Macintosh Turns Fifteen

The following was an internal company memo sent to all Apple Computer employees on January 24, 1999:

Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 19:49:05 -0800 (PST)
From: Steve Jobs
Subject: Macintosh Turns Fifteen

Fifteen years ago today, on January 24, 1984, Apple launched the first Macintosh at Flint Center in Cupertino, California. Its revolutionary ease of use made computing accessible to "the rest of us", and its infusion of graphics and typography placed the Macintosh at the intersection of computer science and liberal arts. The Macintosh went on to become the second revolution in personal computing (the Apple II was the first), and its revolutionary ideas and benefits spread beyond Apple -- they have changed the face of an entire industry and touched hundreds of millions of people around the globe. Apple has a lot to be proud of here.

While I am not normally one to look back, today is a good day to remember Apple's legacy, which is to bridge the gap between sophisticated technology and "the rest of us" who make up most of humanity. Its our job to make complex technology easy to use and fun to use. The need for this bridge is even greater today than it was in 1984 when the Macintosh debuted. Back then, users didn't have to deal with the complexities of connecting to networks and the Internet, setting up email, managing device drivers and init files, and all of the other things that drive today's computer users mad.

The computer world shows no signs of getting simpler as we enter the coming century. And no other company has yet taken Apple's place as the bridge builder. As we return to our roots and once again begin delivering simpler and better ways to use computers, Apple's future looks both bright and secure.

Its been an amazing journey so far, yet we have barely begun.