Sad: Apple caused AOL
Apple Matters has let the crab out of the pot by telling the story of AppleLink Personal Edition.
This isn’t anything to be proud of. Back in 1987 or so, Apple did a smart thing by creating a really great internal email system called AppleLink. This was years ahead of the web, and was one of the reasons for Apple dominence of the computer industry at the time.
But then someone decided to make them a few bucks by rolling out a version of AppleLink as a commercial product. So Quantum Computing get the nod to set it up, in 1997 Apple announces APE with great noise and flashing lights but then as so often, they stuck their corporate heads up it, chickened out and turned the damn thing loose on civilization where it ulitmately mutated into the money-sucking, soul-draining trainwreck we now know as America on Line.
Not many people remember AppleLink-Personal Edition, a modem-based service wherein Apple II users could access Apple resources. The reason so few remember the service is because Apple, after announcing the service at AppleFest, pulled support for the service.By way of compensation for developing the service the company, Quantum Computing, was allowed to use the software developed for the service (development paid for by Apple) sans the Apple logo.
After killing the personal edition of AppleLink, Apple wanted to save money on the version of AppleLink used by Mac dealers. The company decided that a new service was in order, one that would service the dealers and attract paying customers. To this end, the company decided to go again with Quantum Computers. In the interim, Quantum had changed the company’s name to America Online and was making extensive use of the software developed at Apple’s expense. Apple agreed to pay royalties and to use the nascent company’s services, thereby giving AOL both funding and visibility, this month in 1992.