Macintosh History: 1991

After introducing the inexpensive Classic and LC, the workhorse IIsi, and the wicked fast IIfx in 1990, what could Apple do for an encore?

For starters, they could release System 7, the first version of the Mac OS that automatically supported running multiple applications at the same time. (This had been optional under System 6.)

System 7 innovations included color icons, separate folders for control panels and extensions within the System Folder, personal file sharing, virtual memory (which required a 68030), and 32-bit addressing, which broke the 8 MB memory barrier.

At the same time, Apple introduced QuickTime, followed by a scanner and a 21" color monitor in September.

In October, one year after introducing the Classic, LC, and IIsi, Apple rolled out six new models, perhaps their most ambitious product introduction ever.

The New Entry Level

Although the Classic would remain in the line for another year, the Classic II was heir apparent in the compact Mac realm.

Replacing the beloved SE/30, the Classic II initially appeared a worthy successor. It shared the same 16 MHz 68030 processor and 9" b&w screen as the SE/30, but in the more stylish Classic case. (In fact, the Classic II was available as a motherboard upgrade for Classic owners.)

The last Mac designed around that tack-sharp 9" b&w screen was compromised, sharing many of the same compromises as the LC. The worst, especially as far as the performance oriented crow was concerned, were the 16-bit data bus, which was a bottleneck for the 32-bit processor, and the 10 MB memory ceiling.

Those in the know began to hoard SE/30s, which remain popular on the used market to this day.

Still, Apple managed to offer 75% of the performance of the SE/30 for a fraction of the cost of the older model - and it was a real improvement over the 8 MHz Classic with its 4 MB memory ceiling.

The Fourth Generation

The Mac started out with the Motorola 68000 processor, briefly adopted the 68020, but soon replaced it with the 68030. (Exception: the LC, as mention in the 1990 overview.)

But Motorola had introduced the 68040, a more efficient CPU with a built in math unit and a larger data cache. MHz for MHz, the 040 was about two-and-a-half times more powerful than the 68030. Part of this was due to the larger on-chip cache, part to the integrated FPU, but much of it from other improvements in CPU design.

In many ways, the 68040 paralleled the 80486 of the DOS world. Both had larger caches, integrated math sections, and further optimizations over the previous generation CPUs.

Apple embraced the 68040 in the 25 MHz Quadra 700 and Quadra 900, which benchmarked at 2 to 3.5 times the performance of the 25 MHz 68030-based IIci.

There were initial teething problems, as a lot of older programs proved incompatible with the larger caches, the new buffering schemes, and even sometimes the small changes in memory management of the 68040. Most could be addressed by disabling the on-chip cache, but that made the 040 no faster than the 030. And users wanted the new level of performance.

But for sheer power, the Quadras left 1990's wicked fast IIfx in the dust. And they marked the wave of the future - in fact, all 68040-based Macs can run Mac OS 8.1, but it's not supported at all for 68030-based Macs.

Software vendors were quick to release patches or updated versions of their programs, since the Mac power users wanted the full power their Quadras were capable of.

Even today there is a strong community of Quadra users. We're a bit disappointed that Apple has left us behind since Mac OS 8.1, which we also recognize as a lot more operating system than we anticipated when we bought our 68040-based Macs. (If you use a 68040-based Mac, consider joining Quadlist, an email list for hundreds of others in the same boat.)

Really Portable

Okay, in most ways Apple really blew it with the massive Mac Portable. Sure, 5-10 hour battery life was great, but it was huge and heavy.

Apple took the bull by the horns and released three innovative, far more portable models in October 1991. All models shared a radical new design with the keyboard located near the screen and a trackball positioned for easy access. All units also had 1-bit b&w 640 x 400 screens.

The least expensive, actually built by Sony for Apple, was the PowerBook 100. The PB 100 was essentially a size reduced Portable. It used the same 16 MHz 68000 CPU, could be expanded to 8 MB of RAM using pseudostatic RAM, and sported a 1-bit screen. To reduce costs, the screen was smaller and used passive matrix technology. And to reduce size, the floppy was external and the battery only good for about 2 hours of use, but the PB 100 was also one-third the weight of "the incredible bulk."

Unfortunately, this was probably the least popular PowerBook model, and Apple ended up nearly liquidating inventory - at which time everyone suddenly wanted one!

The PowerBook 140 and PowerBook 170 both used the more powerful 68030 CPU. The 140 ran at a pedestrian 16 MHz, providing little benefit over the PB 100, since it was also limited to 8 MB total memory. Yet the 140, like the Portable and 170, had a built in floppy drive, which many users insisted on.

The hot PowerBook was the 170. Running at 25 MHz with a math coprocessor, the 170 was pretty much like having a IIci in the field. Best of all, the active matrix screen on the 170 was the best any laptop offered in 1991.

The PowerBooks shaped all future portables, since the rear-mounted keyboard and trackball (or trackpad) near the front are almost taken for granted today.

But for Apple, it meant Mac users no longer had to buy DOS laptops so they could work in the field. In fact, Apple began to dominate the laptop market.