On this day in 1977 the original Apple II computer went on sale. The Apple II was the world’s first highly successful, mass-produced, “practical” personal computer. It was designed primarily by Steve Wozniak, with assistance from Steve Jobs and Rod Holt. The Apple II featured an integrated keyboard, built-in BASIC programming languages, expandable memory, a sound card, expansion slots and a monitor capable of color graphics. To include so many features in one small unit was highly innovative, and the reason why the Apple II is considered the first practical personal computer.

I still have my Apple II+. I haven’t turned it on for decades and wonder it if still works with all the floppy disks I’ve saved!
What memories!
I used Apple ][, Apple //e and Apple //c for many years not only for home use but as an office computer. In those days a computer network consisted of 5.25″ floppy disks and a walk from one Apple to another. The “other” Apple is probably the one that had a printer connected to it.
They were also used in tertiary education physics and chemistry laboratories.
This was an amazing machine. It is a pity that today’s PC’s cannot match what the Apple could do.
They were really great machines to use at the time, with an open architecture and all. I bought an Apple IIe in 1983, the third (and last) in the II line. I still have it.
For some time I controlled lights and appliances at home using an interface card I built and installed inside of my IIe. Another card had a Z80 chip; you could then use either Apple’s or CP/M OSs.
Thanks for bringing up good memories.
Yep that’s it – Very Noisy Disk Drives – Clackity- Clack – CLACK
Along with an MX Dot Matrix Printer and stand it cost over $3,000.00
Nonetheless I ran a highly successful marketing office with it and would not have succeeded without it.
It never, ever game me the feed back crap of Windows.
Calling this the first “practical” personal computer does a huge disservice to MITS and the Altair 8800. The Altair came out in 1975, and while it started out as a kit machine, it grew quickly with all kinds of expansions.
The S-100 bus, created by MITS, was eventually used in all kinds of computers through the late 70s and early 80s, and CP/M (the first popular microcomputer operating system), was available on a huge array of computers – including the Altair.
I don’t discount the contributions Apple has made to personal computing, but give Altair its due as the first real PC.
Still have my Apple /// with Apple //e plugin circuit board.
Would love to have an Apple /// again 🙂
I have seen all the Apple models and used most of them. Still have a few in storage.
There is need, maybe even a demand, for a basic & its interpreter for modern windows. It enabled many of us to programme & progress. So sadly missed….
Our school purchased these in 1977 when I was in 4th grade!!!!! Was waaaaay too fun to have in the classroom … most exciting addition … way more cool than the hamster 🙂
We also had an Apple IIe and an Apple 2c. Real shame that the 2c couldn’t be battery powered.
It was a real gem and the one my younger daughter “cut her teeth on” to learn about computer uses.
I completed a Mater’s Degree in Educational Uses of Computers in 1986 and used the Apple 2c as my away from home computer.
There was a culture that went with the Apple ][‘s that was all about writing your own programs and modding your machine. At least the early ones came with two books — one that you used to learn the Apple ][ BASIC programing language and the other that gave a separate page with full information and a photograph of every part from the CPU to the most humble resister. I always thought there was something special about having a machine and knowing who designed it and knowing it was a labor of love. Good times!