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| Release date | January 1, 1985 |
|---|---|
| Introductory price | 3,995 |
| Discontinued | August 1, 1986 |
| Operating system | MacWorks XL/System 1.1[1], 2.0, 2.1, 3.0, 3.2;
MacWorks Plus/System 1.1–6.0.3; MacWorks Plus II/System 1.1–6.0.8, 7.0–7.5.5 |
| CPU | Motorola 68000 @ 5 MHz |
| Memory | 512 KB, expandable to 2 MB (Lisa DRAM card) |
Macintosh XL was a modified version of the Apple Lisa personal computer made by Apple Computer, Inc. In the Macintosh XL configuration, the computer shipped with MacWorks XL, a Lisa program that allowed 64K Macintosh ROM emulation. An identical machine was previously sold as the Lisa 2/10 with the Lisa OS only.
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The Macintosh XL had a 400K 3.5" floppy drive and an internal 10 MB proprietary Widget hard drive with provision for an optional 5 or 10MB external ProFile hard drive with the addition of a Parallel interface card. At the time of release, the Macintosh XL was colloquially referred to as the "Hackintosh", although this name has also been used more generally to describe Macintosh computers assembled from unusual combinations of parts. (Since then, this name has been recycled to denote PCs running OSx86, a hacked version of Mac OS X.)
Because of its roots as a Lisa—and unlike all other Macintosh computers—the Macintosh XL did not use square pixels. The resolution of the Macintosh XL was 720x364. Square pixels were available via a physical screen upgrade that changed the resolution to 608x431.
MacWorks Plus was developed by Sun Remarketing as a successor to MacWorks XL in order to provide application compatibility with the Macintosh Plus computer. MacWorks Plus added support for a 800K 3.5" floppy disk and System software up through version 6.0.3. MacWorks Plus II extended that to the same 7.5.5 limit imposed on all 68000 processors.[2]
The re-badging of the XL was a last-ditch effort by Apple to save the poorly selling Lisa which had been usurped by the Macintosh line. After two years of marginal sales Apple was unprepared for the record number of orders placed for the newest member of the Macintosh family.
Despite its relative success, the Macintosh XL was discontinued because it was literally unavailable. Parts had not been ordered to keep the XL in production and once the last of the parts ran out, Apple made the decision to shut down production for good.[3] In 1986, Apple offered all Lisa/XL owners the opportunity to turn in their computer and along with US$1,498.00, and receive in exchange a Macintosh Plus and Hard Disk 20 (a US$4,098.00 value at the time).[4]
After Apple dropped the XL from their price list in September 1985, Sun Remarketing of Logan, Utah bought a number of Apple's remaining inventory and continued to sell them under license with their updated version of MacWorks Plus, re-branded as the Macintosh Professional.
Though no new Lisas were available for sale, development continued on MacWorks Plus to support the installed base of Lisas, making them as relevant as their closely related cousin, the Macintosh Plus.
The Macintosh XL shares the same legacy as the Lisa before it. However, the increased sales from the emulation of the Macintosh operating system proved that the Macintosh family badly needed a more professional environment which could provide larger monitors, greater memory and more expandability than the Macintosh 512K offered.
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   | Macintosh XL: Technical Specifications from Apple - Macintosh XL: Technical Specifications |
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