My belief is that these two CD-ROMs are among the most rare items in my collection. I have been unable to find any information about these CDs through official or unofficial means since I acquired them in 1999.
While unpacking and setting up a large shipment of iMac computers for a school district (iMac G3 266Mhz models in “fruit” colors), these CD-ROMs were left in the trays of two different iMac computers.
Presumably, these were the CDs used on the assembly line to make last-minute changes to the Mac OS before shipment. Also likely, these CDs were probably never meant to leave the factory.
One CD is marked C 1.5 Rework CD 1/04/99 Rev. 4007 born on date 1/25/99. The other is marked Elroy Video Touchup CD 5/13/99 Rev. 2010 born on date 06/11/99.
Incidentally, “Elroy” is one of the codenames used for the original iMac—a likely reference to the character Elroy, the son on the cartoon “The Jetsons.”
AppleCare is Apple’s name for extended warranty and technical support plans for its devices. Apple hardware includes a one-year limited warranty and 90 days of technical support by telephone. The AppleCare extended warranty coverage and technical support extends the length and expands the coverage.
When introduced, AppleCare included this packaged CD containing hardware tests that might be used to help diagnose a problem during phone support. This version is from 2008 and matched the design and size of other boxed software Apple sold at the time.
AppleCare is Apple’s name for extended warranty and technical support plans for its devices. In general, Apple hardware has included a one-year limited warranty and 90 days of technical support by telephone. For an additional cost, AppleCare extended warranty coverage and technical support extends the length and expands the coverage.
When introduced, AppleCare included this packaged CD containing hardware tests that might be used to help diagnose a problem during phone support. This version is from 2002 and matched the design of other boxed software Apple sold at the time.
My collection of Apple CD and DVD media includes operating systems, applications, software collections that shipped with devices, promotional media, diagnostic tools, and educational content. In general, Apple-branded CD or DVD examples in original packaging have been presented separately, while single discs or collections of discs are presented chronologically.
AppleShare IP 5.0 (Version 5.0.2, Z97073-108A, 1997)
AppleShare IP 5.0 Companion CD (Version 5.0, Z96073-104A, 1997)
AppleShare IP 5.0 CD (bundle, 1997)
Mac OS 7.6 (Version 7.6, Z97073-038A, 1997)
AppleShare IP 5.0 (Version 5.0.1, Z96073-103B, 1997)
Apple Network Administrator Toolkit 2.0 (U96073-026B, 1997)
Mac OS 8 Tour (Mac OS 8 Demo Tour)
Mac OS 8, What a difference 8 makes. Version 8.0, Not for resale
In 1997 Macintosh computer system software was able to fit on a single CD. For Macintosh computers, Apple used a standard white CD envelope with a white cloth-like back and a clear plastic front. Since Macintosh servers required several CDs, Apple used a clear plastic CD book with space for a thin, square book at the front and pages with white backs and clear plastic covers. Each page held a single CD. The design of Apple CDs began to change in 1997 from the older black and silver design (with red accents) to a design with a single background color, black or white text, and with some CDs using few additional accent colors.
My collection of Apple CD and DVD media includes operating systems, applications, software collections that shipped with devices, promotional media, diagnostic tools, and educational content. In general, Apple-branded CD or DVD examples in original packaging have been presented separately, while single discs or collections of discs are presented chronologically.
Apple CDs from 1998 include:
Mac OS 8 (Version 8.1, 691-1912-A, U97073-121A, 1998)
FileMaker Home Page 3.0 (Web site design software, U98073-029C, 1997–1998)
WebObjects 4.0 Developer For Windows NT (1988–Version 4.0.1, Z691-2252-A, 1998)
Power Macintosh G3 For all-in-one computers (SSW 8.1, CD Version 1.0, 691-1802-A, 1998)
Power Macintosh G3 For all-in-one computers (SSW 8.1, CD Version 1.1, 691-2043-A, 1998)
Power Macintosh G3 Minitower and Desktop Computers (SSW 8.5, CD Version 1.0, 691-2121-A, 1998)
Mac OS 8.5 (Version 8.5, 691-2157-A, 1998)
Mac OS 8.5 (Version 8.5, 691-2017-A, 1998)
iMac bundle, including iMac Software Restore (SSW Version 8.1, CD Version 1.0, 691-2044-A, 1998)
When the original iMac was released in 1998, Apple changed the CD packaging to a book style. The CD book had cardboard front and back covers in bright yellow. The general software license was printed on the inside covers (in the Apple Garamond font), and the Apple CDs inside were bright orange in white CD sleeves with a clear vinyl front. In addition to the Apple CDs, various bundled software was also included such as a Willams-Sonoma cookbook and Quicken.
My collection of Apple CD and DVD media includes operating systems, applications, software collections that shipped with devices, promotional media, diagnostic tools, and educational content. In general, Apple-branded CD or DVD examples in original packaging have been presented separately, while single discs or collections of discs are presented chronologically.
Apple CD from 1994:
Apple Macintosh CD, Macintosh LC 575 (SSW Version 7.5, CD Version 1.0, 691-0305 A, 1994)
The Macintosh Server G3/300 Minitower was released in 1998 as the final beige tower design by Apple. This G3 Server used a 300 MHz PowerPC 750 G3 processor, a single 4.0 GB SCSI hard drive (with space for a second drive), and a 24x CD-ROM drive.
This minitower also contained a “Whisper personality card” that added audio input and output ports. According to LowEndMac, Apple had planned various “personality cards,” but only audio (“Whisper”), audio/video (“Wings”), and audio/video/DVD playback (“Bordeaux”) were ever produced.
The case design of this minitower includes a removable side panel and two internal tabs that, when released, allow the entire tower to tilt 90 degrees on a hinge allowing easy access to all internal components. Interestingly, the side door panel latch and internal tabs are made from translucent blue-green plastic, a design aesthetic that would soon become the Mac design norm that same year when the original iMac was released.
Ports on this computer include SCSI; ADB (Apple Desktop Bus); Ethernet (10-100); Mac serial and printer ports; Apple Video (DB-15), line-out and microphone 3.5 mm jacks. Three card slots are available: the first is empty, but ready for a high-speed SCSI port; the second slot has a second high-speed ethernet port; and the third slot adds two USB ports.
The exact factory configuration of the server is shown as: 1MB Cache/128MB/2x4GB UW/CD/10-100 ENET. The model is M4405, and the serial number area specifies a production date of May 27, 1998, at 3:30 PM.
The Power Macintosh G3 was the first new tower desktop to be released after the original iMac in 1998. The iMac at the time was originally released in “Bondi” blue—a translucent blue-green hue reminiscent of the waters off Bondi beach in Australia—that was replaced in 1999 with a brighter translucent set of colors including a shade of blue called “blueberry.” The Power Macintosh G3 was closer in color to the blueberry iMac, but it was not an exact match.
The Power Macintosh G3 was known as the “blue and white” tower. The tower used a translucent white outer case on both sides and featured both a glossy, translucent blue Apple logo and the characters G3 boldy printed under the frosted white translucent plastic to achieve a blurred, shadowy effect.
The front of the Power Macintosh G3 was translucent blue with an underlying pinstripe pattern. The top of the front included spaces for two optical drives. This example includes a CD-ROM and a Zip drive (from the company Iomega). Below the media drives was a speaker, the power button, and two additional smaller buttons—reset and “interrupt” buttons—both used to recover from system-level issues.
The back of the tower included ports, including two FireWire (400) ports, one ADB port, one ethernet port, two USB ports, and side-by-side 3.5 mm microphone (audio-in) and audio-out ports. A space for a modem port is included, but unused in this example. Four slots were also available. This model includes slot 1 with a standard VGA port, slot 2 with AV ports including a DB-15 (“Mac Video”) port, two S-video, and one yellow video-in RCA port. Slots 3 and 4 are unused.
The port choices represent an interesting mix of legacy and brand new technology. While the desktop was the first to include FireWire 400 ports, it also included the then-new USB standard, but curiously included one then-outdated ADB port. The slots below show a similar mix of old and new: VGA and the old-style “Mac Video” DB-15 port. Thus, while the iMac was only looking forward, this tower allowed old and new peripherals to be used.
The right side of the tower included a latch with a circular rubberized grip that allowed the entire side of the tower to be opened on a hinge, revealing and providing relatively easy access to all internal components. Plug-in slots (such as video and memory) were attached to the hinged side, while components such as drives and fans remained attached to the internal metal frame of the tower.
Internally, this Power Macintosh G3 uses a 300 MHz PowerPC 750 G3 processor, 64 MB of RAM, a 6 GB hard drive, a 32X CD-ROM drive, and an ATI Rage graphics card. The hard drive was a faster, server-grade Ultra ATA/33 model when iMac computers of the time included IDE/ATA hard drives.
A highly specious rumor of the time noted that the design of this tower included a Disney reference. When viewed sideways, a Mickey Mouse ears shape can be seen in the negative space between the “bite” in the Apple logo and the inside of the Helvetica Bold “3” in the “G3” logo on the sides of this tower. The conspiracy theory speculated that Disney was contemplating the purchase of Apple.
I used versions of this blue and white tower in two of my educational technology leadership positions. In both cases, I used this tower to create videos and other multimedia using early versions of iMovie and other multimedia creation software.
The PowerBook G3/250 is the first Apple laptop to use the G3 processor. It shipped with a 250 MHz G3 processor; contained 32 MB RAM and 2 MB VRAM; used a 5 GB hard drive; and had an internal 20X tray-loading CD-ROM drive. It included “hot-swappable” drive bays—drives could be swapped while the computer was running without restarting—and dual PC card slots. The display was a 12.1-inch color TFT active-matrix display at 800×600 resolution.
The design of the original PowerBook G3 is nearly identical to the PowerBook 3400 that proceeded it. The laptop included the 3400’s notable four-speaker sound system. It shipped with MacOS 8.0 and could be updated to a maximum of MacOS 9.1. Its average weight was 7.5 pounds.
Because of its G3 (third-generation) PowerPC 750 processor that included a backside level 2 cache, the laptop’s performance exceeded that of some desktop systems at the time. When released, its retail price was $5,700.
Beginning in 1995 with the PowerBook 190 and 5300 models, Apple laptops shipped with an expansion bay for both Apple and third-party drives. The drives were “hot-swappable,” meaning that the user could pull out one drive and replace it with another without restarting the laptop.
This PowerBook 20X CD-ROM Module from 1997 works with PowerBook 1400-series laptops.
