Macintosh Plus: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Third model of Apple's Macintosh computer line}} |
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{{Mac_specs|Introduced=[[January 16]] [[1986]]|MSRP=2599|CPU=[[Motorola 68000]]| |
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{{about|the Macintosh computer|the electronic musician|Vektroid}} |
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CPUspeed=8 MHz|OS=System 3.0, later 3.2-6.0.x|RAM=1 MB, expandable to 4 MB|RAMtype=150 ns 30-pin SIMM| |
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{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2013}} |
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{{Primary sources|date=May 2023}} |
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The '''Macintosh Plus''' computer was introduced two years after the [[Macintosh 128K|original Macintosh]]. It originally had a beige case, but in [[1987]], the case color was changed to the long-lived "platinum" color. |
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{{Infobox information appliance |
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| name = Macintosh Plus |
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| aka = M0001A |
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| image = Macintosh822014.JPG |
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| alt = Macintosh Plus monitor, keyboard, mouse, and floppy disk in a museum display case |
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| caption = Macintosh Plus at the Museo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología in Spain |
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| manufacturer = [[Apple Inc.|Apple Computer, Inc.]] |
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| family = [[Compact Macintosh]] |
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| releasedate = {{Start date and age|1986|01|16}} |
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| price = {{USD|2599|1986|round=-1}} |
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| discontinued = {{End date and age|1990|10|15}} (production)<br />{{End date and age|1996|09|27}} (operating system updates) |
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| unitssold = |
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| unitsshipped = |
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| os = [[Classic Mac OS|System 3.0]] – [[System 7|7.5.5]] (except 7.5.2) |
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| power = |
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| cpu = [[Motorola 68000]] @ 8 MHz |
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| memory = 1 [[Megabyte|MB]] RAM, expandable to 4 MB |
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| RAMtype = 150 ns 30-pin [[SIMM]] |
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| storage = |
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| display = {{convert|9|in|cm|abbr=on}} monochrome, 512 × 342 |
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| graphics = 72 ppi |
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| sound = |
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| input = |
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| dimensions = Height: {{convert|13.6|in|cm|abbr=on}}<br>Width: {{convert|9.6|in|cm|abbr=on}}<br>Depth: {{convert|10.9|in|cm|abbr=on}} |
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| weight = {{convert|16.5|lb|kg|abbr=on}} |
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| predecessor = [[Macintosh 512K]]<br/>[[Macintosh XL]] |
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| successor = [[Macintosh SE]]<br/>[[Macintosh Classic]]<br>[[Macintosh II]] |
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| related = [[Macintosh 512Ke]]<br>[[Apple IIGS|Apple II{{sc|GS}}]] |
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}} |
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The '''Macintosh Plus''' computer is the third model in the [[Mac (computer)|Macintosh line]], introduced on January 16, 1986, two years after the [[Macintosh 128K|original Macintosh]] and a little more than a year after the [[Macintosh 512K]], with a price tag of US$2,599.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/126692-9/the_25_greatest_pcs_of_all_time.html |title=The 25 Greatest PCs of All Time |magazine=PCWorld |date=2006-08-11 |access-date=2016-05-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080703051524/http://www.pcworld.com/article/126692-9/the_25_greatest_pcs_of_all_time.html|archive-date=2008-07-03|url-status=dead}}</ref> As an evolutionary improvement over the 512K, it shipped with 1 MB of RAM standard, expandable to 4 MB, and an external [[SCSI]] peripheral bus, among smaller improvements. Originally, the computer's case was the same beige color as the original Macintosh, [[Pantone]] 453;<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.landsnail.com/apple/local/design/macintosh.html |title=History of computer design: Apple Macintosh |website=Landsnail.com |date=1998-05-17 |access-date=2016-05-20 |archive-date=July 31, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170731162612/http://www.landsnail.com/apple/local/design/macintosh.html |url-status=live }}</ref> however, in 1987, the case color was changed to the long-lived, warm gray "Platinum" color.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.landsnail.com/apple/local/design/macplus.html |title=History of computer design: Macintosh Plus |website=Landsnail.com |date=1998-05-17 |access-date=2016-05-20 |archive-date=May 14, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170514081851/http://www.landsnail.com/apple/local/design/macplus.html |url-status=live }}</ref> It is the earliest Macintosh model able to run [[Classic_Mac_OS#System_Software_5|System Software 5]], [[System 6]], and [[System 7]], up to System 7.5.5, but not System 7.5.2. |
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==Overview== |
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== Overview == |
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It was the first [[Apple Macintosh|Macintosh]] model to include a [[SCSI]] port, which launched the popularity of external SCSI devices for Macs, including (at that time very expensive) hard disks, tape drives, CD-ROM drives, printers, and even monitors. |
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[[Bruce Webster]] of ''[[Byte (magazine)|BYTE]]'' reported a rumor in December 1985: "Supposedly, Apple will be releasing a Big Mac by the time this column sees print: said Mac will reportedly come with 1 [[megabyte]] of RAM ... the new 128K-byte ROM ... and a double-sided (800K bytes) disk drive, all in the standard Mac box."<ref name="webster198512">{{cite magazine | url=https://archive.org/stream/byte-magazine-1985-12/1985_12_BYTE_10-13_Computer_Conferencing#page/n363/mode/2up | title=Microcomputer Color Graphics-Observations | magazine=[[Byte (magazine)|BYTE]] | date=December 1985 | access-date=28 October 2013 | last=Webster |first=Bruce | volume=10 |issue=13 | pages=405–418}}</ref> Introduced as the Macintosh Plus, it was the first [[Mac (computer)|Macintosh]] model to include a [[SCSI]] port, which launched the popularity of external SCSI devices for Macs, including hard disks, tape drives, CD-ROM drives, printers, [[Zip drive]]s, and even monitors.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Knight|first1=Daniel|title=ScuzzyGraph and ScuzzyGraph II|url=http://lowendmac.com/2013/scuzzygraph-and-scuzzygraph-ii/|website=Low End Mac|access-date=10 July 2015|date=24 March 2013|archive-date=July 11, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150711073521/http://lowendmac.com/2013/scuzzygraph-and-scuzzygraph-ii/|url-status=live}}</ref> The SCSI implementation of the Plus was engineered shortly before the initial SCSI spec was finalized and, as such, is not 100% SCSI-compliant. SCSI ports remained standard equipment for all Macs until the introduction of the [[iMac]] in 1998. |
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The Macintosh Plus was the last classic Mac to have an [[RJ11]] port on the front of the unit for the [[Apple Keyboard#Macintosh Plus Keyboard (M0110A)|keyboard]], as well as the [[DE-9]] connector for the [[Apple Mouse#Macintosh Mouse (M0100)|mouse]]; models released after the Macintosh Plus would use [[Apple Desktop Bus|ADB]] ports. |
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It had a new 3.5" 800K floppy drive, offering double the capacity of that of the previous Macs, with backward compatibility. Like the 400K drive in earlier models, the drive used variable speed [[Group Code Recording|GCR]], making disks written with it incompatible with [[Personal computer|PC]] drives. |
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The Mac Plus was the first Apple computer to utilize user-upgradable [[SIMM]] memory modules instead of single [[Dual_in-line_package|DIP]] DRAM chips. Four SIMM slots were provided and the computer shipped with four 256 KB SIMMs, for 1 MB total RAM. By replacing them with 1 MB SIMMs, it was possible to have 4 MB of RAM. (Although 30-pin SIMMs could support up to 16 MB total RAM, the Mac Plus motherboard had only 22 address lines connected, for a 4 MB maximum.) |
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The Mac Plus was the first of many Macintoshes to use [[SIMM]] modules for its memory. It came standard with 1MB of RAM (four 256K SIMMs) and could be upgraded to 4MB of RAM. It had 128K of ROM on the motherboard, which was double the amount of ROM that was in previous Macs; the new System software and ROMs included routines to support SCSI, the new 800K floppy drive, and, importantly, HFS, the [[Hierarchical File System]], which used a true directory structure on disks. (This as opposed to the earlier MFS, [[Macintosh File System]], which was used on 400K disks, in which all files were stored on the root of the disk, and the folders that the user saw were an illusion maintained at great expense by the Finder. The illusionary folders disappeared when the user rebuilt the Desktop file.) For programmers, the fourth ''[[Inside Macintosh]]'' volume detailed how to utilize the Mac Plus's new System software. |
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It has what was then a new {{frac|3|1|2}}-inch double-sided [[Macintosh External Disk Drive#800K|800 KB floppy drive]], offering double the capacity of [[floppy disk]]s from previous Macs, along with backward compatibility. The drive is controlled by the same [[Disk controller|IWM]] chip as in previous models, implementing [[Zone Bit Recording|variable speed]] [[Group Coded Recording|GCR]]. The drive was still completely incompatible with [[Personal computer|PC]] drives. The 800 KB drive has two read/write heads, enabling it to simultaneously use both sides of the floppy disk and thereby double storage capacity. Like the 400 KB drive before it, a companion [[Macintosh External Disk Drive#Macintosh 800K External Drive|Macintosh 800K External Drive]] was an available option. However, with the increased disk storage capacity combined with 2-4x the available RAM, the external drive was less of a necessity than it had been with the 128K and 512K. |
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[[Image:Macplus.jpg|thumb|180px|Apple Macintosh Plus]] |
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An all-in-one unit, the Plus had a one-bit, 9" black & white display with a resolution of 72 [[pixels per inch|PPI]], which was identical to that of previous Macintosh models. Unlike that of earlier Macs, the Mac Plus's keyboard included a numeric keypad, and, as with previous Macs, it had a one-button mouse and no fan, making it extremely quiet in operation. |
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The Mac Plus has 128 KB of ROM on the motherboard, which is double the amount of ROM in previous Macs; the ROMs included software to support SCSI, the then-new 800 KB floppy drive, and the [[Hierarchical File System (Apple)|Hierarchical File System]] (HFS), which uses a true directory structure on disks (as opposed to the earlier MFS, [[Macintosh File System]] in which all files were stored in a single directory, with one level of pseudo-folders overlaid on them). For programmers, the fourth ''[[Inside Macintosh]]'' volume details how to use HFS and the rest of the Mac Plus's new system software. The Plus still did not include provision for an internal hard drive and it would be over nine months before Apple would offer a SCSI [[Hard Disk 20SC|drive replacement]] for the slow Hard Disk 20. It would be well over a year before Apple would offer the first internal hard disk drive in any Macintosh. |
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The applications [[MacPaint]] and [[MacWrite]] were bundled with the Mac Plus. After August of 1987, [[HyperCard]] and [[MultiFinder]] were also bundled. Third-party software applications available included [[MacDraw]], [[Microsoft Word]], [[Microsoft Excel|Excel]], and [[PowerPoint]], as well as [[Aldus]]'s [[PageMaker]]. This was the introduction of GUI versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint on any PC. |
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A [[compact Macintosh|compact Mac]], the Plus has a {{convert|9|in|cm|adj=on}} 512 × 342 [[pixel]] monochrome display with a resolution of 72 [[pixel density|PPI]], identical to that of previous Macintosh models.<ref name=plus-specs>{{cite web |
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==The Long Life of the Mac Plus== |
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| url = http://support.apple.com/kb/SP190 |
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Although the Mac Plus was made obsolete in March [[1987]] by the new Macintosh series ([[Macintosh SE]] and the [[Macintosh II]]), it remained in production as a cheaper alternative until the introduction of [[Macintosh Classic]] on [[15 October]] [[1990]]. This makes Macintosh Plus the longest lived Macintosh ever produced. The long life of the Mac Plus may also be attributed to the fact that it could run [[System 7 (Macintosh)|System 7]]. In fact, it could run system software through Mac OS 7.5.5! |
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| title = Macintosh Plus: Technical Specifications |
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| publisher = Apple |
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| access-date = March 26, 2021 |
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| archive-date = October 26, 2014 |
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| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141026161117/https://support.apple.com/kb/SP190 |
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| url-status = live |
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}}</ref> Unlike earlier Macs, the Mac Plus's keyboard includes a numeric keypad and directional arrow keys and, as with previous Macs, it has a one-button mouse and no fan, making it extremely quiet in operation. The lack of a cooling fan in the Mac Plus led to frequent problems with overheating and hardware malfunctions. |
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The applications [[MacPaint]] and [[MacWrite]] were bundled with the Mac Plus. After August 1987, [[HyperCard]] and [[MultiFinder]] were also bundled. Third-party software applications available included [[MacDraw]], [[Microsoft Office Word|Microsoft Word]], [[Microsoft Excel|Excel]], and [[Microsoft PowerPoint|PowerPoint]], as well as [[Aldus PageMaker]]. Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint (originally by [[Forethought, Inc.|Forethought]]) were actually developed and released first for the Macintosh, and similarly Microsoft Word 1 for Macintosh was the first time a GUI version of that software was introduced on any personal computer platform. For a time, the exclusive availability of Excel and PageMaker on the Macintosh were noticeable drivers of sales for the platform. |
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For those of you who are nostalgic, there is a program called [[vMac]] that will [[emulate]] a Mac Plus on a variety of platforms, including [[Unix]], [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]], [[DOS]] and [[Mac OS]]. |
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[[File:Apple-Macintosh.jpg|thumb|250px|The Apple Macintosh Plus at the [[Röhsska Museum|Design Museum]] in [[Gothenburg]], [[Sweden]]]] |
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==Trivia== |
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A Mac Plus made an appearance in the [[1986]] [[science fiction]] movie <i>[[Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home]]</i> as a part of what is perhaps one of the more memorable and humorous moments from the movie for both [[Trekkers]] and Mac fans. They were originally going to have a [[Commodore International|Commodore]] [[Amiga]], but Commodore wanted the studio to buy the computer. Apple donated the Mac Plus. |
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The case design is essentially identical to the original [[Macintosh 128K|Macintosh]]. It debuted in beige and was labeled ''Macintosh Plus'' on the front, but ''Macintosh Plus 1 Mb'' on the back, to denote the 1 MB RAM configuration with which it shipped. In January 1987 it transitioned to Apple's long-lived platinum-gray color with the rest of the Apple product line, and the keyboard's keycaps changed from brown to gray. In January 1988, with reduced RAM prices, Apple began shipping 2- and 4- MB configurations and rebranded it simply as "''Macintosh Plus''." Among other design changes, it included the same trademarked inlaid Apple logo and recessed port icons as the [[Apple IIc]] and [[Apple IIGS|IIGS]] before it, but it essentially retained the original design. On the inside of the case, embossed into it, are the signatures of all the people who worked on designing the Mac Plus, including Steve Jobs, Bill Atkinson, Andy Hertzfeld, Bruce Horn, Jef Raskin and the rest of the historic team. |
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In the scene, engineer [[Montgomery Scott|"Scotty"]], having time-travelled to the 1980s from the late 23rd century, plans to use the Mac to generate a formula for a material known as [[transparent aluminum]]. However, he is perplexed by the Mac's lack of voice-controlled operation (A common feature in the futuristic <i>Star Trek</i> universe). After failing to receive a reply by speaking normally to it, Scotty is handed the mouse, at which point he holds it up to his mouth like a microphone and cheerfully says, "Hello computer!" He eventually resorts to using the keyboard, but not until after proclaiming "The keyboard...how quaint!" |
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<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rosen |first1=Adam |title=Signed by Steve Jobs & Co – Signatures Inside the Original Macintosh Case |url=https://www.cultofmac.com/122408/signed-by-steve-jobs-co-signatures-inside-the-original-macintosh-case/ |website=Cult of Mac |access-date=6 October 2022 |archive-date=October 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221006154711/https://www.cultofmac.com/122408/signed-by-steve-jobs-co-signatures-inside-the-original-macintosh-case/ |url-status=live }}</ref> |
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[[File:Macintosh Plus interior 2.jpg|thumb|Inside a Macintosh Plus; the [[cathode-ray tube]] and its associated circuitry on its right side take up a considerable amount of interior space.]] |
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{{Anchor|Upgrades}}An upgrade kit was offered for the earlier [[Macintosh 128K]] and [[Macintosh 512K]]/[[Macintosh 512Ke|''enhanced'']], which includes a new motherboard, floppy disk drive and rear case. The owner retained the front case, monitor and analog board. Because of this, there is no "Macintosh Plus" on the front of upgraded units, and the Apple logo is recessed and in the bottom left hand corner of the front case. However, the label on the back of the case reads "Macintosh Plus 1MB". The new extended Plus keyboard could also be purchased. Unfortunately, this upgrade cost almost as much as a new machine. |
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The Mac Plus itself can be upgraded further with the use of third-party accelerators. When these are clipped or soldered onto the 68000 processor, a 32 MHz 68030 processor can be used, and up to 16 MB RAM.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://lowendmac.com/1986/mac-plus/ |title=Mac Plus |publisher=Low End Mac |access-date=2016-05-20 |archive-date=March 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324010557/http://lowendmac.com/1986/mac-plus/ |url-status=live }}</ref> |
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[[Category:Macintosh computers|Plus]] |
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==Long production life== |
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[[de:Macintosh Plus]] |
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[[File:Macintosh Plus ED logo.png|thumb|The "ED" at the end of the model name indicates that this Macintosh was sold to the educational market.]] |
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[[it:Macintosh Plus]] |
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Although the Macintosh Plus would become overshadowed by two new Macintoshes, the [[Macintosh SE]] and the [[Macintosh II]] in March 1987, it remained in production as a cheaper alternative until the introduction of the [[Macintosh Classic]] on October 15, 1990. This made the Macintosh Plus the longest-produced Macintosh model, having been on sale unchanged for 1,734 days, a record not surpassed until the second-generation [[Mac Pro]] in 2018. It continued to be supported by versions of the [[classic Mac OS]] up to [[System 7 (Macintosh)|version 7.5.5]], released in 1996. Additionally, during its period of general market relevance, it was heavily discounted like the 512K/512K''e'' before it and offered to the educational market badged as the "Macintosh Plus ED".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://appleclub.pl/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/DSCF8798.jpg |title=Picture of "Macintosh Plus ED" front |website=Never trust a computer you can't lift! |access-date=September 6, 2022 |archive-date=September 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220906024502/http://appleclub.pl/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/DSCF8798.jpg |url-status=live }}</ref> Due to its popularity, long life and its introduction of many features that would become mainstays of the Macintosh platform for years, the Plus was a common "base model" for many software and hardware products. |
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==Problems== |
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The lack of fan could cause the life of a Macintosh Plus to end early for some users. As the power supply would heat up, [[solder]] joints inside it would fracture, causing many problems, such as loss of deflection in the monitor or a complete loss of power. As in most early compact Macs, the problem was common in the yoke connector, flyback transformer, and horizontal drive coupling capacitor.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://68kmla.org/files/classicmac2.pdf |title=Classic Mac Repair Notes |website=68kmla.org |access-date=2016-05-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606214301/https://68kmla.org/files/classicmac2.pdf |archive-date=June 6, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> A fan was also often added to reduce heat when the machine was upgraded to its full RAM capacity of 4 MB.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://lowendmac.com/musings/macplus.shtml |title=Still Useful after All These Years -- The Mac Plus |website=Low End Mac |date=16 September 1998 |first=Daniel |last=Knight |access-date=May 7, 2006 |archive-date=June 27, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060627001650/http://lowendmac.com/musings/macplus.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> |
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From the debut of the [[Macintosh 128K]] through the Macintosh Plus, various third-party cooling add-ons were available to help increase airflow through the unit. [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] reorganized the compact Macintosh case to accommodate a fan with the release of the [[Macintosh SE]], which optionally included a heat-generating internal hard disk. |
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===ROM revisions=== |
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The Plus went through two ROM revisions during its general market relevance. The initial ROM was replaced after the first two months as it had a serious bug which prevented the Mac from booting if an external SCSI device was powered off. The second revision fixed a problem with some SCSI devices that could send the Mac into an endless reset at [[Power-on self-test|POST]].<ref>{{cite web|date=July 1, 1987|title=Technical Note DV14: SCSI Bugs|url=https://developer.apple.com/technotes/dv/dv_14.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041029061908/https://developer.apple.com/technotes/dv/dv_14.html|archive-date=2004-10-29|access-date=2016-05-20|website=developer.apple.com}}</ref> |
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==Emulators== |
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*[[Multi Emulator Super System|MESS]] |
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*[[Mini vMac]] - can [[emulator|emulate]] a Mac Plus on a variety of platforms including [[Linux]], [[macOS]], [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]], [[DOS]], [[classic Mac OS]], [[Pocket PC]], [[iOS]], [[Nintendo DS]] and even Texas Instruments' [[TI-Nspire series|TI-Nspire]] graphing calculator line. |
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*[[Spectre GCR]] |
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== Timeline == |
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{{Timeline of compact Macintosh models}} |
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==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
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==External links== |
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{{commons category|Macintosh Plus}} |
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*[https://support.apple.com/kb/SP190 Macintosh Plus technical specifications] at apple.com |
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*[https://archive.org/stream/byte-magazine-1986-06/1986_06_BYTE_11-06_Computers_and_Music#page/n91/mode/2up BYTE takes an early look at the Mac Plus] |
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{{Apple hardware before 1998}} |
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[[Category:Compact Macintosh|Plus]] |
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[[Category:68k Macintosh computers|Plus]] |
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[[Category:Computer-related introductions in 1986]] |
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[[Category:Products and services discontinued in 1990]] |
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[[Category:Products and services discontinued in 1996]] |
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Latest revision as of 03:36, 5 May 2024
 |
 Macintosh Plus at the Museo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología in Spain | |
| Also known as | M0001A |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Apple Computer, Inc. |
| Product family | Compact Macintosh |
| Release date | January 16, 1986 |
| Introductory price | US$2,599 (equivalent to $7,220 in 2023) |
| Discontinued | October 15, 1990 (production) September 27, 1996 (operating system updates) |
| Operating system | System 3.0 – 7.5.5 (except 7.5.2) |
| CPU | Motorola 68000 @ 8 MHz |
| Memory | 1 MB RAM, expandable to 4 MB (150 ns 30-pin SIMM) |
| Display | 9 in (23 cm) monochrome, 512 × 342 |
| Graphics | 72 ppi |
| Dimensions | Height: 13.6 in (35 cm) Width: 9.6 in (24 cm) Depth: 10.9 in (28 cm) |
| Mass | 16.5 lb (7.5 kg) |
| Predecessor | Macintosh 512K Macintosh XL |
| Successor | Macintosh SE Macintosh Classic Macintosh II |
| Related | Macintosh 512Ke Apple IIGS |
The Macintosh Plus computer is the third model in the Macintosh line, introduced on January 16, 1986, two years after the original Macintosh and a little more than a year after the Macintosh 512K, with a price tag of US$2,599.[1] As an evolutionary improvement over the 512K, it shipped with 1 MB of RAM standard, expandable to 4 MB, and an external SCSI peripheral bus, among smaller improvements. Originally, the computer's case was the same beige color as the original Macintosh, Pantone 453;[2] however, in 1987, the case color was changed to the long-lived, warm gray "Platinum" color.[3] It is the earliest Macintosh model able to run System Software 5, System 6, and System 7, up to System 7.5.5, but not System 7.5.2.
Overview
[edit]Bruce Webster of BYTE reported a rumor in December 1985: "Supposedly, Apple will be releasing a Big Mac by the time this column sees print: said Mac will reportedly come with 1 megabyte of RAM ... the new 128K-byte ROM ... and a double-sided (800K bytes) disk drive, all in the standard Mac box."[4] Introduced as the Macintosh Plus, it was the first Macintosh model to include a SCSI port, which launched the popularity of external SCSI devices for Macs, including hard disks, tape drives, CD-ROM drives, printers, Zip drives, and even monitors.[5] The SCSI implementation of the Plus was engineered shortly before the initial SCSI spec was finalized and, as such, is not 100% SCSI-compliant. SCSI ports remained standard equipment for all Macs until the introduction of the iMac in 1998.
The Macintosh Plus was the last classic Mac to have an RJ11 port on the front of the unit for the keyboard, as well as the DE-9 connector for the mouse; models released after the Macintosh Plus would use ADB ports.
The Mac Plus was the first Apple computer to utilize user-upgradable SIMM memory modules instead of single DIP DRAM chips. Four SIMM slots were provided and the computer shipped with four 256 KB SIMMs, for 1 MB total RAM. By replacing them with 1 MB SIMMs, it was possible to have 4 MB of RAM. (Although 30-pin SIMMs could support up to 16 MB total RAM, the Mac Plus motherboard had only 22 address lines connected, for a 4 MB maximum.)
It has what was then a new 3+1⁄2-inch double-sided 800 KB floppy drive, offering double the capacity of floppy disks from previous Macs, along with backward compatibility. The drive is controlled by the same IWM chip as in previous models, implementing variable speed GCR. The drive was still completely incompatible with PC drives. The 800 KB drive has two read/write heads, enabling it to simultaneously use both sides of the floppy disk and thereby double storage capacity. Like the 400 KB drive before it, a companion Macintosh 800K External Drive was an available option. However, with the increased disk storage capacity combined with 2-4x the available RAM, the external drive was less of a necessity than it had been with the 128K and 512K.
The Mac Plus has 128 KB of ROM on the motherboard, which is double the amount of ROM in previous Macs; the ROMs included software to support SCSI, the then-new 800 KB floppy drive, and the Hierarchical File System (HFS), which uses a true directory structure on disks (as opposed to the earlier MFS, Macintosh File System in which all files were stored in a single directory, with one level of pseudo-folders overlaid on them). For programmers, the fourth Inside Macintosh volume details how to use HFS and the rest of the Mac Plus's new system software. The Plus still did not include provision for an internal hard drive and it would be over nine months before Apple would offer a SCSI drive replacement for the slow Hard Disk 20. It would be well over a year before Apple would offer the first internal hard disk drive in any Macintosh.
A compact Mac, the Plus has a 9-inch (23 cm) 512 × 342 pixel monochrome display with a resolution of 72 PPI, identical to that of previous Macintosh models.[6] Unlike earlier Macs, the Mac Plus's keyboard includes a numeric keypad and directional arrow keys and, as with previous Macs, it has a one-button mouse and no fan, making it extremely quiet in operation. The lack of a cooling fan in the Mac Plus led to frequent problems with overheating and hardware malfunctions.
The applications MacPaint and MacWrite were bundled with the Mac Plus. After August 1987, HyperCard and MultiFinder were also bundled. Third-party software applications available included MacDraw, Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, as well as Aldus PageMaker. Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint (originally by Forethought) were actually developed and released first for the Macintosh, and similarly Microsoft Word 1 for Macintosh was the first time a GUI version of that software was introduced on any personal computer platform. For a time, the exclusive availability of Excel and PageMaker on the Macintosh were noticeable drivers of sales for the platform.
The case design is essentially identical to the original Macintosh. It debuted in beige and was labeled Macintosh Plus on the front, but Macintosh Plus 1 Mb on the back, to denote the 1 MB RAM configuration with which it shipped. In January 1987 it transitioned to Apple's long-lived platinum-gray color with the rest of the Apple product line, and the keyboard's keycaps changed from brown to gray. In January 1988, with reduced RAM prices, Apple began shipping 2- and 4- MB configurations and rebranded it simply as "Macintosh Plus." Among other design changes, it included the same trademarked inlaid Apple logo and recessed port icons as the Apple IIc and IIGS before it, but it essentially retained the original design. On the inside of the case, embossed into it, are the signatures of all the people who worked on designing the Mac Plus, including Steve Jobs, Bill Atkinson, Andy Hertzfeld, Bruce Horn, Jef Raskin and the rest of the historic team. [7]
An upgrade kit was offered for the earlier Macintosh 128K and Macintosh 512K/enhanced, which includes a new motherboard, floppy disk drive and rear case. The owner retained the front case, monitor and analog board. Because of this, there is no "Macintosh Plus" on the front of upgraded units, and the Apple logo is recessed and in the bottom left hand corner of the front case. However, the label on the back of the case reads "Macintosh Plus 1MB". The new extended Plus keyboard could also be purchased. Unfortunately, this upgrade cost almost as much as a new machine.
The Mac Plus itself can be upgraded further with the use of third-party accelerators. When these are clipped or soldered onto the 68000 processor, a 32 MHz 68030 processor can be used, and up to 16 MB RAM.[8]
Long production life
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Although the Macintosh Plus would become overshadowed by two new Macintoshes, the Macintosh SE and the Macintosh II in March 1987, it remained in production as a cheaper alternative until the introduction of the Macintosh Classic on October 15, 1990. This made the Macintosh Plus the longest-produced Macintosh model, having been on sale unchanged for 1,734 days, a record not surpassed until the second-generation Mac Pro in 2018. It continued to be supported by versions of the classic Mac OS up to version 7.5.5, released in 1996. Additionally, during its period of general market relevance, it was heavily discounted like the 512K/512Ke before it and offered to the educational market badged as the "Macintosh Plus ED".[9] Due to its popularity, long life and its introduction of many features that would become mainstays of the Macintosh platform for years, the Plus was a common "base model" for many software and hardware products.
Problems
[edit]The lack of fan could cause the life of a Macintosh Plus to end early for some users. As the power supply would heat up, solder joints inside it would fracture, causing many problems, such as loss of deflection in the monitor or a complete loss of power. As in most early compact Macs, the problem was common in the yoke connector, flyback transformer, and horizontal drive coupling capacitor.[10] A fan was also often added to reduce heat when the machine was upgraded to its full RAM capacity of 4 MB.[11]
From the debut of the Macintosh 128K through the Macintosh Plus, various third-party cooling add-ons were available to help increase airflow through the unit. Apple reorganized the compact Macintosh case to accommodate a fan with the release of the Macintosh SE, which optionally included a heat-generating internal hard disk.
ROM revisions
[edit]The Plus went through two ROM revisions during its general market relevance. The initial ROM was replaced after the first two months as it had a serious bug which prevented the Mac from booting if an external SCSI device was powered off. The second revision fixed a problem with some SCSI devices that could send the Mac into an endless reset at POST.[12]
Emulators
[edit]- MESS
- Mini vMac - can emulate a Mac Plus on a variety of platforms including Linux, macOS, Windows, DOS, classic Mac OS, Pocket PC, iOS, Nintendo DS and even Texas Instruments' TI-Nspire graphing calculator line.
- Spectre GCR
Timeline
[edit]| Timeline of Compact Macintosh models |
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References
[edit]- ^ "The 25 Greatest PCs of All Time". PCWorld. August 11, 2006. Archived from the original on July 3, 2008. Retrieved May 20, 2016.
- ^ "History of computer design: Apple Macintosh". Landsnail.com. May 17, 1998. Archived from the original on July 31, 2017. Retrieved May 20, 2016.
- ^ "History of computer design: Macintosh Plus". Landsnail.com. May 17, 1998. Archived from the original on May 14, 2017. Retrieved May 20, 2016.
- ^ Webster, Bruce (December 1985). "Microcomputer Color Graphics-Observations". BYTE. Vol. 10, no. 13. pp. 405–418. Retrieved October 28, 2013.
- ^ Knight, Daniel (March 24, 2013). "ScuzzyGraph and ScuzzyGraph II". Low End Mac. Archived from the original on July 11, 2015. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
- ^ "Macintosh Plus: Technical Specifications". Apple. Archived from the original on October 26, 2014. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
- ^ Rosen, Adam. "Signed by Steve Jobs & Co – Signatures Inside the Original Macintosh Case". Cult of Mac. Archived from the original on October 6, 2022. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
- ^ "Mac Plus". Low End Mac. Archived from the original on March 24, 2018. Retrieved May 20, 2016.
- ^ "Picture of "Macintosh Plus ED" front". Never trust a computer you can't lift!. Archived from the original on September 6, 2022. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
- ^ "Classic Mac Repair Notes" (PDF). 68kmla.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 6, 2014. Retrieved May 20, 2016.
- ^ Knight, Daniel (September 16, 1998). "Still Useful after All These Years -- The Mac Plus". Low End Mac. Archived from the original on June 27, 2006. Retrieved May 7, 2006.
- ^ "Technical Note DV14: SCSI Bugs". developer.apple.com. July 1, 1987. Archived from the original on October 29, 2004. Retrieved May 20, 2016.
External links
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