Open Apple no more

I still miss the little happy mac at start up.

It looks like we slowly turn into some wierd kind of unholy microsoft users, first all those pop up messages "are you sure you want to quit?" (yes I'm not stupid thanks) and now the apple key.
We're doomed... I WANT MY  BACK!!

#48 - I don't think any Mac Plus keyboard had an Apple key on it. Certainly my two Plus keyboards don't. Just the same as they don't have Control or Escape keys either - because those are all Apple II keys.

As mentioned previously, the symbols first appeared on the ADB keyboards in 1986, because they were for use with the Apple IIGS as well as the Mac. I think this was also valid for ADB Macs with Apple II emulation cards in them. The Mac Plus used its own keyboard with an RJ11 plug (the last Mac to do so), so it didn't need the other keys or symbols.

The "Apple" key has always been "Command" in the context of the Mac. The "Apple" symbol was never meant for it, even if people adopted it as such.

I'm surprised they kept the open apple on any USB keyboard. As stated above, the ADB keyboard was first seen with the IIGS in September 1986 and later on the Mac SE and II in March 1987. The IIGS was the only Apple II to use ADB and it should be noted that the option key took the place of closed apple on that model.

USB has never been adapted to work on an Apple II but I think Apple left the open apple on the keyboards to ease in users who took to calling the command key the open apple key. Just as Lenovo phased out the IBM name, Apple has now phased out the Apple key, a leftover relic of the Apple II line that somehow survived 15 years after the demise of the IIGS.

I'll miss the Apple key because it helped make things a little easier when training people (saying "Apple + C" instead of "Command + C." Also, it's use was much better integrated into the OS than the Windows key.

I can see why Apple would make this move. IIRC, Jobs didn't care for the Apple key to begin with. It makes sense to ditch and spell out what the key does -- "command."

Oops -- I should've seen the directions for adding a URL.

The right-hand key was called Solid-Apple (not Closed-Apple). I remember it fondly from my //c and the Beagle Bros' MacroWorks (or Macroworks?) program, which gave the key a life of its own.

Here's an example of Apple documentation using the term Solid-Apple: < ahref="http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=1567&coll=ap">Changes in Word Juggler for Apple II.

Open-Apple was also the name of a great Apple II newsletter by Tom Weishaar. The name was changed to A2-Central to avoid legal problems.

The open and closed apple modifier keys first appeared on the Apple ///. I know because I did a lot of programming for that well-designed but unfortunate computer. The original Apple ][ was made from a stock keyboard, at least originally, and did not have the apple keys. They later appeared on the Apple IIe and the IIc and subsequently morphed into the apple-command and option keys on the Mac.

so sad. I didn't mind the intel switch at all. loved the switch to OS X. have supported so many "changes" and this is the first that just, well, I can't say "Open Apple" anymore. It's the end of an epoch.

Here's the email I sent to Bob S., since his comment makes it sound a little odd:

Correct me if I am wrong, but the Open Apple key appeared first on the Apple lle in 1983. Does that not count as 'old time Mac users'? Or did you just want to call me lazy and insult my writing skills? Just curious.

Thanks for reading,
Scott

Bob, you never replied but perhaps you would like to in the comments here.