Imagine you’ve stumbled upon thousands of rare computers, overlooked by time yet still fully functional. What would you do? Bob Cook, a savvy Apple enthusiast and businessman, took a chance on this very scenario. He purchased 7,000 units of the Apple Lisa, a now-obscure model that had once been a failure for Apple, with plans to restore and resell them. But in a shocking twist, Apple decided to intervene, leading to the complete destruction of these rare machines. So, what happened?
In 1983, Apple introduced the Lisa, an ambitious computer equipped with a graphical user interface and a mouse—features that were ahead of their time. Unfortunately, the Lisa’s debut was anything but successful. Despite its groundbreaking design, the machine had significant technical issues, including overheating problems due to its compact design, which led to frequent crashes. Moreover, its hefty price tag of $9,995 (around $30,000 in today’s dollars) made it inaccessible to most consumers. During this time, IBM’s PC 5150, powered by the Intel 8088 processor, began to set the stage for modern computing, leaving the Lisa in its shadow.
The failure of the Lisa prompted Apple to pivot quickly. By 1984, the company had shifted its focus to the Macintosh, a more refined product that would eventually dominate the market. But the question remained: what should Apple do with the thousands of Lisa units still clogging up their warehouses?
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