Computers, especially modern systems, are exceptionally complex, and whilst most problems an end-user is likely to see has a rational solution they can try, whether it involves restarting, checking contacts or using a disk-checking system to ensure there are no corrupted files.
However, this was not always the case, and in one very infamous case, users were expected to drop their very expensive computers from half a foot in the air to fix a fundamental hardware problem.
This problem was caused by a range of factors, all leading back to one infamous decision by one of computing’s greatest figures.
By the end of the 1970s, Steve Jobs was one of the great names in computing, having developed with co-founder Steve Wozniak developed the Apple I and Apple II.
The latter in particular became one of the most successful computers ever made by virtue of being one of the first mass-produced colour computers.
However, despite this early success, Apple did not always get it right. The Lisa was a super-ambitious and expensive computer and one of the first with a Graphical User Interface, but it was not functional enough for the price it cost.
The early tablet PC Newton has since become infamous for relying on handwriting recognition that it could barely recognise, and the less said about the Apple Bandai Pippin, the better.
The Apple III, however, was the first big failure of Steve Jobs’ design and management. He demanded the computer had no air vents or fan, which was the standard for computers at the time.
Whilst this would eventually be possible with much later Apple computers such as the iMac or early Macintoshes, the only way to dissipate enough heat in 1980 was to make the case itself of heavy aluminium, which did not effectively radiate the heat away from the machine.
In fact, the computer became so hot that chips would dislodge from the board and floppy disks would melt slightly.
The solution was infamous: tech support advisors were instructed to tell people to lift their $4000 computers six inches above the desk and drop them to try and reseat the chips.
To Apple’s credit, they did offer a “no questions asked” return policy, but when the replacements failed as well, this caused greater problems. Ultimately Apple ended up replacing 14,000 computers having only sold between 65,000 and 75,000.
Add to this the launch of the IBM PC, and the Apple III was doomed from the start, with Mr Jobs later claiming the company lost “infinite, incalculable amounts” on the Apple III, both In terms of actual revenue, an inability to compete with IBM, and huge reputational damage.
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