SUCCESS! Mac M0001 on the internet!

[Anonymous Freak]

(Then again, according to your database, I have the oldest known production Macintosh, period...)

I know that you're saying "according to the database", but that's not true if one does not consider just the database, which is rather limited. I recall that some of the original Macintosh team have even earlier Macs with their name on the back.

Correct. That's the reason why I put the disclaimer out there. I'm sure there were earlier produced Macintoshes. (For example, my serial number says it was production number 107 that week, so at earliest, mine was the 107th produced. Assuming Week 52 - 1983 was the first week of production.) Also, as I purchased mine from the original 1984-purchaser, who was not a 'collector', it very possible that there are other similar circumstances of people who aren't collectors, so have never bothered to join any vintage computing forums, who own older ones.

My point is that mine is the oldest known production Macintosh. And I'll proudly trumpet that until someone produces an older one.

(For example, Mac128's database also lists some other 1983 Macintoshes, but they all have 'engineering sample' style serial numbers, not 'production' serial numbers. So I also make sure to say 'production' in my claim as well. I have seen older (engineering sample) Mac 128's in person, even.)

 

[Dog Cow]

My point is that mine is the oldest known production Macintosh. And I'll proudly trumpet that until someone produces an older one.

My point was that we know about presumably older Macintoshes who belong to the team (Hertzfeld, IIRC, still has his today), but are not listed in that database.

 

[Mac128]

Actually, if I recall those Macs were taken directly off the production assembly line and not given to the team until the Mac shipped, which was not until late January. Until confirmed one way or the other, I would not presume that these were taken off the assembly line earlier than they were needed, i.e. unlikely it was over a month earlier. Since they were fully boxed, keep in mind, the software golden masters were not prepared until late January, so while there were several weeks of Macs sitting around, they had yet to be packaged. This doesn't preclude them from being packaged without a complete set of software, but somehow I don't think Jobs would have done that.

Also, I believe the Macs went into production at least by the second week of December. In any event it is unlikely they went into production between Christmas and New Years, because if there were any problems, too many support businesses would not have been available to assist. So logically speaking, the Mac had to go into production at least the week before Christmas, and probably two weeks before for safety due to the holiday, if not earlier.

So Anonymous Freak has properly qualified his assertion of the first production model known.

 

[Dog Cow]

Known to whom? He's got the earliest Mac listed in that database, that's all we know.

 

[Mac128]

Known to anyone confirmed by any source. I don't personally know of any earlier Macs. I'll have to go through the eBay database I am building, but yes. The earliest in the M0001 database. Anybody know of any other earlier sources referenced? I wish Oliver would post his database over at http://myoldmac.net/ as he has racked up an extensive one from people using his serial number decoder.

 

[Anonymous Freak]

Do we know if he's been saving them, or just having them ephemeral as they run through?

Alright, here's my fully qualified claim:

I am the owner of the oldest known to the vintage computer collecting community, operational, production Macintosh.

So: We know there are pre-production ones still in existence (I have seen one,) we know that there were at bare minimum 106 produced before mine (likely more, since, as Mac128 says, it would have been insane to start production the week between Christmas and New Years,) and we can reasonably believe that there are earlier ones still in existence in the hands of people who aren't a part of the "vintage computer collecting community", therefore they have never put their serial number online anywhere. I also added the "operational" descriptor, to be another hurdle to overcome. (Also, as I have said, mine had its motherboard swapped with one of the motherboards that was produced to be either a 128 or a 512 motherboard, one specifically as a 512. That means mine is no longer 'stock', and there are people who assuredly have motherboards older than mine. Everything else in my setup is from late Dec '83 or early Jan '84, though. Mouse, keyboard, keypad, external floppy, and even serial cable.)

 

[Dog Cow]

I am the owner of the oldest known to the vintage computer collecting community, operational, production Macintosh.

Please don't go out of your way to explain yourself to me.

 

[Mac128]

Do we know if he's been saving them, or just having them ephemeral as they run through?

He's been saving them. He uses them to build a database that can distinguish between a 512Ke and a Mac ED for example.

 

[Quadraman]

Would this cable work?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/615942-REG/TecNec_LT_RS_2_3_Rosetta_Stone_LT_RS_2_3_RS_232.html

 

[Anonymous Freak]

Would this cable work?
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/615942-REG/TecNec_LT_RS_2_3_Rosetta_Stone_LT_RS_2_3_RS_232.html

I imagine that should work fine. You *MAY* need a null modem adapter, I'm not sure.

I'm using: Apple "modem cable" (female DE-9 RS-422 to male DB-25 RS-232); female to female DB-25 "gender changer"; "unknown" male DB-25 to male DE-9.

I don't know if the "unknown" cable is really a null cable, or if the gender change is maybe really a null modem also; although that would surprise me, as I have an identical looking one labeled 'null modem' (that is male on one side and female on the other.)