BOTTOM ROW - Apple II Plus Computer

Apple II Plus Computer, circa 1977

Donor: Sarkozy Bakery/Staff Accession

This computer was used by Sarkozy Bakery, then located at 345 Burdick Street. It was donated to the Museum in the 1980s to be used by staff and volunteers for computing needs. However, it was never used and remained in storage until it was re-discovered in 2000 and deemed appropriate for the Museum’s permanent collection.

The Personal Computer Boom

The Apple II computer (also written as Apple ][) was a significant development in the popularization of computers for small business and personal use. Its predecessor, the Apple I, was introduced in 1976 by computer pioneers Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs. The Apple I was a fully assembled circuit board that required users to add a case, power supply, keyboard, and video display. Only 200 models of the Apple I were built.

A month after releasing the Apple I, Wozniak was working on a design for an improved version, the Apple II. Released to the public in 1979, it ushered in a boom in personal computer sales, pushing Apple into the lead among personal computer makers. The Apple II Plus was an evolutionary enhancement to the Apple II released in 1979, with an introductory price of $1,195 (about $4,400 today). That same year, Software Arts introduced the first computer spreadsheet, VisiCalc (which stands for visible calculator), for the Apple II. This application was extremely popular and fostered further sales.