December 17, 1992: AppleLink Goes to AOL

Not many people remember AppleLink-Personal Edition, a modem-based service wherein Apple II users could access Apple resources. The reason so few remember the service is because after Apple announced the service at AppleFest, it withdrew its support of the service.

By way of compensation for developing the service, Quantum Computing, was allowed to use the software developed for the service (development paid for by Apple) sans the Apple logo.

After killing the personal edition of AppleLink, Apple wanted to save money on the version of AppleLink used by Mac dealers. The company decided that a new service was in order, one that would service the dealers and attract paying customers. To this end, the company decided to go with Quantum Computers again. In the interim, Quantum had changed the company’s name to America Online and was making extensive use of the software developed at Apple’s expense. Apple agreed to pay royalties and to use the nascent company’s services, thereby giving AOL both funding and visibility, this month in 1992.