Subject: The Apple 1 - why was it priced at $666.66 - Woz's answer!
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From: cturley2@aol.com (Cturley2)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
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Date: 20 Jun 1999 00:46:45 GMT
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Wired Magazine online has a great news story about the Apple 1 (the 'VERY
FIRST'
Apple 1 ever sold from Apple at that) which even features a link 'Apple 1' to
my
very own GS WorldView cover story on the Apple1 with Woz's reply on it's
authenticity and some great 256 color GIF pictures of it.  This same Wired
Magazine online news review of the 'First Apple 1' going up for auction soon
in San Francisco features a nice quote and information on it all from our own
USA2WUG founding member Sam Ismail.  

Go check it out. It's all rather historical and interesting to read.

See:

http://www.wired.com/news/news/technology/story/20271.html


Now about the answer I got from Woz on why the retail price for the Apple 1 was
set at $666.66, with the 'Pirates of Silicon Valley' being aired on TV tomorrow
(6/20/99) and everybody seeming to think the price has something to do with the
satanic number of 666, (which it doesn't) - I thought I'd set the records
straight
on that and another rumor on the founding date of Apple Computer also.

Please read below for the review of the facts as they were related to me by
Woz,
face to face back in 1996.

This is an email reply I sent to another newsgroup reader a few days ago, who
wanted to know the real reason the Apple 1 was priced at $666.66.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Re: Free Apple I's - Why was Initial Price set at $666.66 ?

From: Moose@rocknet.net.au
To: Cturley2@aol.com

Date: 6/15/99
---------------------------

WOW !!  Thanks for the info Tom.  I remember wondering in the early 80's
why they had chosen the 666.66.

It's nice to finally know !

Moose

At 00:24 14/06/99 EDT, you wrote:
>Hi Mike,
>Why wait for me to get off of my old pokey mode to post the correct answer
>that Woz told me, when I asked him why?
>
>Here goes and hey...you can even post it to the newsgroup if you would.  I'm
>just not in a proper mood now to make any such post.
>
>
>Back in 1996, during one of my visits to his office to discuss the goings on 
>with the A2 worlds current state, I asked Woz - Why was the Apple 1, priced 
>for sale at $666.66?  I then interjected with the comment -> surely it's not 
>something that has to do with the number of the beast or some such satanic 
>meaning is it?
>
>He laughed and told me that when he and Jobs came to an agreement on the 
>retail sales price for the Apple 1 of $666.66 - he didn't even realize that 
>the 666 number was in any way related to Satan and it had nothing to do at 
>all with the '666' number of the beast or anything pertaining to satanic 
>stuff.  He said: "I simply like triple digit numbers with all the things I'm 
>involved with, the cost of making the Apple 1 was around $540 or there a 
>bouts and we agreed on the best markup, retail price above the cost of 
>building it, which worked out to $666.
>
>Jobs then tacked on the 66 cents to make it an eye-catcher price for the ads 
>with the sale and promotion publications of it to the public.
>
>Another interesting side fact I asked him also was why did you found Apple 
>Computer on April Fools day.  He replied that it was not founded on 4/1 at 
>all, but that the Corp. papers were file around 4/4 or perhaps even on 4/5 
>and he doesn't know where the rumor of Apple Computer being founded on 'April 
>Fools Day' came from, nor just who got that rumor started, but, his Corp. 
>filing papers for the Incorperation of Apple Computer were dated several
days after 4/1.
>
>So there you have the facts and the truth of it all  - as told to me face to 
>face by Woz back in 1996.
>
>Take care and have a great week.
>
>Cheers,
>Tom

Well, nw I'm in the mood to make such a post so, ther you have it. Also, I
trust the readers of this newsgroup won't forget who's having a BIG Birthday
coming up in a few days -> The Apple II.

Cheers & All Apples Forever!
Tom