The Apple II Age

Nooneys book tracks the pivotal years of the shift toward personal computing, epitomized by the Apple II and sped along by consumer software. . . . [It] tells the story of how computers became irrevocably personal, but whats most striking, revisiting the history of the Apple II, is how much less personalizable our machines have become. * New Yorker * "Nooney makes the heartfelt case that the Apple IIs most compelling story 'isnt found in the feat of its engineering,' or in the personalities of Wozniak and Jobs, 'or the way it set the stage for the companys multibillion-dollar future.' Instead, its about all those brave and curious people, the users, who came 'Not to hack, but to play . . . Not to program, but to print The story of personal computing in the United States is not about the evolution of hackers its about the rise of everyday users.'" * The New Stack * "The Apple II Age is an enjoyable and educational history book from a writer who has no intention to worship at the feet of the people who built the early computer industry and no desire to repeat apocryphal stories of how computers entered our homes and lives. With original research that questions and clarifies popular, long-held assumptions and lore, Nooney has produced a realistic, factual examination that provides unique insight into the era of the Apple II." * Juiced.GS * The Apple II Age is a joy to read and an extraordinary achievement in computer history. A rigorous thinker and a bright and witty writer, Nooney offers a compelling account of the initial attempts to make computers inviting to the public. The Apple II Age, like the old microcomputer itself, is bound to intrigue both experts and newcomers to the subject. * Joanne McNeil, author of 'Lurking: How a Person Became a User' * Nooney complicates and enriches the men-in-garages Silicon Valley mythology we all know by drawing together a rich cast of software visionaries whose creative and entrepreneurial talents gave life to the machine. A magisterial history and a gift to all curious technophiles. * Claire L. Evans, author of 'Broad Band: The Untold Story of the Women Who Made the Internet' * A highly original and insightful book that makes an enormous contribution. Nooney demonstrates how software transformed microcomputing from an arcane hobby into a mass consumer product. * Kevin Driscoll, author of 'The Modem World: A Prehistory of Social Media' * In these pages I found the story of my own coming of age with an Apple II, but it is not a nostalgic or sentimental story about boys and their toys. Instead, the monochrome green glow of the CRT is rendered prismatic through Nooneys rigorous scholarship, painstaking archival research, and always bracing and authentic prose. * Matthew Kirschenbaum, author of 'Track Changes: A Literary History of Word Processing' *

Laine Nooney is assistant professor of media and information industries at New York University. Their research has been featured by outlets such as the Atlantic, Motherboard, and NPR. They live in New York City, where their hobbies include motorcycles, tugboats, and Texas Holdem.

Introduction 1 Prehistories of the Personal 2 Cultivating the Apple II 3 Business: VisiCalc 4 Games: Mystery House 5 Utilities: Locksmith 6 Home: The Print Shop 7 Education: Snooper Troops Inconclusions Epilogue: On the Consignment Floor Acknowledgments A Note on Archives and Sources Notes Bibliography Index