software developers focus more on writing applications and less on writing device drivers. Widespread acceptance among third-party hardware and software developers helped fuel the success of Windows 3.0.

1993: Windows NT 3.1

When Microsoft Windows NT® was released to manufacturing on July 27, 1993, Microsoft met an important milestone: the completion of a project begun in the late 1980s to build an advanced new operating system from scratch. "Windows NT represents nothing less than a fundamental change in the way that companies can address their business computing requirements," Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates said at its release.
That change is represented in the product's name: "NT" stands for new technology. To maintain consistency with Windows 3.1, a well-established home and business operating system at the time, the new Windows NT operating system began with version 3.1. Unlike Windows 3.1, however, Windows NT 3.1 was a 32-bit operating system.
Windows NT was the first Windows operating system to combine support for high-end, client/server business applications with the industry's leading personal productivity applications. It was initially available in both a desktop (workstation) version and a server version called Windows NT Advanced Server. The desktop version was well received by developers because of its security, stability, and Microsoft Win32® application programming interface (API)—a combination that made it easier to support powerful programs. The result was a strategic business platform that could also function as a technical workstation to run high-end engineering and scientific applications.
In addition, the operating system broke new ground in security, operating system power, performance, desktop scalability, and reliability. New features included a preemptive multitasking scheduler for Windows–based applications, integrated networking, domain server security, OS/2 and POSIX subsystems, support for multiple processor architectures, and the NTFS file system.

1993: Windows for Workgroups 3.11

A superset of Windows 3.1, Windows for Workgroups 3.11 added peer-to-peer workgroup and domain networking support. For the first time, Windows–based PCs were network-aware and became an integral part of the emerging client/server computing evolution.
Windows for Workgroups was used in local area networks (LANs) and on standalone PCs and laptop computers. It added features of special interest to corporate users, such as centralized configuration and security, significantly improved support for Novell NetWare networks, and remote access service (RAS).

1994: Windows NT Workstation 3.5

The Windows NT Workstation 3.5 release provided the highest degree of protection yet for critical business applications and data. With support for the OpenGL graphics standard, this operating system helped power high-end applications for software development, engineering, financial analysis, scientific, and business-critical tasks.
The product also offered 32-bit performance improvements and better application support, including support for NetWare file and print servers. Other improved productivity features included the capability to use friendlier, long file names of up to 255 characters.

1995: Windows 95

Windows 95 was the successor to the three existing general-purpose desktop operating systems from Microsoft—Windows 3.1, Windows for Workgroups, and MS-DOS. Windows 95 integrated a 32-bit TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) stack for built-in Internet support, dial-up networking, and new Plug and Play capabilities that made it easy for users to install hardware and software.
The 32-bit operating system also offered enhanced multimedia capabilities, more powerful features for mobile computing, and integrated networking.

1996: Windows NT Workstation 4.0

This upgrade to the Microsoft business desktop operating system brought increased ease of use and simplified management, higher network throughput, and tools for developing and managing intranets. Windows NT Workstation 4.0 included the popular Windows 95 user interface yet provided improved networking support for easier and more secure access to the Internet and corporate intranets.
In October 1998, Microsoft announced that Windows NT would no longer carry the initials NT and that the next major version of the business operating system would be called Windows 2000.

1998: Windows 98

Windows 98 was the upgrade from Windows 95. Described as an operating system that "Works Better, Plays Better," Windows 98 was the first version of Windows designed specifically for consumers.
With Windows 98, users could find information more easily on their PCs as well as the Internet. Other ease-of-use improvements included the ability to open and close applications more quickly, support for reading DVD discs, and support for universal serial bus (USB) devices.

1999: Windows 98 Second Edition

Windows 98 SE, as it was often abbreviated, was an incremental update to Windows 98. It offered consumers a variety of new and enhanced hardware compatibility and Internet-related features.
Windows 98 SE helped improve users' online experience with the Internet Explorer 5.0 browser technology and Microsoft Windows NetMeeting® 3.0 conferencing software. It also included Microsoft DirectX® API 6.1, which provided improved support for Windows multimedia, and offered home networking capabilities through Internet connection sharing (ICS). Windows 98 SE was also the first consumer operating system from Microsoft capable of using device drivers that also worked with the Windows NT business operating system.

2000: Windows Millennium Edition (Windows Me)

Designed for home computer users, Windows Me offered consumers numerous music, video, and home networking enhancements and reliability improvements.
For example, to help consumers troubleshoot their systems, the System Restore feature let users roll back their PC software configuration to a date or time before a problem occurred. Windows Movie Maker provided users with the tools to digitally edit, save, and share home videos. And with Microsoft Windows Media® Player 7 technologies, users could find, organize, and play digital media easily.
Windows Me was the last Microsoft operating system to be based on the Windows 95 code base. Microsoft announced that all future operating system products would be based on the Windows NT and Windows 2000 kernel.

2000: Windows 2000 Professional

More than just the upgrade to Windows NT Workstation 4.0, Windows 2000 Professional was also designed to replace Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows NT Workstation 4.0 on all business desktops and laptops. Built on top of the proven Windows NT Workstation 4.0 code base, Windows 2000 added major improvements in reliability, ease of use, Internet compatibility, and support for mobile computing.
Among other improvements, Windows 2000 Professional simplified hardware installation by adding support for a wide variety of new Plug and Play hardware, including advanced networking and wireless products, USB devices, IEEE 1394 devices, and infrared devices.

2001: Windows XP

With the release of Windows XP in October 2001, Microsoft merged its two Windows operating system lines for consumers and businesses, uniting them around the Windows 2000 code base.
The "XP" in Windows XP stands for "experience," symbolizing the innovative experiences that Windows can offer to personal computer users. With Windows XP, home users can work with and enjoy music, movies, messaging, and photos with their computer, while business users can work smarter and faster, thanks to new technical-support technology, a fresh user interface, and many other improvements that make it easier to use for a wide range of tasks.

2001: Windows XP Professional

Windows XP Professional brings the solid foundation of Windows 2000 to the PC desktop, enhancing reliability, security, and performance. With a fresh visual design, Windows XP Professional includes features for business and advanced home computing, including remote desktop support, an encrypting file system, and system restore and advanced networking features. Key enhancements for mobile users include wireless 802.1x networking support, Windows Messenger, and Remote Assistance.

2001: Windows XP Home Edition

Windows XP Home Edition offers a clean, simplified visual design that makes frequently used features more accessible. Designed for home users, the product offers such enhancements as the Network Setup Wizard, Windows Media Player, Windows Movie Maker, and enhanced digital photo capabilities.

2001: Windows XP 64-bit Edition

For home computing and entertainment, Microsoft released the Windows XP Media Center Edition operating system in October 2002 for specialized media center PCs.
With all the benefits of Windows XP Professional, Media Center Edition adds fun digital media and entertainment options, enabling home users to browse the Internet, watch live television, communicate with friends and family, enjoy digital music and video collections, watch DVDs, and work from home.

2002: Windows XP Tablet PC Edition

The long-held industry vision of mainstream pen-based computing became a reality when Microsoft unveiled the Windows XP Tablet PC Edition in November, 2002. The logical evolution of notebook computers, Tablet PCs include a digital pen for handwriting recognition capabilities, yet can be used with a keyboard or mouse, too.
In addition, users can run their existing Windows XP applications. The result is a computer that is more versatile and mobile than traditional notebook PCs.

2006-09-27T01:09:00.000-07:00

Apple

We were just beginning to realize that the computer store might be a success beyond our dreams and that the little space in Polk's Hobby Store might not be enough, when I received a phone call.
It was a very fast-talking young man who told me, "I'm Steve Jobs." He said that he had been sent by Paul Terrell and John French, who had both bought his great single board computer and become dealers. Paul had bought 50 of them! This was the greatest thing since sliced bread, and he had to send me one.
"Sure, send it," I said. After all, Paul and John were friends and I would go with their choice. Whamo! Next day Fedex delivered a package C.O.D. $500.
I was a little taken aback, but I paid the charge and gave the package to Dave, one of my techs.
"Here. Look at this, and let me know what you think," I told him.
"What is it?" he answered.
"A computer, the Apple 1."
"Whaddya mean a computer? All in that little box? Common!"
He took the box and disappeared. Later, he took some money from the cash register and went to Radio Shack. When he came back, he fiddled with some wires and a video monitor, and called me over to see what he had done. A Radio Shack transformer was wired to a plug that went into the wall. The other side had wires into the page-sized PC board. A black square appeared on the video screen.
"See! It works," Dave told me.
"What does it do?" I asked.
"Nothing, needs a keyboard. I'll get one," Dave told me.
Dave came back with one of our SWTPC keyboards and wired it in after studying the schematic.
"Don't work," he told me. "Better call 'em."
So I called the number listed in the paperwork and asked for Steve.
"Which one?" the young man at the other end asked.
"The fast talker," I told him.
"Oh, Steve Jobs. Wait a minute." Steve came on the line, and I told him the keyboard didn't work.
"What kind of keyboard did you use? South West? Nah, they won't work. I'll send a good one and some software tomorrow."
"Wait." I told him I didn't need it Fedex next day_I could wait. Too late, he was gone.
Next day, another C.O.D. for $60 arrived, and a little plug-in circuit board with two chips on it arrived, and a cassette. Fedex collect. Again I called California for Steve.
"Got the keyboard? Good one! I'm going to buy a lot and we will get them cheaper. The little board, oh yes, that's the cassette interface, only two chips, Woz invented it, runs at 1200 baud. Great, you'll love it. the software is the "Game of Life."
All of this in one breath! I hung up.
Dave figured everything out and hooked it all up. It worked just as Steve said it would. The cassette interface was terrific. All the other ones we had ran at 300 baud and had a full board of chips and parts. This interface ran four times as fast and always got a good load. That alone was unusual. The Game of Life was very complex software for that time. It put figures representing cells on the screen. They lived, died, or reproduced, depending on their proximity to other cells, generation after generation. I was impressed. I called Steve and told him.
"Wait, Woz is working on BASIC. We should have it shortly," he said.
I also found out that Woz was his partner, Steve Wozniak, and he was the inventor.
Now it just so happened the New York Chapter of the Association For Computer Machinery (ACM) was holding a dinner meeting, and our store, together with other metropolitan area computer dealers, had been invited to show our equipment. This was a first experience for these big computer people who had little contact with microcomputers. I knew other dealers were planning to bring large, complete computer systems. With the arrival of the Apple 1, I changed my ideas. I asked one of the hangers-on at my store to take the Apple, and mount it, the keyboard, and power transformer into a large attachй case. He did a great job, and I had a portable microcomputer. My wife and I went to the dinner, and all we took was the case, a 9-inch video monitor, and the cassette recorder. We seated ourselves next to the wall, where there were electrical plugs, and I quietly connected everything and loaded The Game of Life. The monitor faced the podium where the chairman was conducting the meeting.
He could not help but notice it. He stopped in his introductions and said, "What in the world is on that tube?"
I answered, "It's the Game of Life running on my computer."
"What computer? I don't see any computer. What are you talking about?" the chairman answered. Now he was really upset!
I got up and said, "My computer is in that case, and I am sorry, but I have it running just for practice. I did not think it would disrupt things here."
"You are telling me that there is a computer in that little case? What kind?" he sputtered.
"It's the Apple," I replied.
"Apple? Never heard of it. Well, turn it off now!"
After the formal part of the meeting, all the computer dealers set up their equipment to demonstrate their products.
I waited until last and got up and said, "I thank all my fellow dealers for showing off their systems because we at Computer Mart sell exactly the same products. However, I have here the future of personal computing. It is called the Apple Computer, and it requires no expensive terminal and no big box of electronics. It's all here in this little attachй case, and I invite you to see and use it."
It was the Apple that caused the greatest excitement of the evening. However, they all asked me to call them when BASIC was available and when the little computer could be expanded. I called Steve Jobs the next day and told him what had happened. He was even more excited than usual and told me Woz was working hard on BASIC, a typical Steve Jobs half-truth.
A week later, I went to a Processor Technology dealer's meeting at Emeryville , California . There were several telephone messages from Steve Jobs to me during the meeting. When I could break away, I called Steve at the number he left. He begged me to come down to Los Gatos to visit him that day. Not having any idea how far it was from Emeryville, I agreed and set off in my rented car. I arrived at the address, which turned out to be his sister's house, and Steve was there with Dan Kottke and another friend. He told me he had great plans, and Apple was going to be a big company. He asked me to invest $10,000, and said he would give me 10% of Apple Computer for my investment.
Looking at this long-haired hippie and his friends, I thought, "You would be the last person in the world I would trust with my ten grand!"
What I said was, "Steve, all my money is invested in my store, but I will help you. I have a double booth at the big computer show in Atlantic City , New Jersey this August. If you come to the show, I will give you free booth space and publicize the Apple computer."
He was somewhat disappointed at my turn-down but quick to take advantage of my offer. Booth space was expensive, and the show was a sell out. "I don't know if we can raise the fare to get to the show, but if we can I'll take you up on your offer. Woz has just finished the Apple II prototype, and he is bringing it over to show you."
When Wozniak came over I was a little more impressed with him than Jobs. He brought a computer board with jumper wires all over and parts hanging off all over the board. This was to be the Apple II! After Woz hooked his haywire rig up to the living room TV, he turned it on, and there on the screen I saw a crude Breakout game in full color! Now I was really amazed. This was much better than the crude color graphics from the Cromemco Dazzler.
After a few minutes Woz turned it off and said, "I am still working on it; everything heats up after a while!"
"How do you like that?" said Jobs, smiling. "We're going to dump the Apple I and only work on the Apple II."
"Steve," I said, "if you do that you will never sell another computer. You promised BASIC for the Apple I, and most dealers haven't sold the boards they bought from you. If you come out with an improved Model II they will be stuck. Put it on the back burner until you deliver on your promises."
I suppose I wasn't much encouragement for the young businessman because I told him things he didn't want to hear, but a week later he called me in New York .
"We have the tickets, and we are coming to the Atlantic City Show. Woz almost has BASIC finished_we will bring it with us. Get me a room at the Hotel."
I called the Shoreham and was told there were no more rooms. So I doubled up two of my people and gave the room to the Apple characters.
On August 26, 1976 , we all went to Atlantic City , New Jersey and the old Shoreham Hotel for what was to be the first national computer show, and the most important. We had our booth set up with our Apple I housed in a case with a monitor inside and the keyboard in front. It was a one-piece masterpiece made by a friend of mine, Mitch Bogdanowitz, who was a great model maker. We called the new desk top computer Eve, because she ate the Apple! Of course we also showed an Imsai, and we expected to receive our first SOL at the show. Half of the booth we saved for the two Steves and their Apple Computers. They showed up later in the day. Steve Jobs and Dan Kottke came into the booth and started to set up signs.
"Woz is in the room finishing BASIC. He's using the hotel T.V." said Jobs.
At this point my mother-in-law came over to Steve. She looked him up and down and said, "Young man, your backside is sticking out of holes in those jeans! You are NOT going to be in my booth like that. Take 'em off and I'll sew them up, now!"
Steve Jobs was more than a little surprised_I don't think anyone had ever spoken to him like that! However, you didn't fool around with Elizabeth Olivet, who was a very formidable Italian grandmother. Steve went behind a curtain, took off his pants, and handed them to her. She took out the sewing kit from her commodious bag and mended the worn jeans until they met her standards of modesty.
All Jobs said was, "Thanks, I think we better get back to the room to see how Woz is doing."
The next day, on August 28th, the show opened. Steve Jobs had several Apple I computers running_the new Apple Basic, and he had one encased in a wooden cabinet that he was really proud of. Their exhibit attracted a lot of attention, as well it should. In this show full of 8080 computers with large cabinets, flashing lights, and colorful switches, the Apple was the lone 6502-based machine. It was a single board, yet it had its own video display and ran full BASIC. In addition it could load from a cassette faster than any other machine there. Nobody who walked anywhere near the booth failed to be buttonholed by Steve Jobs, who told them in no uncertain terms what a great thing the Apple was. He even got press coverage_ no mean feat in a show where the new SOL computer was introduced, where the Altair B dominated the largest booth, and where TDL showed the very first Z-80 CPU for the S-100 bus.
We did not get the new SOL during the show, but one was given to us at the end. When the show closed, the partners went back to California somewhat disappointed because, in spite of all the attention , they had not sold one Apple 1. Neither had I, although I had taken orders for several SOLs and a couple of Imsai systems.
The return from Atlantic City was a great letdown for the partners. Wozniak felt that he should be only working on the color version and that Jobs was keeping him from it. In fact, Woz tried to sell the idea to Processor Technology, maker of the popular SOL computers. They relied on the advice of Lee Felsenstien, who didn't think much of Apple, and turned Woz down. Then Commodore came to Jobs as a result of the Atlantic City Show and wanted to buy the company as an easy entry into the microcomputer business. Jobs asked for $100,000 and fairly big salaries for the partners. Commodore thought the asking price was ridiculous from two young men working out of a garage, and luckily for Apple the deal fell through. They were just about at the end of their resources. The dealers had not re-ordered because the Apple 1 simply did not sell. I had to make mine down below cost to get rid of them.
At this point Jobs decided that they needed help with marketing, advertising, and public relations. Asking around Silicon Valley , he was give the name of Regis McKenna as a top practitioner of these arcane arts. Steve contacted Mc Kenna for an appointment but was shunted to an employee whose job was to screen out people who might waste the company's time. Job's appearance seemed to put him in that category, but when he started to talk he was able to convince the interviewer to pass him along to Regis McKenna himself. Again, in spite of a less than qualified endorsement from Paul Terrell, McKenna saw something in the two partners and their product. He decided to take on Apple as a client.
Because he realized that the first thing Apple needed was more money, he introduced Jobs to Don Valentine, a venture capitalist. Valentine liked the idea but did not invest in Apple himself because he felt it did not offer a big enough market for him. He introduced the partners to Mike Makulla, a man who had made a fortune by investing in the Intel company, and retired at 30. Makulla saw a future in microcomputers and decided to make Apple his venture into the business. He invested money, borrowed more from a bank, and with the two partners formed Apple Computer Company.
Wozniack was a hold out for the longest time because he wanted to keep his job with Hewlett Packard and moonlight with Apple as he had been doing up to that time, but Makulla wanted a 100% commitment from both partners as a condition for his investment. The company was incorporated in January 1977 and bought out the partnership completely. Markulla brought in Michael Scott as President because he felt that neither of the partners had the skills to run a corporation, and he himself did not want to become too deeply involved. Nevertheless, he was the engine that turned a garage workshop company into a major computer corporation.
I spent the year after the Atlantic City show selling SOL computers, SWTPC computers, and developing a dealership in Alpha Micro Time Sharing computers. However, when Apple II's started to arrive they slowly built into our major line, displacing the SOL and SWTPC 6800's. The Apple II changed the entire business. No longer did solder wielding techies hang out at our store_the Apples came completely built and ready to run. The Apple disk system was priced within everyone's price range, and soon there was a lot of very useful software for it, lead by Visicalc, the most important program. Businessmen would come into the store to buy "A Visicalc Machine" and that's all they used it for. In the Apple II users, we saw a different type of enthusiast. The Apple users did not mix very well with the S-100 users, just as there is a division between the Mac users and the MS-DOS users today. In New York City, The Big Apple Club was formed just for Apple owners and met at our store. The Apple users were much more oriented toward software and graphic applications. They were more interested in what a computer did then how it did it.
Being the major Apple dealer in New York brought us a lot of business and growth, but then trouble struck The Computer Mart of New York. I had signed a very large purchase order with Apple, and I distributed the extra computers to several other Computer Mart stores, with whom I was loosely allied. We all got a good volume price from Apple, who only had to deal with me instead of five other stores. I marked the machines up 5%, for my trouble and expenses in distributing them.
This worked well for all until Apple decided to open a distribution center in Boston under control of my old competitor and friend, Dick Brown. My contract was canceled, and I was told to buy through Dick Brown. This would work no hardship on me, but my fellow Computer Mart owners in Boston, Vermont, and New Hampshire were in direct competition with Dick Brown's Computer Store, and they did not trust him to deal fairly with them. This was particularly important because there was an acute shortage of Apple disk drives, and people would buy only if they could get a disk drive. Instead of signing with Brown immediately, I tried to reach Steve Jobs to make some other arrangement to get our computers. Not only did he refuse to talk to me, but all my computer shipments were stopped.
Finally I decided my friends would have to shift for themselves, and I signed with Brown. It took some time for me to get my orders back into the pipeline, and I lost a lot of sales to other dealers in the New York area. This loss of business, coupled with the closing of Processor Technology, finally did in my business in 1979, and I left the retail computer store.
People who have read my articles often ask me if I regret refusing Steve Jobs the $10,000 investment for 10% of Apple, which is now a multi-billion dollar business.
I always answer, "No, I did not lie to Steve Jobs. Every cent I had was invested in my own store. I tried to help him in every way I could, but when I needed him he turned his back on me."
I did not see Steve Jobs for a few years after the store closed, but I heard plenty about him. Then one day my wife Dede and I were crossing Central Park West after a walk in the park. As we emerged near the Tavern On The Green we saw a party of young men and women heading for the Tavern.
All of a sudden my wife stopped and exclaimed, "My God! Steve Jobs in a three-piece suit!"
He looked at her and smiled, the very picture of sartorial perfection. "Hello, Dede, you sure know how to humble a fellow."