Macintosh Compact Discs for Performa 630CD, 635CD, 638CD (1994)

In the mid-1990s when Apple computers regularly shipped with CD-ROM drives, Apple began to include plastic booklets with both the system software for the computer and a collection of third-party CDs.

This Macintosh Compact Discs book from 1994 is for the Performa 630CD, 635CD, and 638CD. This specific CD book shipped with the Performa 638CD. It contains a CD with the system software for the Performa 630CD, 635CD, and 638CD.

Third-party CDs included the following:

  • The Family Doctor (Creative Multimedia)
  • Wacky Jacks (StarCore)
  • 5 A Day Adventures (Dole Food Company)
  • TIME Almanac (Compact Publishing, Inc.)
  • 3D Atlas (Electronic Arts)

MacBook Air Reinstall Drive (2011)

In 2011 Apple stopped including CD and/or DVD media with devices. Not coincidentally, this was also the same time when Apple stopped including optical drives in their devices. Instead of DVDs, Apple included a custom USB flash drive with Mac OS X and other software installers.

According to Apple’s website:

MacBook Air (Late 2010): Frequently Asked Questions about Software Reinstall Drive

“Your MacBook Air (Late 2010) comes with a USB Software Reinstall Drive that contains a copy of Mac OS X and iLife. If you selected to pre-install iWork at the time purchase, iWork is also included on the MacBook Air Software Reinstall Drive. Use this device instead of DVDs to reinstall your operating system and applications and to run essential applications and utilities. Note: The MacBook Air Software Reinstall Drive is read only. You cannot erase it, reformat it, or reuse it as a general purpose USB storage device. If you try to use the MacBook Air Software Reinstall Drive on a computer other than a MacBook Air (Late 2010), you will be offered two options: ‘Restore from a Time Machine backup’ or ‘Restart the computer’. All menu selections are disabled.”

Source: Apple

MacAdvocate CD-ROM (1997)

The 1997 Apple MacAdvocate CD-ROM is a marketing CD from Apple designed to allow Macintosh fans to convince other computer users to consider buying a Macintosh.

The inside of the CD explains the purpose of the CD:

Are you a MacAdvocate?

Do you plan your winter and fall vacations around the San Francisco and Boston MacWorld shows? Do you find yourself looking at Windows PC users and asking, “Why would they buy one of those without looking at a Mac?”
If you answered yes you probably are a MacAdvocate.
Welcome to the club.
As a fellow MacAdvocate, we want to provide you with the materials you need to win others over to the Macintosh—and the freedom it represents. That’s why we created this CD.
The 1997 MacAdvocate CD features all kinds of tools—such as product sheets, technology showcases, research studies, interactive demos, and system updates—you need to dazzle your friends and help you make the case that Macintosh is, simply put, the best personal computer you can buy. We’ve also included a couple of surprises, just to keep things interesting. So pop this CD into your local Macintosh and have a look. And feel free to give it to any of your Windows friends (yes, it runs on PCs too).
Because, after all, if we don’t show them, who will?

The CD part number is shown as L02177A.

Mac OS X 10.2 box (2002)

Mac OS X Jaguar (version 10.2) was the third major release of Mac OS X, but it was arguably the first version that was intended for a wide audience.

Apple took the opportunity in this release to publicly acknowledge that “Jaguar” was the operating system’s code name and used the name in marketing. Further, the OS release artwork featured a detailed rendering of jaguar skin meant to highlight the enhanced graphics rendering technology built in to the architecture.

Jaguar was a paid upgrade for $129, except Apple offered a “X for Teachers” program that provided the OS for free to educators.

The box refers to the following “Featured technologies:”

  • AppleScript
  • Aqua
  • Bluetooth
  • Darwin
  • Inkwell
  • Java 2 Standard Edition
  • MIDI and multichannel audio
  • Open Directory
  • OpenGL 3D
  • Personal Firewall
  • Personal Printer Sharing
  • Quartz Extreme
  • QuickTime 6
  • Rendezvous

Source: Wikipedia

Mac OS X Server box (unopened, 2001)

This version of Mac OS X Server, Mac OS X Server 10.1, was code named “Puma” and was released on September 25, 2001, just four months after Mac OS X Server 10.0.

This version and its predecessor (v.10.0 “Cheetah”) of Mac OS X Server replaced Mac OS X Server 1.0 and added all the features of Mac OS X to the server product, beginning with the new Aqua user interface. Other significant additions included Apache, PHP, MySQL, Tomcat, WebDAV support, and Macintosh Manager 2.

File services included:

  • Macintosh (AFP over TCP/IP)
  • Windows (Samba; SMB/CIFS)
  • Internet (FTP)
  • UNIX and Linux (NFS)

Internet and web services included:

  • Apache web server
  • QuickTime Streaming Server
  • WebObjects 5 Deployment
  • Mail (SMTP, POP, IMAP)
  • WebDAV
  • SSL
  • PHP
  • MySQL
  • JavaServer pages
  • Java Servelets
  • Caching web proxy

This box is shrink-wrapped and has never been opened. It contains:

  • Mac OS X Server CD (v10.1)
  • Macintosh Manager 2 CD
  • NetBoot CD
  • WebObjects 5 Deployment CD
  • Developer Tools CD
  • Installation Guide and electronic documentation

Source: Wikipedia

Mac OS X box (2001)

This Mac OS X box is the original retail box for the Mac OS X v10.0 operating system. Somewhat ironically, it shipped with a Mac OS 9 CD.

The box lists the Mac OS X Core technologies as:

  • Aqua
  • Darwin
  • Quartz
  • OpenGL 3D
  • QuickTime 5
  • Classic
  • Carbon and Cocoa
  • Java 2 Standard Edition
  • Apple Type Services
  • AppleScript
  • ColorSync
  • Unicode
  • BSD networking

The inside flap of the box offers a less technical version of Mac OS X’s features: “The super-modern operating system that delivers the power of UNIX with the legendary simplicity and elegance of the Macintosh.”

The four key technologies discussed include:

  • Unprecedented Stability and Performance
  • Designed for the Internet Age
  • Killer Graphics
  • Easy Transition

Source: Wikipedia

Mac OS X Server box (1999)

Mac OS X Server 1.0 was released on March 16, 1999, and was based on a combination of NeXT technology and Mac OS 8. Although the appearance of the OS is based on the platinum appearance in Mac OS 8, the software is based on OPENSTEP (NeXTSTEP).

Interestingly, Mac OS X Server was released almost two years before the Mac OS X operating system public beta. I remember it being used in a computer lab at a middle school in the first district where I served as Tech Director. We were testing the new NetBoot server that purportedly allowed multiple computers to boot from a disk image over a local network. It did not work for our purposes.

This is the original Mac OS X Server box that sold at the time for $499.

Source: Wikipedia

Mac OS 9 9.0.4 box (2000)

Mac OS 9 was Apple’s final version of its “Classic” operating system. This iteration, version 9.0.4, was released April 4, 2000, and its changes included “Improved USB and FireWire support and other bug fixes.”

This specific boxed version is a 10-client license and features iTools, Apple’s first suite of online services that would eventually become iCloud.

The box also mentions that Mac OS 9 introduces “more than 50 new features” and includes “nine Internet power tools.” The tools include:

  1. Sherlock 2
  2. Multiple Users
  3. Voiceprint Password
  4. Keychain
  5. Auto Updating
  6. Encryption
  7. File Sharing over the Internet
  8. AppleScript over TCP/IP
  9. Network Browser

Source: Wikipedia

Keynote box (2003)

Keynote was announced by Steve Jobs as an app created for him for his world-renowned presentations. (Previously Jobs had used the application Concurrence by Lighthouse Design.)

This is the box version of Keynote 1.0 from 2003. Keynote was sold as a separate application for about two years until it joined Pages as a part of Apple’s iWork suite of software tools.

In my opinion, Keynote has been far superior to PowerPoint and other presentation applications since its release. Keynote used 3D slide transitions and builds that take full advantage of OpenGL, the graphics system that is part of macOS. Keynote has always perfectly handled imported media since it supports all QuickTime formats available in macOS.

I have been a Keynote user since its beta release in 2003 and have seldom used other presentation formats.

Source: Wikipedia

iWork ’06 box (2006)

iWork is the name of Apple’s productivity suite of software including Keynote, Pages, and Numbers. The first two versions of iWork did not include a spreadsheet option.

iWork was originally referred to as a replacement to AppleWorks, but iWork has never provided a standalone database app and did not include a standalone drawing app (although its draw features are now similar or better than those provided in the AppleWorks Draw component).

As of 2020, at least ten different versions of iWork have been released.

iWork ’05 (released January 2005) included Keynote 2.0 and Pages 1.0. This version was released on CD-ROM.

iWork ’06 (released January 2006) included Keynote 3.0 and Pages 2.0. This version was released on CD-ROM.

iWork ’08 (released August 2007) included Keynote 4.0 and Pages 3.0, and added Numbers 1.0. This version was released on CD-ROM.

iWork ’09 (released January 2009) included Keynote 5.0 and Pages 4.0, and added Numbers 2.0. This version was released on DVD-ROM.

Beginning in 2010 iWork began to be offered for iPad and was released and updated through the Mac App Store.

This is the original box for iWork ’06.

Source: Wikipedia