UPDATE: Allan Alcorn notes: "After Steve gave me the Apple II he told me he had a new case he wanted to put on, so I brought it down to Apple and he put the new vented one on. After about a year or so the original power supply went out so Rod Holt gave me a new improved one."
Very early original Apple II computer personally given by Apple founder Steve Jobs to Pong creator Allan Alcorn in lieu of stock in Apple Computer. Alcorn had given Jobs his start in the industry, first by hiring him at Atari and later by making introductions to potential investors and providing computer chips to Apple at cost. Later, Jobs offered Alcorn equity in the growing company-Alcorn said he said he'd take a free Apple II instead. This is that computer.
The bottom bears an "Apple Computer Inc." label, identifying the machine as "Serial No. A2S1-0209." It is an early example with the original 'raised key' power light and Datanetics keyboard, with Rev. 0 motherboard serial number 401 (marked correctly as "1-401"). Inside, the board carries an original Apple 16k Language Card, 48k on-board Dynamic RAM and Apple II+ compatibility upgrade to Applesoft basic ROMs, and replacement third-party Accupower 120V power supply. A few handwritten notations have been made on the top of the case.
Accompanied by a signed letter of provenance from Alcorn, in full: "1973 we were growing fast and we needed talented staff. A teenage hippy dropout from Reed College applied for a job as a technician and I hired him because he could solder, read a schematic and was cheap. That was Steve Jobs. He soon saved up enough money to fund his trip to India to meet his guru and when he returned a year later he asked for his old job back. His buddy, Woz, designed a single board computer they called the Apple and first offered it to us at Atari to build but we declined as we were busy creating the home video game market. We introduced them to venture capitalist and sold them integrated circuits at our cost to help them get started. Jobs offered me stock in Apple but I said I already had enough wallpaper and said I'd like a free Apple II computer instead. Bad decision.
On the chosen weekend Jobs, Woz and half the company, maybe a dozen people, showed up at my home to give me my Apple II. We hooked it up to the projection TV in my living room and Woz showed me how to program tiny basic. Soon I was programming and told my wife I could make it do anything. She asked me to make it wash the dishes or mop the floor and I told her I couldn't do that so she told me to get it out of the living room.
I used this Apple II as my main home workstation until I joined Apple Computer as a fellow in 1986 and I got my first Mac. It has been in my possession since Steve gave it to me."
From the collection of Pong creator Allan Alcorn.
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