Apple Lisa 2/Macintosh XL

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Overview

Introduced on 24 January 1984, the Lisa 2 adopted the same 400 KB 3.5" floppy drive as the simultaneously introduced Macintosh. It was available with the same 5 MB ProFile hard drive as the Lisa 1 or an internal 10 MB hard drive.

Apple Lisa 2 Best of all for Lisa 1 owners, the Lisa 2 was available as a free upgrade.

The Lisa 2 was repackaged as the Macintosh XL in January 1985, then discontinued in April 1985.

With MacWorks, the Lisa 2 and Macintosh XL can run a good deal of Macintosh software, including System 6.0.3.

Details

announced 1984.01 at $3,500 to $5,500; discontinued 1985.04
requires Lisa OS or MacWorks Mac emulator
CPU: 5 MHz 68000
ROM: 16 KB
RAM: 512 KB, expandable to 2 MB
12" b&w screen, 720 x 360 rectangular pixels
keyboard attached via coiled telephone-like cable
mouse attached via DB-9 connector
two DB-9 serial ports
parallel printer port (used by internal hard drive on Lisa 2/10)
three expansion slots
floppy: 3.5" 400KB drive
sound: beeps
size (HxWxD): 15.2" x 18.7" x 13.8"
weight: 48 lb.
Gestalt ID: 2

Online Resources

Lisa's DNA is all over modern computing, Ray Arachelian, Apple Seeds, 2007.06.06. Those who label Apple's Lisa a failure are ignoring the computer's legacy that shows up in every personal computer sold today.
Using Apple's Lisa for real work, Ted Hodges, Vintage Mac Living, 2007.04.02. The Lisa Office System has some advantages of modern computers for word processing and other production work.
Bringing my Apple Lisa back to life, Ted Hodges, Vintage Mac Living, 2007.03.26. The floppy drive wasn't working the keyboard was rough. Some homebrew fixes got everything working again.
Lisa emulator released, allows OS X and Windows users to experience Apple's Lisa, Ted Hodges, Vintage Mac Living, 2007.02.27. Nearly a decade in the making, the Lisa Emulator Project now has a working Lisa emulator for Windows PCs and OS X Macs.
Interview with Ray Arachelian, creator of the Lisa emulator, Ted Hodges, Vintage Mac Living, 2007.03.13. Ray Arachelian spent most of a decade creating the world's first working Lisa emulator. Why he did it and some of the obstacles he had to overcome.
Retro computing: First impressions of a newly acquired Apple Lisa, Ted Hodges, Vintage Mac Living, 2006.02.14. Saved from the trash and given a new home, this old Lisa is a slow, friendly computer.
Which system software is best for my vintage Mac?, Tyler Sable, Classic Restorations, 2005.11.22. Which system software works best depends to a great extent on just which Mac you have and how much RAM is installed.
A history of Apple's Lisa, 1979-1986, Tom Hormby, Orchard, 2005.10.05. Originally envisioned as a business computer to replace the Apple II, the Lisa brought the mouse and GUI to the computer market - only to be felled by the less costly Macintosh.
The Lisa legacy, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2003.01.20. On the Lisa's 20th anniversary, we should remember how Apple's innovation paved the way for all future computers.
The innovative Lisa, Dan Knight, Online Tech Journal, 2001.05.31. Perhaps the most innovative computer before the Macintosh, Lisa paved the way for a GUI future.
Tales from Tessler: History of the Lisa Computer, Larry Tesler, 2000.11.28
What ever happened to Lisa?, John C. Dvorak, Computer Shopper (republished by Jags House)
Apple's Twiggy Disks, Eric, Retro Computing, 1996-99
20 Spectacular Failures, Byte, 1995.11. One paragraph on the Lisa - and one on the ill-fated Apple ///.
Heart of the Apple Lisa, Jordin Kare, 1995
The Legacy of the Lisa, David T. Craig, 1993.02.16
Lisa Emulator Project. A work in progress.
Apple Lisa, Obsolete Computer Museum
Apple Lisa Tribute, Simon White
Apple Lisa 1 and 2 XL, DigiBarn Computer Museum
Apple Lisa: The First Affordable GUI, Apple Museum
Macintosh XL: Technical Specifications, Apple

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