IN THE MID-1990S, Apple was struggling. CEO Michael Spindler’s one major achievement was to form a partnership with IBM and Motorola that resulted in the PowerPC processor, giving the Power Macintosh range higher performance than comparable Intel- based PCs. But the machines, produced by a complex international manufacturing chain using many parts that differed from contemporary industry standards, were too expensive and incompatible to capture more than a few percent of the personal computer market. Yet, with their pale beige plastic cases, they were barely distinguishable from cheaper generic PCs.
Perhaps the problem with the Mac was the Mac? Its operating system, System 7, was well-established and highly regarded.