Macintosh Computer Day

January 24 every year is Macintosh Computer Day. On this day in 1984, the first Macintosh computer, the forerunner of today's Apple computers or "Macs" as they are affectionately called, is introduced to the consumer market.

History of Macintosh Computer Day

The first Macintosh made its big debut in the Superbowl, with an iconic trailer from director Ridley Scott, about Alien and the famous Bladerunner. It depicts a gray dystopian world in which everyone is controlled by the state, a direct homage to George Orwell's beloved 1984 novel.

The Macintosh was there to free humanity from mind control and usher in a new era of freedom and creativity. Looking back, it doesn't seem like much with the two programs MacWrite and MacPaint. But this is the beginning of a company that has defined and continues to redefine not only technology but also culture itself.

The first Mac computer went on sale on January 24, 1984. The 128K Macintosh wasn't much by today's standards, but in those days it was one of the best computers in the world. Of course, selling this computer is just the beginning for Apple as a company and the Macintosh line. It also led to a lot of technology that we take for granted these days, such as smartphones, so it's an occasion well worth celebrating!

What are Mac computers like?

What are Macs like today? They are definitely better than anything on the PC market. Microsoft is aging, and the Windows platform is getting old, just like the Mac platform did in the 90s. Macs today are powerful, sleek, and quite versatile. Mac OS X is unlike any Macintosh before it, it's solidly Unix-based. Mac OS X is a solid platform in terms of security and stability. It is also easy for us to use. Even the old Mac OS X Tiger put the new Vista to shame. Why? There are many features in Vista that our Mac users have enjoyed since 2005, such as instant search on the desktop (called Spotlight), Widgets (which Vista calls "Gadgets") ") and Exposé, which was poorly implemented in Vista as "Flip 3D". When I say Mac OS X is lightweight, I mean it performs better than Windows Vista, even on machines with the same configuration. The old argument that Macs lack software is quickly becoming a thing of the past. There's software for everything, you won't find it at Wal-Mart. There is a lot of great open source software that has been ported to Mac OS X, thanks to its close relationship with other Unix platforms. Overall, Macs are really great machines. It's hard for me to explain it all here. If you want to know how Macs today compare to today's PCs, visit your local Apple Store. They'll be happy to show you what makes a Mac a Mac, and believe me, there's a lot of it. When my friends buy a Mac, I often sit with them for hours showing them all the amazing things they can do, but I can barely scratch the surface. You might think about buying a new PC. After all, Macs are pretty good value these days, especially when you have to buy a $1,500 PC to get any performance out of Windows Vista. Also, today's Macs have Intel processors. What does that mean? Macs can run Windows. Apple has a free utility called BootCamp that allows you to dual-boot your new Intel Mac with Windows XP or Vista. Why buy a PC when you can have both? If you have any Macintosh-specific questions, just send me a message. I am happy to help.

Like I said, this whole lack of software argument is quickly becoming a thing of the past, especially when you take into account that Macs can run Windows natively, meaning you can run just about any PC app like it on any other PC.

After reading your additional details, I truly believe you will like the Mac. Surfing the web is easy with Safari RSS. Playing web-based games is not a problem at all. You will love the intuitive interface in iTunes. Easily send IMs with iChat or Adium X. iChat is compatible with AOL IM, while Adium X supports all major IM services, including AOL IM, Yahoo and MSN, among many more. If you don't like buying software, you'll really like the Mac, as there are plenty of open source applications, such as NeoOffice and The GIMP. Watch video? Easily. You can watch DVDs with the built-in DVD player, or watch videos downloaded from the web using QuickTime. Even Windows Media will play with Flip4Mac in QuickTime and it's free.

How to celebrate Macintosh Computer Day

On Macintosh computer day, we celebrate the innovation, skill, and can-do spirit that have shaped the future of computing. We take note of Apple's history. Back in 1984, its creators with the leadership of Steve Jobs introduced the first Macintosh computer, known today as Apple or Mac to the world that would never be the same.