Apple III computer set, with Apple Monitor III, an Apple ProFile hard disk drive, and an Apple Disk III drive. The computer's underside bears an affixed Apple Computer label checked “256K” with serial number "A3S2-110059,” and the backside features an on/off switch and various ports for power supply, printer interface, floppy disk drive, and monitor outputs. Apple III features include an 80-column, 24-line display with upper and lowercase characters, a numeric keypad, dual-speed (pressure-sensitive) cursor control keys, 6-bit (DAC) audio, and a built-in 140-kilobyte 5.25-inch floppy disk drive. The backs of the monitor (Model No. A3M0039, Serial No. B21 118070), the ProFile (Model A9M0005, 101793), and Disk III (Serial No. A3M0004-014474) all bear their original Apple parts labels. Wires and cables included. The computer and monitor were tested to boot up using the Disk III, and are in overall fine cosmetic condition; the ProFile powers on and there are accesses with the included interface card, but Apple III files are not installed.
The bundle additionally includes the original boxes for Apple III and the Apple Monitor III (with owner's manual), the ProFile Owner’s manual and Demonstration software, boxed software for Apple III System Software, Apple III Pascal, and Apple III Business Basic, an Apple III Software Guide, an Apple III Information Analyst booklet, the Spring 1981 Apple Computer Special Delivery Software catalog, spiral-bound ‘Special Delivery Software’ booklets for ‘Script’ and ‘Business Graphics,’ an Apple Computer ‘Suggested Retail Price List’ from March 1, 1981, and several Apple III Diskware Program floppy disks with various utilities and programs.
Released with a whopping price tag orbiting $5000, the business-oriented Apple III computer, equipped with the Apple SOS operating system, seemed predestined to fail. Designed to serve as the successor to the Apple II series, the Apple III suffered from stability issues shortly after its November 1980 release, which resulted in the first 14,000 machines produced being recalled. The bugs were fixed, but the computer’s reputation was not. The Apple III was discontinued on April 24, 1984, and its last successor, the III Plus, was dropped from the Apple product line in September 1985. Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak stated that the primary reason for the Apple III's failure was that the system was designed by Apple's marketing department, unlike Apple's previous engineering-driven projects.
This computer was used by Roger Wagner, an early pioneer in personal computing, in software development at his company. The original box is included, with a "Roger Wagner Publishing, Inc." label on the bottom.
