Greetings, I hope all is well with you. This is my second post for the event #blaugust2025, and while I decided to participate knowing I wouldn’t post a daily entry for the month, I’m enjoying it nonetheless. I’ve been one to enjoy creating on demand, though I’ve had to do it for music production.
I saw this photo some months ago, ironically around the time I dropped off my Mac Classic at a semi-local retro computing service shop for repair. The backstory is that I was introduced to the Mac platform during my first job as an engineer back in the late 80s. The business manager on the program I worked on was an Apple aficionado and though the office’s main computing platform was PC, he ran all the business aspects on the Macs we had in the office: a Mac IIci, Mac Plus, a Powerbook, and a LaserWriter II. Coming from a previous job of IBM machines, I immediately fell in love with all things Macintosh and was able to my first computer, a Mac Classic II, in 1992. Ever since then, the macOS platform has been my go-to platform for computing, hands down. Needless to say, I’ve used and own MANY since 1992, but the gist of this post is about a recent situation that has occurred along with some relative nostalgia.
I was having an online chat with Riccardo Mori, along time Apple fan and aficionado about the state of Apple’s current existence vs that of the company’s early days and product offerings. Riccardo has posted numerous blog entries regarding his thoughts on this and, while I don’t consider myself to be an aficionado, but more of a diehard fan, my thoughts align with his. One thing we both agree on is the “magic” that once was in the 90’s timeframe, which is sorely missed by people who experienced Apple’s evolution during that timeframe. I’ve talked about “magic” in previous posts here so I won’t belabor that at this point, but it does tie into this recent situation aforementioned.
My original Mac Classic II bit the dust sometime ago and I ended up getting Mac Classic somewhere along the way, so long ago I don’t remember exactly when and from where I got it. Needless to say, I ended up getting another because it reminded me of my fond experiences using the Classic II for everything computing-wise but specifically it being my first entry into computer-based music production – couple that with the magic that was Apple then, and it all explains why I wanted to keep the Classic in my life.
Fast forward to this past May. The Classic was sitting in my recording studio unpowered for months, as I had no space to really have it plugged in, keyboard connected, etc, I just wanted it as a showpiece. In April, I flipped the power switch on but got no screen, though I could feel the computer powered on. I immediately suspected the usual issue for a computer this old: bad logic board , or could be in need of recapping in the least. Nonetheless, I did some research to determine if I wanted to try and perform this repair myself but, as a result, opted against it. It took me awhile to find a repair center that could fix it, but ended up choosing one in the next state over, relating in a 40 minute or so, drive.
Cool, I dropped it off, chatted with the owner who had an office full of retro computers he does repairs on, assisted by a staff of two people it seemed. The repair form stated I could opt for expedited service but I decided against it because there was no rush in getting it back. The dropoff date was 5/27/25. To date, I still don’t have the computer back.
One thing I am a stickler about is customer service and the thing that annoys me the most is that this proprietor never once contacted me to provide status on the repair situation UNLESS I contacted him first. I understand that there could be an unforeseen backlog, I even understand (as I am told) that he got the wrong logic board, and had to get another, but not once did he decide to give me status on either. I’ve told him TWICE that his lack of communication is poor and unacceptable.
In any event, I’ll see how longer it will take to get my Mac back, but it makes me wonder if it’s all worth it. The memories will always remain, but to have a working machine this old, and not being one to want to learn how to self maintain it to the extent needed as far as repairs go, makes me just want to settle for the fond memories.
I’ll always be a fan of the Apple ecosphere. While some argue that Apple hasn’t had any real innovation since the iPhone, I wouldn’t necessarily say that’s true but I haven’t really seen anything since then that has wowed me. I know that the industry has changed and that is inevitable but with the change, so left the “magic” (at least to me).
Have a great rest of the day.
Oceans of rhythm,
Fresh
