My First Mac

All Because of an SE

Anne Frederick - 2001.11.13

A loyal Mac user for about ten years now, I am sorry to say that my first computer was a PC. Even though I used only Apples at school (all the way back to the Apple IIs in junior high), my first computer was an old Franklin PC 8000 with no hard drive, two 5-1/4 floppy drives, a Commodore colour monitor, and 2400 baud modem.

My Mac SE was actually quite an upgrade, even without colour. Bought in summer 1992 for $300 from a friend who had dropped out of school, I felt like I had lept into the modern era. Most of the university labs still had SEs at the time, so I was right up there! I plugged away for several years on that fine computer, using it on the Internet with my new speedy 14.4 modem and constantly upgrading to the best new software it could handle. It served me well and, except for the year I had a roommate with a Performa, was the only computer I had in my home until just a few years ago.

In late 1997 I took two big leaps foreward. First, I bought an Apple Workgroup Server 8150/110 with a dead power supply from a friend, and then my mom found me a Performa 5200 at a garage sale for $45. Since then I have built quite the collection. My 8500/120 cost half what that hardy little SE did. I also have a Quadra 950, an LC III, a IIsi, two more SEs, and a husband who thinks I'm wacko! Not to mention various parts (memo to self-avoid University auctions).

This little "hobby" of mine - my addiction to vintage Macs - is starting to turn into a home business of sorts. Many of my friends are aquiring older Macs, and turning to the self-taught Mac Lady to show them the ropes, do repairs, etc.

All this started by my little SE, which still works and is soon to become a voice-mail system/electronic recipe book in my kitchen.