Why Macintosh? complete box set (1997)

One of my Apple collection entries includes a set of books I titled the “Macintosh Advantage Collection (1996)” that contains the following materials:

  • 50 Macintosh Advantages book (1996)
  • Why do People Prefer Macintosh? brochure (1996)
  • Why Macintosh? brochure (1996)

I recently acquired a brown cardboard shipping box measuring 11.5 x 8.75 x 6.5 inches, complete with its original shipping label to its original recipient—a former Apple sales rep. Apparently, the three items I cataloged above are a part of a larger collection for potential Apple customers that was used in late 1990s.

The shipping label refers to this box as Apple part 52241, and based upon the part numbers that follow, this box contains all its original contents. I have listed the part numbers below and matched them to their items. At the end of each part number an asterisk is followed by a number, likely indicating the quantity of each item (all quantities are “1” in this box, except for the 5 Apple logo window clings).

Curiously, two of the VHS video tapes in the box include both the NTSC and PAL formats—an odd choice since, generally, only NTSC was used in the United States.

Part number list and box contents:

  • 52241—Part number for entire box
  • L02206A—6-color Apple logo sticker set
  • L02270A—Apple’s Operating System Strategy, March 1997, VHS tape (NTSC format) L02270APAL—Apple’s Operating System Strategy, March 1997, VHS tape (PAL format)
  • L02222A—Apple and NeXT: Combining unparalleled ease of use with industrial-strength performance, Information About Apple’s OS Strategy, January 1997, 8.5 x 11-inch whitepaper, 4 pages
  • L02181A—Apple Technology Update—Mac OS 7.6, January 1997 VHS tape (NTSC format)
  • L02177A—The 1997 Apple MacAdvocate CD-ROM. (Spring 1997)
  • L01760A—Macintosh or Windows? Spring 1996 VHS tape (NTSC format)
  • L01760APAL—Macintosh or Windows? Spring 1996 VHS tape (PAL format)
  • L01856A—Personal Computer Satisfaction: An Independent Study of People Who use Both Macintosh and Windows 95 Computers (Evans Research Associates) (1996)
  • L01973B—Go figure: A Quick Look at Some Important Apple Facts, 1.97 10-panel, full-color brochure (1997)
  • L01970A—Apple logo window clings (quantity 5)
  • L01667A—Why Macintosh? booklet (1996)
  • L00440C—50 Macintosh Advantages, Why Macintosh computers are better than PCs running Windows 95. 1996, 8.5 x 11-inch booklet
  • L01749A—Why do People Prefer Macintosh? (Why people think Macintosh computers are better than PCs running Windows, in their own words.) April 1996, 8.5 x 11-inch booklet
  • Not listed on box, likely sent with Mac OS 7.6 VHS tape: L02182A—Mac OS 7.6 At a glance tri-fold brochure (2-color)

While the above books are detailed in my previous post, a fascinating new addition to my collection is the seemingly innocuous Apple and NeXT whitepaper. The 4-page document is the first printed source I have seen that describes Apple’s plan to proceed after their acquisition of NeXT. The whitepaper describes the “Rhapsody” project—the operating system that eventually becomes Mac OS X—the basis for the macOS we use today, over 25 years later. The whitepaper includes this description:

“Rhapsody is the code name of the first system software effort planned from the prospective union of Apple and NeXT. Its intent is to extend the existing strengths of both companies to provide a computing environment that is both stronger and more flexible—and, ultimately, better able to meet the needs of our customers.”

This Why Macintosh? complete box set is a fascinating glimpse into Apple’s pre-Internet communications plan with customers at a pivotal time in their history—just after Steve Jobs returned to the company.

Source: Apple

iTunes Apple Store brochure (2003)

This iTunes Apple Store brochure from 2003 announced an iPod giveaway. The cover is bright green with the iconic “silhouette” design featuring a person dancing in black silhouette carrying a white iPod and wearing white Apple wired earbuds. The cover reads:

“iTunes. It’s the world’s best jukebox software. It’s for Mac and Windows. It’s free. And it could win you an iPod.”

The back of the brochure has the headline “iTunes. Ready. Set. Download.” It includes the directions to set up iTunes online, thereby automatically entering to win an “iPod-a-day” until December 23, 2003.

This 1-page brochure measures 4.25 x 8.75 inches.

The new iMac. magazine insert (2002)

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, part of Apple’s print advertising included magazine inserts. These inserts functioned like “mini-magazines” within magazines. These inserts were glued with a pliable rubber cement that could be easily removed.

This 6-page magazine insert was used to introduce the first major iMac redesign. With this transformation, the iMac went from a colorful CRT-based computer to a flat-panel floating over a white half-sphere. The flat-panel display “floated” on an adjustable chrome arm that both tiled and swiveled.

The cover of this insert features a photo of the new iMac and the words, “The new iMac.”

The first 2-page spread had the title “Here we go again.”, described the iMac’s new design and capabilities, and showed its screen-adjusting abilities in a series of side-by-side photos. The second spread focused on the Mac OS X operating system, followed by a spread devoted to iPhoto, a spread about creativity on the Mac, and two pages of “Myths,” followed by “Facts” directed at Windows users who wish to switch to Mac.

The back cover shows a photo of the full iMac system with keyboard, mouse, and external speakers, along with a grid showing the three available configurations of the new iMac.

Folded, the insert measures 7.5 x 10.5 inches.

Product brochures collection (2004)

These product brochures were available in Apple Stores and elsewhere in the early 2000s. They measured 4.25 x 6.5 inches folded, and designs were sometimes stapled and folded out into different layouts. All of these brochures feature a photo of the product on the front panel, information inside, and specifications on the back panel.

iLife ’04 (2004)
This brochure’s cover features five interlocking puzzle pieces—picturing a video camera, headphones, digital camera, MIDI keyboard, and DVD—that represent the iLife suite along with the headline, “Every new Mac comes preloaded with some amazing software. We call it iLife.” The brochure folds out into an 8-up mini-poster that shows an iBook G4 surrounded by items that work with iLife, including a MIDI keyboard, a digital video camera, a digital camera, an iPod, and a stack of DVDs. The headline reads, “iLife ’04. The easiest way to organize, create, and share the things you love.”

Power Mac G5/Apple Displays (2004)
This brochure is two-sided. One side features the Power Mac G5 and the other side features Apple Displays. When opened, the 2-up layout headline reads, “Think fast. Think big.” and a Power Mac G5 is pictured along side a 23-inch Apple Cinema HD Display. Inside, the 4-up horizontal layout shows all available default configurations of Power Mac G5 computers and Apple Cinema Displays.

Product brochures collection (2003)

These product brochures were available in Apple Stores and elsewhere in the early 2000s. They measured 4.25 x 6.5 inches folded, and designs were sometimes stapled and folded out into different layouts. All of these brochures feature a photo of the product on the front panel and specifications on the back panel.

Apple Displays (January 2003)
This stapled Apple Displays brochure features a 3-up fold out section showing three models: 20-inch Apple Cinema Display, 23-inch Apple Cinema HD Display, and 17-inch Apple Studio Display. The next 2-up layout includes:
10 reasons why Apple all-digital LCD displays are clearly superior.
All-digital active-matrix LCD.
Pure digital interface.
Wide viewing angle.
Fast pixel response.
Save on energy bills.
Color fidelity.
Uniform color.
Stable colors.
Easy to calibrate.
Clutter-free.

The final pages include product specifications.

Power Mac G4 (January 2003)
This stapled 8-page brochure features a Power Mac G4 (mirrored drive door) on the cover. The next 2-page spread shows the Power Mac G4 with the door open and the copy:
“Power Mac G4. Super fast. Super affordable. Supercomputer.
The new Power Mac G4 features faster performance, more expansion, and the highly efficient Xserve-based dual processing architecture.”
The center spread features the headline, “The ultimate system for the digital pro.”
The last pages contain Technical Specifications and Power Mac G4 configurations.

iPod+iTunes Mac and Windows (October 2003)
The cover of this brochure is bright yellow and features the iconic “silhouette” iPod imagery—a black silhouette of a person holding a white iPod wearing white earbuds connected by white wires. The opening copy reads:
“iPod and iTunes. Perfect harmony. Together, iPod and iTunes changed the way Mac users listen to music. Now everyone can join the digital music revolution, because iTunes now works on Windows PCs—the same way it does on a Mac. So no matter what computer you use, you can enjoy the most acclaimed portable digital music player and jukebox software ever created. And go anywhere with up to 10,000 songs in your pocket.”
The remainder of the brochure features iPod and iTunes features and specifications.

Power Mac G5 (July 2003)
The Power Mac G5 brochure opens to a 2-up layout with the headline “Power Mac G5 The worlds fastest personal computer.” along with a “hero” photo of the product. The next 4-up horizontal layout features four stunning photographs, each representing one of four disciplines: color graphics, video production, scientific research, and music production. It fully opens to an 8-up mini poster with the headline, “The Power Mac G5. Unprecedented everything.”

Hell froze over. Poster (24 x 36 inches, 2003)

This poster was made available after the Apple event in 2003 when Steve Jobs announced that iTunes would be be available for Windows, making the iPod and iTunes Music Store available to 97% more computer users. As Steve Jobs stood on the stage and made the announcement, the Keynote slide read, “Hell froze over.”

The behind-the-scenes decision was, apparently, a controversial one. Author Max Chafkin wrote that Apple’s Jon Rubinstein said:

“We argued with Steve a bunch [about putting iTunes on Windows], and he said no. Finally, Phil Schiller and I said ‘we’re going to do it.’ And Steve said… ‘do whatever you want. You’re responsible.’ And he stormed out of the room” [expletive removed].

This seemingly innocuous decision may have been the specific catalyst for Windows and other users to get their hands on Apple products—both hardware and software—for the first time. This also may have led to what was later called “ the halo effect” where new Apple users saw how well one product worked, such as the iPod, and it led them to purchase a second product, such as a Mac. Four years after this decision, the iPhone followed, and then the iPad, and Apple eventually became the world’s first trillion-dollar-valued company.

The poster measures 24 x 36 inches and is printed on heavy stock. Just below center in bold Apple Myriad font, the poster reads “Hell froze over.” Below, in smaller gray type, it reads, “Introducing iTunes for Windows. The best Windows app ever written.” At bottom center in the same gray color, there is an Apple logo and the date “October 16, 2003,” the release date of iTunes for Windows. In small type in the lower-right corner running vertically, a text line reads, “©2003 Apple Computer, Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, and iTunes are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. registered in the U.S. and other countries.”

Source: LinkedIn

Mac OS X Server box (2003)

This box is the retail packaging for Mac OS X Server, Version 10.3 Panther. The artwork on the box changed considerably from the previous Jaguar-fur-covered X in Apple Garamond to a new, more blocky serif font with a metallic finish.

This version was released on October 24, 2003, and added LDAP-based Open Directory user and file management.

A new Workgroup Manager application allowed for a vast improvement for configuration. Other network services were added or improved including SNMP, Apache web server, mail server, OpenLDAP, AFP, print server, SMB version 3 (improved Windows compatibility), MySQL (4.0.16), and PHP (4.3.7).

The box indicates that it contains Mac OS X Server v10.3, Admin Tools, Xcode, getting started guide, electronic documentation.

Source: Wikipedia (Panther, Mac OS X Server)

QuickTime 4.1 CD (2000)

This QuickTime 4 CD contains QuickTime 4.1 installers for Macintosh and Windows.

The CD cover states:

  • Install QuickTime 4.1 and experience QuickTime for yourself as you interact with the demo movie included on the CD.
  • Control your media experience with the intuitive QuickTime Player.
  • Open just about any media file you come across.
  • Watch live content over the Internet.
  • Upgrade to QuickTime Pro so you can edit and save your own movies.

QuickTime 4.1 was released on December 17, 1999. The release provided support for files larger than 2.0 GB in Mac OS 9, added variable bit rate (VBR) support for MP3 audio, and removed support for older 68k Macintosh systems.

Source: Wikipedia

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 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