The Macintosh was the first computer to successfully commercialise the graphical user interface (GUI) and the mouse. It was a huge shift in the development of human-computer interaction (HCI) – from purpose built machines to stored programs, interaction based on commands, screen forms and menus – and it escalated personal computer use.

According to Terry Oyama, one of the design team: “Steve (Jobs) thought about the Mac as an icon from day one. Even though Steve didn’t draw any lines, his ideas and inspiration make the design what it is. To be honest, we didn’t know what it meant for a computer to be ‘friendly’ until Steve told us.” Apple launched the Mac with a television advertisement aired during the 1984 US Super Bowl.

The GUI became the standard method for delivering applications on Apple and PC platforms (especially after the release of Windows 3 in 1990, which saw the uptake of PCs by government agencies and business organisations). In 1986 when Apple launched Macs with four times more memory (the 512) – enough to run programs like Aldus PageMaker, Adobe Postscript, Microsoft’s Excel and Word for Macintosh and print to the Apple LaserWriter – they became tools for the creative industries.

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