September 27, 1979: $500 Mac? Not Possible

When Jef Raskin first proposed the Macintosh, he envisioned a $500 machine that was so simple it wouldn't require a manual.

Raskin's concept was very interesting; coupled with a low price point and promised ease of use, the thought was that the Macintosh would really be the machine for everyone. Reality was not kind to Raskin's Mac concept, however. When the cost investigation for the machine arrived it concluded that the machine would have to retail somewhere in the $1500 neighborhood.

The high priced reality met the low-cost fantasy this day in 1979.