FileMaker Pro 7 software box (2004)

The FileMaker database application (in various forms) has been owned by Apple since the late 1980s, first as a product in Apple’s “wholly owned subsidiary” Claris, then as a separate company called “FileMaker, Inc.,” and (coming full-circle) in 2019 “FileMaker International Inc.” changed its name back to “Claris” as “Claris International Inc.”

As of 2023, the Claris “About Us” website declares, “Claris is the leader in workplace innovation.” A black Apple logo is displayed prominently on the page with the words “Claris, an Apple company.”

When this software box was produced in 2004, the company was called “FileMaker, Inc.” At version 7, FileMaker Pro was described as:

“the world’s leading workgroup database software, combines legendary ease-of-use with rich new features to help you get organized quickly and painlessly. With FileMaker Pro 7, you can create robust business database solutions in minutes, and instantly share them with your team or your customers over your intranet or the web with legendary Instant Web Publishing. For managing people, projects, processes, and information, FileMaker Pro 7 has everything you need to instantly turn your ideas into productive, creative, and scalable solutions.”

This box contains a Not for Resale FileMaker Pro 7 install CD, the FileMaker Pro 7 User’s Guide, a FileMaker Pro 7 Tutorial, licensing agreements, and various brochures and advertisements for add-on products and services.

The CD installer is part number Z04073-013B.

Source: Claris

Apple Cleaning Cassette (c. 1996)

This Apple Cleaning Cassette was included with Apple Workgroup Server models equipped with a DDS DAT drive. DAT, Digital Audio Tape, was a generic term used for all 4mm audio and data tapes. DDS, or Digital Data Storage, drives could store 2GB–18GB of data on a 4mm tape housed in a mini-cassette (depending upon the version of the DDS and capacity of the tape).

Apple Workgroup Servers that shipped with an optional internal DDS-2 DAT drive included one of these cleaning cassettes. According to Apple’s user manual:

“When you insert the cleaning cassette into the drive, the drive automatically loads it and cleans the heads. When the cleaning process is completed, the drive automatically ejects the cassette. Keep a record of how many times you use the cleaning cassette. After 25 uses, replace it. The interval at which you clean the tape drive depends on how often you use it. In general, if you back up daily, you should clean the drive weekly. If you back up weekly, you should clean the tape drive once a month.”

This quote is sourced from Apple’s User Manual for the Workgroup Server 8550 from 1996.

Sources: Apple, Apple History, 4crawler