March 5, 1975: Feel Like Showing Off?

The Apple I launched the empire that became Apple computer. But what inspired the Apple I? Steve Wozniak will tell you that it was his sincere desire to own a computer, but by the time he built the Apple I he had already built several other computers so that reasoning seems a bit questionable.

What really motivated Woz to build the Apple I was a desire to impress other computer geeks. It isn't an unusual motivation. At any particular gathering of like-minded enthusiasts you'll find no shortage of people trying to impress others with their accomplishments in the field. If you attend a DandD convention, for example, you'll find no shortage of pasty basement dwellers regaling others with tales of their uber powered magic users.

The group of enthusiasts who provided Woz with his motivation to build the Apple I were the members of the Homebrew computing club, which held its first meeting on March 5, 1975.