Apple’s new iMac keyboards have done away with the Apple key (or “Open Apple Key”) in what seems to presage the fate of all Apple keys on Mac keyboards. Although a few days have passed, we wouldn’t feel right without observing a moment of silence:
See Apple’s new keyboards, sans Apple logo on the Command Key, here.
MacDailyNews Note: We still hold a special place in our hearts for the “Closed Apple Key.”
Removing the Apple from the Command key makes sense from Apple’s perspective, as it would only help further ease the minds of nervous potential switchers – “Uhh, what’s that ‘weird” key?” You can bet they hear that in the Apple Retails Stores pretty often. (The new key still has the “splat” on it (thankfully), but adds the word “command.”) Still, we wish that Apple would to give us Mac users an optional key with the Apple on it!
The very first Macs, by the way, didn’t have an “Apple” on the Command key. Macs began featuring the Apple logo on the key in 1986.
Two a Day explains “Why the Apple/Command Key Finally Lost Its Apple” here.
R.I.P. Good old friend…Thanks for everything!
The Apple key was the command key for the Lisa. The Lisa OS’s menus displayed the apple prominently in the keyboard shortcuts. After the Lisa’s demise, the key was carried over onto the Macintosh.
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo…………
i am not really concerned over whether the key has an or not, but….
to all the people who say it was confusing to people when you tried to name the key or tell them what to press… what kind of idiots are you dealing with? you couldn’t say the ‘apple’ key because the big ‘apple’ wasn’t obvious enough?
i mean, i have some bad tech help stories, but……
“It was never “the Apple key”, it was always the Command key…”
It’s to easy your migration. In the next generation of Macs it’ll be the Windows key.
“It’s to easy your migration.”
Here’s a hint. Correct spelling is more convincing.
Idiot.
In ’86, as has been mentioned, the open-apple glyph was added to the command key.
The reason was that with the Apple Desktop Bus (ADB) serial connection–first introduced on the Apple IIgs, and subsequently added to the Mac line with the SE and II–Apple started selling keyboards that could be used on either of their product lines.
Apple II users expected the open- and closed-apple glyphs, while Mac users expected the splat glyph and Option. IIRC, the Apple II users bitched mightily about closed-apple becoming Option.
I’m surprised it’s taken this long for open-apple to be removed. ADB and Apple IIs have both been gone for quite a while.
Damn, I’m old…
…and yes, there are several //es, a IIgs, a Mac SE, and a Mac II sitting out in the garage.
That old.
open apple and closed apple!!!!!!
On a related note, my new iMac ordered online was delayed for one month because apparently the new wireless keyboard is NOT ready. I had to cancel the wireless keyboard option and go with the wired keyboard to get the system to ship by next week. Just another failure of Apple to release everything together, just like the bluetooth headset for the iPhone which also wasn’t ready for prime time when the iPhone was released. You think Apple would have made this clear at or just after the event, but alas, who knows the mind of Apple these days. The bungle will cost me at least $50 extra to get the wireless keyboard later. Sigh.
“Here’s a hint. Correct spelling is more convincing.”
Here’s something obvious, the spelling is correct, it’s the grammar that’s wrong.
That makes you a complete retard, criticizing but not knowing the difference…
Never mind the missing Apple key, what’s with the BLACK Apple logo?
To the Chinese and Japanese, black means death. Guess Steve Jobs is not into Zen as much as people say.
A
” rel=”nofollow”>closed Apple key photo would have been cool.
To @Karma (Dogma):
No, it’s not the grammar. It’s the spelling of “easy”.
“It’s to easy your migration.” should be “It’s to ease your migration.”
Now please STFU, asshole. You just missed the last homeroom bell.
@Karma and Dogma
Both of you are idiots. It is not incorrect grammar or spelling. It is an incorrect use of a word. Easy was spelled right, it was just not the right word to use. So both of you STFU.
for a hard core mac it will be always the Apple key … who needs to translate that to windows dictionary …. let them to adapt to Apple world … next they will put the HD and recycle bin at the left side and all the crap from windows world
what’s next?? i don’t want to be customized to windows world … if they want to get a mac so be a mac … apple key is apple key … this is my special elitist bubble
“next they will put the HD and recycle bin at the left side and all the crap from windows world”
And soon they’ll start using a lot of transparency in the UI and a green grassy looking background.
One day, I even predict that Apple will ship software for the Mac which turns it into a standard Windows PC.
Save the Apple key:
http://apfeltaste.wordpress.com/
I’m glad I live outside USA.
Here we keep the Apple key.
ehehehehehe