Apple

Makers of the Macintosh line of computers and the Macintosh operating system. Apple was founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, and is one of the most innovative personal computer companies. Creators of "the computer that changed everything," they also manufactured one of the first microcomputers, as well as the earlier Apple I, Apple II, and Lisa computers. These user-friendly, desktop computers made use of a mouse and a visually-oriented GUI (graphical user interface) that made them more appealing to the average computer user than the text-based DOS operating system. Here is where the term drag-and-drop came from: instead of having to type in lines of commands at the C prompt, all you had to do was use your mouse to open and close files and to move them around.

Apple achieved a cult following because people who use Macs feel it is a superior machine and a better operating system than Windows. In fact, after the hype of the Windows 95 launch, many Mac users pointed to plagiarism as Windows looked and operated almost exactly like a Mac (it even had a mouse). This was unheard of for IBM-PC users, who had grown accustomed to the DOS interface, and eventually a paradigm shift occurred, resulting in two camps: designers who use Macs and techies who use Windows-based operating systems (or others).

Known as the first company to bring a user-friendly approach to the personal computer, Apple's innovations include color monitors, built-in networking, plug-and-play expansion, a new expansion bus, QuickTime, integrated television, and more. Apple Computer manufactures all of their own equipment (and does not sublease it out), which means they have control over their manufacturing line (versus other PC makers, such as Dell or Compaq, which build hardware with the Windows operating system and an Intel chip). One early battle for Mac users on the Internet was that most of the new Internet software was initially developed first for Windows users and later for Macs. Apple has proved its worth, however, and even though the company experienced some internal problems along the way, it has revolutionized aspects of the multimedia industry (with QuickTime) and came back into popular demand (with the i-Mac series). Be sure and also read through: FireWire, Mac, Macintosh, QuickTime, Wi-Fi