--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Though many people mistakenly credit IBM…" description: "\"Though many people mistakenly credit IBM with the first PC in 1981, the Apple II came out four years earlier, in 1977.\" — Walt Mossberg" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42a/walt-mossberg-4158_apple_though-many-people-mistakenly-credit-ibm_2162996.png" --- # Though many people mistakenly credit IBM with the first PC… ![“Though many people mistakenly credit IBM with the first PC in 1981, the Apple II came out four years earlier, in 1977.” quote by Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42a/walt-mossberg-4158_apple_though-many-people-mistakenly-credit-ibm_2162996.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42a/walt-mossberg-4158_apple_though-many-people-mistakenly-credit-ibm_2162996.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42a/walt-mossberg-4158_apple_though-many-people-mistakenly-credit-ibm_2162996.png) > “Though many people mistakenly credit IBM with the first PC in 1981, the Apple II came out four years earlier, in 1977.” [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Apple II preceded IBM's PC by four years, correcting a common misconception. **In simple terms:** Apple II came first. Key Takeaway Check facts before assuming. Themes history technology misconceptions Mood informative reflective Type educational historical When to use this quote - tech education - historical research - media reporting Key Concepts computing milestones innovation timeline Questions to Reflect On - How does this change your view of early personal computing? - Why do we default to IBM as the origin? A Different Perspective IBM's role is often overstated in popular narratives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Credit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/credit/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [My first computers were a Timex Sinclair and an Apple II.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/my-first-computers-were-a-timex-sinclair-and-an-apple-ii/) [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) > [The first home system we had was an Apple II, and I remember playing a game called 'Conan.' It should have been called 'Tarzan'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-middleditch/the-first-home-system-we-had-was-an-apple-ii-and-i-remember-playing-a/) [Thomas Middleditch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-middleditch/) > [There is no doubt that, since 1977 and the launch of Apple II - the first computer it produced for the mass market -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-n-wilson/there-is-no-doubt-that-since-1977-and-the-launch-of-apple-ii-the/) [A. N. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-n-wilson/) > [With the greatest of respect, I have watched Apple from the day it started. I was publishing magazines about the Apple II before most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-dennis/with-the-greatest-of-respect-i-have-watched-apple-from-the-day-it/) [Felix Dennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-dennis/) > [After the Apple II was introduced, then came the Commodore and the Tandy TRS-80.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-wozniak/after-the-apple-ii-was-introduced-then-came-the-commodore-and-the/) [Steve Wozniak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-wozniak/) > [One of the coolest days of my life was when I bought a 16K memory card upgrade and stuck it in my Apple II.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-lieu/one-of-the-coolest-days-of-my-life-was-when-i-bought-a-16k-memory/) [Ted Lieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-lieu/) > [I did some products for the Apple II, most notably the first small low cost thermal printer, the Silent Type.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-hertzfeld/i-did-some-products-for-the-apple-ii-most-notably-the-first-small-low/) [Andy Hertzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-hertzfeld/) > [“But the biggest news that month was the departure from Apple, yet again, of its cofounder, Steve Wozniak. Wozniak was then quietly working as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/but-the-biggest-news-that-month-was-the-departure-from-apple-yet/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [I knew the Apple II was great when I bought it, but as I dug into the details it just completely blew me away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-hertzfeld/i-knew-the-apple-ii-was-great-when-i-bought-it-but-as-i-dug-into-the/) [Andy Hertzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-hertzfeld/) > [In fact when I first got my Apple II the first thing I did was turn it on and off, on and off, just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-hertzfeld/in-fact-when-i-first-got-my-apple-ii-the-first-thing-i-did-was-turn/) [Andy Hertzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-hertzfeld/) > [I started working at Apple about 18 months after I bought my Apple II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-hertzfeld/i-started-working-at-apple-about-18-months-after-i-bought-my-apple-ii/) [Andy Hertzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-hertzfeld/) > [Steve Jobs didn't really set the direction of my Apple I and Apple II designs but he did the more important part of turning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-wozniak/steve-jobs-didn-t-really-set-the-direction-of-my-apple-i-and-apple-ii/) [Steve Wozniak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-wozniak/) > [I started on an Apple II, which I had bought at the very end of 1978 for half of my annual income. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-budge/i-started-on-an-apple-ii-which-i-had-bought-at-the-very-end-of-1978/) [Bill Budge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-budge/) > [I was a grad student at UC Berkeley when I bought my Apple II and it suddenly because a lot more interesting than school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-hertzfeld/i-was-a-grad-student-at-uc-berkeley-when-i-bought-my-apple-ii-and-it/) [Andy Hertzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-hertzfeld/) > [The Apple II was not designed like an ordinary product. It used crazy tricks everywhere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-hertzfeld/the-apple-ii-was-not-designed-like-an-ordinary-product-it-used-crazy/) [Andy Hertzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-hertzfeld/) ## More by Walt Mossberg > [I wasn't surprised to find Samsung's OLED screen to be bright, vivid, and clear. It's beautiful, although in viewing some photos and videos, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/i-wasn-t-surprised-to-find-samsung-s-oled-screen-to-be-bright-vivid/) [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) > [Books should cost less and they should be digital.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/books-should-cost-less-and-they-should-be-digital/) [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) > [Just remember: you're not a 'dummy,' no matter what those computer books claim. The real dummies are the people who-though technically expert-couldn't design hardware…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/just-remember-you-re-not-a-dummy-no-matter-what-those-computer-books/) [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) > [I have on my wall right now a front page of the 'Journal' from January 1991, when I co-wrote a front-page story about Iraq…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/i-have-on-my-wall-right-now-a-front-page-of-the-journal-from-january/) [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) > [Microsoft makes numerous apps for both Android and iOS, as do Google, Amazon and Facebook. You can run iTunes and iCloud on Windows and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/microsoft-makes-numerous-apps-for-both-android-and-ios-as-do-google/) [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) > [Jeff Williams, Apple's senior vice president of operations, has been called 'Tim Cook's Tim Cook' by some.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/jeff-williams-apple-s-senior-vice-president-of-operations-has-been/) [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) > [The products I review are typically lent to me by their manufacturers for a few weeks or months. I return any products I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/the-products-i-review-are-typically-lent-to-me-by-their-manufacturers/) [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) > [Who have I picked fights with over the years? Bill Gates. Google. Mark Zuckerberg. 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But for many, including myself, the biggest-screen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/big-screens-helped-propel-samsung-to-top-tier-prominence-and-helped/) [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) > [Though it has plenty of competitors, Slack claims to be the 'fastest growing business application in history'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/though-it-has-plenty-of-competitors-slack-claims-to-be-the-fastest/) [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) > [When I walk into a Best Buy, I now see, right from the front door, a giant Apple logo. I see a giant Samsung…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/when-i-walk-into-a-best-buy-i-now-see-right-from-the-front-door-a/) [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) > [I try not to make snap judgments. I never, ever make conclusions about products I've never tried.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/i-try-not-to-make-snap-judgments-i-never-ever-make-conclusions-about/) [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) > [I believe that tablets - and especially the iPad - are extremely versatile and productive tools for consumers, schools and businesses and are better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/i-believe-that-tablets-and-especially-the-ipad-are-extremely/) [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) > [It turns out that CVS is one of about 40 merchants in a consortium that formed in 2011 to develop their own mobile-phone-based payment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/it-turns-out-that-cvs-is-one-of-about-40-merchants-in-a-consortium/) [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) [Explore all 115 Walt Mossberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) ## More Apple quotes > [“Neither's the one you get, less you want me to see if your apple's ripe, yet. - Yoren”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/neither-s-the-one-you-get-less-you-want-me-to-see-if-your-apple-s/) [George R.R. 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I think Steve Jobs has started one of the greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kid-rock/i-m-not-only-a-fan-of-apple-products-i-have-stock-in-the-company-i/) [Kid Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kid-rock/) > [When Apple introduced its game-changing iPhone in 2007, Nokia was caught sleeping on the job. Although it had actually developed an iPhone-style device -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noreena-hertz/when-apple-introduced-its-game-changing-iphone-in-2007-nokia-was/) [Noreena Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noreena-hertz/) > [I like to make pies. That's kind of my new obsession - peach, blueberry, apple, strawberry. I make a really good pumpkin pie with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-saylor/i-like-to-make-pies-that-s-kind-of-my-new-obsession-peach-blueberry/) [Morgan Saylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-saylor/) > [I love to eat an apple after a meal, just to cleanse my teeth - they always look polished afterwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-zeta-jones/i-love-to-eat-an-apple-after-a-meal-just-to-cleanse-my-teeth-they/) [Catherine Zeta-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-zeta-jones/) > [Back in my school days, when I would scuttle off with a cheese roll, an apple, a box of Sun-Maid raisins and a Penguin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-khoo/back-in-my-school-days-when-i-would-scuttle-off-with-a-cheese-roll-an/) [Rachel Khoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-khoo/) > [As far as Apple goes, it was a different company every few years from the time I joined in 1984.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-kay/as-far-as-apple-goes-it-was-a-different-company-every-few-years-from/) [Alan Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-kay/) > [“You are the apple of Love’s eye.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-paul-kirkpatrick/you-are-the-apple-of-love-s-eye/) [David Paul Kirkpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-paul-kirkpatrick/) > [Like a satellite in orbit, Apple is perpetually falling. It just happens to miss Earth every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-dediu/like-a-satellite-in-orbit-apple-is-perpetually-falling-it-just/) Horace Dediu > [Positive thinking is so firmly enshrined in our culture that knocking it is a little like attacking motherhood or apple pie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/srikumar-rao/positive-thinking-is-so-firmly-enshrined-in-our-culture-that-knocking/) [Srikumar Rao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/srikumar-rao/) > [To the extent that anyone anywhere does anything interesting, the question is: 'Why isn't Apple doing that; why is Apple behind in that?' We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-federighi/to-the-extent-that-anyone-anywhere-does-anything-interesting-the/) [Craig Federighi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-federighi/) > [I read the Steve Jobs book, and that kind of changed everything. 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