This is a captivating and well-written account of a little-known piece of Apple’s history! It effectively highlights the stark contrast between Apple’s early practices and its current environmental image.
Here’s a breakdown of what makes this text effective and some potential observations:
Strengths of the Text:
Compelling Narrative: The story of bob Cook and the Lisa computers is inherently interesting. The text builds a clear narrative arc, from the Lisa’s initial failure to Cook’s aspiring project and Apple’s surprising intervention.
Clear Contrast: The juxtaposition of the Lisa’s fate with Apple’s modern environmental initiatives is a powerful point. It effectively illustrates how much the company’s priorities and public image have shifted.
Concise Description of the Lisa’s Failure: The text quickly establishes why the Lisa was a commercial failure (high price, competition from IBM PC) without getting bogged down in excessive technical detail.
Well-Defined Business Model: Bob Cook’s business model is clearly outlined, making his actions understandable and his investment in the Lisa Professional project logical.
Impactful Imagery: Phrases like “systematically crushed and buried” and “filling their warehouses” create vivid mental images of the situation.
Use of a Table: The timeline table is a great way to summarize the key events and make them easily digestible.
Highlighting Key Themes: The text explicitly calls out the themes of “entrepreneurial vision and corporate control” and the evolution of “environmental responsibility.”
Potential Observations/Points for Discussion:
The “Why” of Apple’s Decision: While the text speculates on image concerns, it’s worth noting that this remains an assumption. The lack of a definitive explanation from Apple adds to the mystery and intrigue of the event. The “Lisa Professional”: It would be interesting to know more about the specific technical improvements made to the “Lisa Professional.” What exactly did Sun Remarketing do to “repair and improve technical specifications”? This could further emphasize the lost potential.
The Scale of the Loss: The destruction of 7,000 units, especially after an investment of $200,000 in R&D, represents a notable financial and technological loss.
The Ethics of the Decision: The text implicitly raises ethical questions about a company destroying functional (albeit modified) products to protect its brand image,especially when an entrepreneur was willing to give them a second life.
The “Sabotage” Angle: The documentary title “Lisa: Steve Jobs’ Sabotage and Apple’s Secret Burial” suggests a more deliberate and perhaps even malicious intent from Steve Jobs. While the text doesn’t delve into this, it’s a provocative element that adds another layer to the story.
Overall:
This is a well-researched and engaging piece that effectively tells a compelling story about a lesser-known chapter in Apple’s history. It serves as a powerful reminder of how far the company has come in terms of its public image and corporate strategy. The contrast drawn with their current environmental focus is particularly striking and thought-provoking.
