The Macintosh User Interface evolved from the Apple Lisa, a computer I’ve always longed to add to my collection. The Computer History Museum calls it Apple’s Most Influential Failure but readily acknowledges the groundbreaking effect it had on the way we interact with computers.

Now anyone with a web browser can experience this pioneering user interface and see what was revolutionary in 1983. Andrew Yaros’ LisaGUI.com lets you experience it firsthand, including the original Lisa apps. Spend some time here and then read about the Lisa OS development at folklore.org – one of my favorites is Rosing’s Rascals.

If every moment of your Macintosh experience has been on a version of the operating system released after 2001 you may have wondered what things looked like in years prior. The Version Museum has a lovely collection of screenshots you can view for a glimpse of life prior to Mac OS X, but pictures can’t do justice to what it was really like.

Now, thanks to the fabulous Infinite Mac project by Mihai Parparita you can experience Apple’s System 6, System 7, Mac OS 8, or Mac OS 9 with just a web browser on your modern computer.

These sites will promptly send you back in computing time:

https://system6.app – released in April of 1988 – Wikipedia article about System 6
https://system7.app – released in May of 1991 – Wikipedia article about System 7
https://macos8.app – released in July of 1997 – Wikipedia article about Mac OS 8
https://macos9.app – released in October of 1999 – Wikipedia article about Mac OS 9

Best of all, you don’t get to just experience the operating system. Each site is a virtual Mac that includes applications, games, utilities, and even AppleTalk so you can see what networking was like in the pre-internet days.

Hopefully, you’ll be inspired to find your own beige classic Mac and experience the joys of installing software from floppy disks and CD’s, pushing a beige non-optical mouse around, and using a clacky beige keyboard for some great retro Macintosh computing.

It’s a delightful way to visually travel through 20 years of the operating system that revolutionized the Macintosh user experience beyond anyone’s imagination back in 2001. And for those of us with a fondness for Mac OS 9, he’s got you covered with similar versions of those which are guaranteed to bring back memories of the 5 flavor translucent iMacs in brilliant lime, grape, strawberry, and tangerine. And blue dalmatian and flower power, of course.

I was recently reminded of a fabulous online archive by a notice that it had been updated to include images from Mac OS 10.14 (aka “Mojave”).

Stephen Hackett, author of 512 Pixels, has compiled a brilliant collection of images from each version of Mac OS X, beginning with the first public beta version (“Kodiak”) through each major upgrade. Each version features a page of screenshots of various aspects of the interface, including the dock, applications, system preferences, and much more. It truly is a veritable time machine that enables you to explore the history of the Mac OS X interface as it has evolved since the first public beta version in September of 2000.

Set aside some time to explore and appreciate the depth of detail in the Aqua Screenshot Library. If you start at the beginning you can join the original beta testers in wondering why there was an Apple in the center of the menubar (that didn’t do anything).

You are probably already well aware of archive.org as the amazing time machine that lets you view web sites the way they were years, even decades ago. It is actually much more, and one feature for lovers of classic Mac computing is the Mac Software Library they just added.

This isn’t just a gallery of screenshots – this is a way to experience classic Mac software like MacWrite, Dark Castle, Lemmings, and many more by playing them in your web browser. If you’ve been longing to relive computing in the 80’s and 90’s in glorious bitmapped monochrome, you’re in luck. You don’t need to find a compact beige Mac with a working floppy disk drive or install an emulator like Sheepshaver on your MacBook Air. Just point your browser to https://archive.org/details/softwarelibrary_mac and get ready for a trip down memory lane. Caution: you should probably allot a good amount of time in advance.

I plan to have my teenager spend some time playing some of these to better appreciate the gaming experience they enjoy now!

I didn’t have time to give Santa notice that I’d like one of these in my stocking, but if you are looking for something that a retro-Mac lover will use and love everyday, there’s nothing better than a genuine, original Macintosh mouse updated to work in the 21st century with the latest MacBook, Mac Pro, or iMac!

To truly appreciate the effort Charles Mangin put into this product, you really need to watch the video of his presentation about it. You are sure to gain a new appreciation for the chunky original Mac mouse that shipped with the original 128k model, the 512k, and the original Mac Plus. The M0100 pre-dated ADB (Apple Desktop Bus) and features a DE-9 connector. You can purchase a complete converted original mouse with DE-9 to USB adapter, or if you already have a mouse you can buy a conversion kit.

There’s no better way to ring in 2016 for a retro-Mac fan than breathing new life into a 30+ year old Macintosh mouse!

Of course part of the reason is that I keenly appreciate anyone who shares my passion for classic Apple hardware and software, but what delights me the most about “Think Retro” is that is is quality content, with glorious photos and beautiful, descriptive words that evoke the genuine emotions I remember the first time I saw or used the items he writes about. It seems that 95% of content related to Apple that appears on the web nowadays is little more than recycled press releases, repeated gossip from a rumor site, or wild speculation with little basis in fact, all with click-bait headlines. After reading it you are no wiser for the experience and often feel like the writer and publisher ought to compensate you for slogging through their lame efforts you know any writing teacher would return to them with “F – Redo” emblazoned across the top in crimson.

In contrast, “Think Retro” is clearly a labor of love, written with genuine care and respect for the topics and illustrated with brilliant photographs you can tell weren’t culled from stock images. Check out the introductory column, A Love Letter to the Apple Logo and if you are at all interested in what the author calls “yesterday’s Apple” I am confident you’ll be a regular reader.

image courtesy Wikipedia

Even though I have been using Macs for most of the three decades they have been around, I’ve never had a chance to use an Apple Lisa, the famous predecessor to the Macintosh that cost a cool $10K back in 1983 (or nearly $24K in today’s inflated dollars).

And while I’ve always wanted to add one to my collection of classic Apple computers, I’ve never had an affordable opportunity to purchase a working model. Thankfully modern technology allows us an opportunity travel back in time and experience using an Apple Lisa via a brilliant emulator written by Ray Arechelian. Thom Holwerda wrote about it on OSNews today and stirred up lots of new interest for LisaEm that appears to have been dormant since 2008. Be sure to check out the comments to see remarks from Ray who has apparently been coaxed into resurrecting the project with several offers of assistance.

Explore Ray’s site for the full story about his efforts to develop a software version of Lisa. If you are blessed to have a real Lisa and need help with troubleshooting it the Lisa FAQ is extensive. His Lisa Sites section includes a vast number of links to other Lisa-related sites and resources. I’ll be checking them out myself after I finish the steps to install LisaEm and find out what it was like to experience the Apple Lisa back in 1983.

The Mac Plus is such a computer, and getting it to speak TCP/IP to surf the web is far more of a challenge that you might expect. Read Jeff Keacher’s interesting tale of making his Mac Plus conversant with web sites and you might appreciate your speedy MacBook or iMac a little more.

Check it out: How I introduced a 27-year-old computer to the web

Jeff, I salute you for your relentless pursuit of bring your Mac Plus into 21st century communications just because you can. Now why don’t you put a web server on that Plus and let it show off its capabilities to the rest of the world?

Sold only through iconic book.com, Iconic is available in two versions: a cloth hardbound edition for $75 and a special edition, priced at $300, which includes an engraved slipcase, vintage computer casing and an exclusive print of a photograph from the book. If you ever owned a beige Mac you’ll appreciate the special tribute in the design. Check out the demo video:

Thanks, Jonathan. Your sincere dedication to preserving the history of Apple products is deeply appreciated.