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Want a good laugh? This video clip from a local TV cable show has a rare demonstration of Apple’s 1984 Lisa computer as well as some snazzy 1980s hairstyles. In the video, some guy named Alfred takes the $10,000 Apple Lisa computer for a test drive on live TV. Another funny thing about the video is the TV host. For some reason, she talks like a robot. She’s also wearing a pair of over-sized 1980s eyeglasses that probably have more glass than an automobile windshield.
Warning: There is a very long 5-minute introduction before the Lisa demo. Alfred, the guy giving the demonstration in the video, is now a YouTube director and loves to suck up to his subscribers. He also apologizes for his 1984 haircut, suit and a recent nose surgery. But once the actual demonstration clip starts to play, you will probably enjoy it.
Slow Operating System
If you pay close attention, you will see the cursor switch to the hourglass quite a lot. Every time Alfred opens a window or document, he has to wait several moments for the Lisa to catch up. Back then, computers weren’t as fast as they are today. Good thing Alfred is such a good talker and can fill the time blabbing with the robotic female host.
A Very Expensive Word Processor
Back in 1984, the Apple Lisa sold for $10,000. Very expensive for a clunky word processor. But at the time, the Lisa was state-of-the-art technology. In case you are wondering what that would cost today, here are some inflation calculations:
- 1984: $10,000
- 1995: $14,749
- 2005: $18,714
- 2015: $22,934
Lisa Demo Highlights
Highlights of this Apple Lisa demo include such state-of-the-art innovations as the floppy disk, digital clock, calculator, graphical user interface, icons, pull-down menus, and a rodent input device called a ‘mouse’.
If you want to copy this video off of YouTube and save it on your hard drive, then check out this tutorial: Copy Videos Off YouTube. Enjoy!
