"Similar to the Porsche": how to create the design of the first Mac
Makradar Technologies / / December 19, 2019
The first Mac computer was released in January 1984 and has taken a special place in history. It was the last computer, which led the creation of Steve Jobs before his departure from Apple in 1985. Written history tells about who and how to develop a design of the Mac first, what a difficult and hard work was done by engineers and specialists.
In March 1981, my experience on the Mac team was only a month. All the staff worked until late at night, so we often went together for dinner. Once again, he returned to Texaco Towers at around 8 pm, I heard a loud voice from Bada office, which was next to mine. Apparently, there was held a very lively discussion.
"It should be different, to be different from all the rest!" - I heard the voice of Steve Jobs before he saw it, went into Bud's office. Steve was standing near our working prototype along with a man whom I did not recognize. It appeared to James Ferris - creative director at Apple. "James helped me to understand what should look like Mac», - explained Jobs.
Conceived by Jef Raskin design at that time meant a horizontally oriented computer-like box lunch, with cover fastened on the keyboard for more convenient transportation, reminiscent Osborne I, which we did not know at the time. But Steve was not a big fan of this appearance and did not take seriously the recommendations of Jeff.
I returned to his office and continued to work on the software code to interface Mac and Lisa, but I could not help overhearing the dispute and Steve James in the next room. For certain reasons we are talking about cars.
"We must use the classic features like a Volkswagen Beetle, that will never go out of fashion," - says Jobs.
"No, it is not, - replied James - lines should be more passionate as Ferrari».
"Definitely not the Ferrari - think Steve was delighted by the comparison with cars - it should be like a Porsche!». Not by chance while Jobs drove a Porsche 928.
Steve put Jerry Menoka position as a leading specialist in industrial design, who created the look of Apple II body, not being at that time an employee of the company. In turn, Jerry hired a talented designer Terry Oyama. He had to help in the implementation of the final appearance of the Macintosh prototype.
A week after a dispute with comparisons car, it was decided to select a vertical orientation to a computer with a display of the drive, rather than beside it. That was enough for Terry has prepared a preliminary draft of a model painted plaster.
The whole team gathered for a demonstration prototype. Steve asked each of us to speak in detail about it. So after all said their word, Jobs has unleashed a stream of criticism on the presented model: "It's too square! We need more curvy shape! The radius of the first chamfer must be more! And I do not like the size of the front panel! "- this was just the beginning.
It is obvious that Jobs knew a lot in the industrial design and was very demanding. In subsequent months, Jerry and Terry prepared several models. Every month there are new prototype, before which places all the previous ones, so that we can notice improvements. One of the most notable elements of steel handles for easy transportation. The fourth model I could barely be distinguished from the third, but Steve continually found reasons to criticize the model and sent back for revision.
At the end of one of the working days Jobs called Jerry and said we have to change everything. On weekend Steve saw the new Cuisinart kitchen appliance and decided that the Mac has to look that way. Terry made another model, according to accepted the new concept, but it has not justified itself. We went back to the old version, losing a week.
After five or six prototypes Steve agreed with the new design. Our team started practicing a new time-consuming engineering work to transform the concept into a real plastic housing. In February 1982, the work on the creation and launch of new buildings has been completed. On this occasion we had a party with champagne, after the creation of the first major component of the Macintosh has been completed!