Apple Lisa with Asset tags

[Mikemike690]

Hi everyone, I've had these Lisas for a while, since about November. I was wondering if anyone knew anything about the asset tags? From some research I've only been able to find one other machine which is this one http://www.qatest.com/AppleLisa/Apple_Lisa.htm

 

[james_w]

Wow nice!

 

[Carboy7]

Could it be a pre-production or a developer's machine?

 

[Mikemike690]

Could it be a pre-production or a developer's machine?

They could, would there be anyway to tell? The only hints are that the codes on the tags are two numbers off and that they are built right after each other, according to the sticker underneath

 

[belgaonkar]

They could have just been used at Apple as normal work machines. Does the LoBo have hand written info on it? Does the machine have a serial number on the back?

 

[Carboy7]

Check the serial number if it's there.

 

[Mikemike690]

They could have just been used at Apple as normal work machines. Does the LoBo have hand written info on it? Does the machine have a serial number on the back?

Do you mean like the CPU and IO board etc in the back? If so no they look standard, although I haven't seen a Lisa up close before, these are my first.

Check the serial number if it's there.

Yup the serial number looks normal but as above I haven't seen one up close before, do you want me to post a pic?

 

[fri0701]

I also happen to have a Lisa with a property tag, like yours. Mine is #A0613, and was given to me by an old Apple programmer who (he thinks) used it to program Macintosh software (it's been a while). It's a Lisa 2. I believe these were just normal production machines used for development or use within Apple, so they put asset tags on them.

 

[Mikemike690]

I also happen to have a Lisa with a property tag, like yours. Mine is #A0613, and was given to me by an old Apple programmer who (he thinks) used it to program Macintosh software (it's been a while). It's a Lisa 2. I believe these were just normal production machines used for development or use within Apple, so they put asset tags on them.

Awesome! Both of mine are 2/10s they both came with the screen mod but I don't think it was original since they were made around about Q3 '84, I forgot to say that mine actually don't have the "Property of Apple Computer" labels, they just have the metal plaque-like tag

 

[fri0701]

Nice! Mine has both labels; the metal one on mine is #12810.

 

[Mikemike690]

Nice! Mine has both labels; the metal one on mine is #12810.

Mines a way off with 90117 and I think the other one is either 90119 or 90117

 

[Cory5412]

In general, a property tag alone won't indicate a prototype. Remember: Apple is a large-ish corporate entity that itself needs tools to do its work. It's not unreasonable to think they might use one of their own products, when it exists, to do that work.

Most likely, if you find an item that has an Apple property tag on it, it was "purchased" by Apple to do some kind of work.

Whether that work was administrative, manual-writing, graphic design, PR, accounting, programming, or whatever, there won't really be a way to tell.

Property tags can be a neat addition to a system though. I have a PowerBook 180 with a Princeton University property tag, an SGI machine with an NIH/Behesda property tag, and a few other things tagged for the local university.