Walt Mossberg

Walt Mossberg @waltmossberg

@jhong @AndreasMoltke Yep. — PolitiTweet.org

Walt Mossberg @waltmossberg

@jkomuda Nope. Years too late. There were actually two Commodore models before the 64. — PolitiTweet.org

Walt Mossberg @waltmossberg

@dfallman Um...no. Five years too late to qualify. — PolitiTweet.org

Walt Mossberg @waltmossberg

@vladsavov @jhong Sounds like work. — PolitiTweet.org

Walt Mossberg @waltmossberg

@vladsavov @jhong I know there was a Soviet PC which so literally ripped off the Apple II that, when it booted up, it said on the screen, in English, “Apple Computer, Cupertino, California”. I saw one in the 1980’s when I was covering the Pentagon and the intelligence agencies in DC. — PolitiTweet.org

Walt Mossberg @waltmossberg

@PsycGrad @TheMorningShow @ReeseW @mimi_leder @AppleTVPlus The shows are not ending. This was the SEASON finale, not the SERIES finale. — PolitiTweet.org

Walt Mossberg @waltmossberg

@tim_rapp Not even close. — PolitiTweet.org

Walt Mossberg @waltmossberg

@harrymccracken Right, as you are in so many other things, Harry. But I see it as essentially a tie because it was a matter of months. The important thing to me is that these machines made 1977 the true start of the personal tech era. — PolitiTweet.org

Walt Mossberg @waltmossberg

@RichardMarini 1981, according to Wikipedia. So, four years after the first three. — PolitiTweet.org

Walt Mossberg @waltmossberg

@stevesi Thanks! — PolitiTweet.org

Walt Mossberg @waltmossberg

@benbarren The Commodore 64 was five years later. It was very successful and important, but it was the third Commodore model. It was not one of the initial mass market personal computers. — PolitiTweet.org

Walt Mossberg @waltmossberg

@DaveTwitches @forallmankind_ Season finale, not series finale. — PolitiTweet.org

Walt Mossberg @waltmossberg

@ApplWatcher @forallmankind_ I did. — PolitiTweet.org

Walt Mossberg @waltmossberg

5/ Neither Commodore nor Radio Shack exist now as computer makers (or maybe at all). Apple almost died, but is now huge and thriving and known worldwide just by its logo. — PolitiTweet.org

Walt Mossberg @waltmossberg

4/ In my opinion, the Apple II was the most important, partly because it was the first to get a robust spreadsheet app - VisiCalc - and partly because the company it spawned made so many other breakthrough products over time. — PolitiTweet.org

Walt Mossberg @waltmossberg

3/ I think of 1977 as the year the personal computing revolution began. It led to everything else in the personal tech space, including the Web and the smartphone, in an incredibly compressed time period, just 42 years. — PolitiTweet.org

Walt Mossberg @waltmossberg

2/ Although sources differ about which shipped first, I find that argument meaningless in the light of history. It all happened within a matter of months in 1977. — PolitiTweet.org

Walt Mossberg @waltmossberg

1/ Here’s my answer to my quiz about the first non-kit, pre-assembled, mass-market personal computer. As some have already noted, it was essentially a three way tie in 1977 between the Apple II, the Radio Shack TRS-80, and the Commodore PET. Some have dubbed them “The Trinity”. — PolitiTweet.org

Walt Mossberg @waltmossberg

Also, the finale of the only other Apple original show we watched, @forallmankind_ , was terrific too. Kudos to Ronald D. Moore. — PolitiTweet.org

Walt Mossberg @waltmossberg

The finale of @TheMorningShow was fantastic! Brilliant TV. And the whole show was very good. Kudos to @ReeseW and @mimi_leder and #JenniferAniston and all associated with it. Congrats to @AppleTVPlus. https://t.co/t2e2DUkNlD — PolitiTweet.org

Walt Mossberg @waltmossberg

@reckless It was fantastic! Can’t understand the critics’ disdain. This episode was off the charts great, but the whole show has been quite good. — PolitiTweet.org

Walt Mossberg @waltmossberg

@ahess247 @MartinSanchezVe @Cerniuk The Timex Sinclair 1000 was my first computer. I did buy the extra 16 KB. I learned BASIC on it. But it’s not the answer to my little quiz. — PolitiTweet.org

Walt Mossberg @waltmossberg

@stevesi The minority of people who judge tech products on their potential for tinkering or DIY are always the loudest critics of simplicity and ease of use. It’s a never-ending war, sort of a class war. I long ago decided to value simplicity and ease of use. — PolitiTweet.org

Walt Mossberg @waltmossberg

@harrymccracken Ship date. — PolitiTweet.org

Walt Mossberg @waltmossberg

I have done a lot of television with a lot of fine broadcast anchors. But appearing weekly for years with @BillGriffeth was a true privilege. He is the very model of the best in his profession, even putting up with me. Bill, I wish you every good thing on the road ahead. — PolitiTweet.org

Walt Mossberg @waltmossberg

@HeyHeyESJ Amazingly, I read every word of this. I agree with it. But the prequels are beyond saving. — PolitiTweet.org

Walt Mossberg @waltmossberg

@stevesi @harrymccracken @getwired Totally true. — PolitiTweet.org

Walt Mossberg @waltmossberg

Local news... (h/t @racheld) — PolitiTweet.org

Walt Mossberg @waltmossberg

This poll has nearly a whole other day to run, but already I love how eager people are to talk about THEIR first mass market personal computer, rather than THE first one to be sold. — PolitiTweet.org

Walt Mossberg @waltmossberg

@LaneReport @stefanschulte Loved the Model 100, but nowhere near the right answer. — PolitiTweet.org