Apple Confidential 2.0 – Book Review

Apple Confidential 2.0- The Definitive History of the World’s Most Colorful Company
by Owen W. Linzmayer
No Starch Press
ISBN 1-59327-010-0
$19.95 U.S., $29.95 CN
323 pages

Back in 2000, I had the pleasure of reading and reviewing Mr. Linzmayer’s first Apple Confidential book, and thought that he had done an outstanding job of presenting the visible and the behind-the-scenes story of Apple Computer. Mr. Linzmayer, a freelance writer and author, had taken his time to delve into the depths of the company that we all love to hate and produced a great book that worked to explain the mysteries of Apple.

Fast forward to 2004 and he has done it again. Taking the original book, Mr. Linzmayer has updated the story to the present day, continuing the journey from where he left off with Mac OS 8.6 and the original iMac to the present day Mac OS 10.3 and the G5, the iPod and iLife.

Apple Confidential 2.0, from start to finish, is a continual source of information on Apple Computer and the people involved, from the beginnings in a bedroom (you have to read the book to find out) to the present day activities of Steve Jobs as head of Apple and Pixar. It delves into how the original Apple was taken to numerous companies, like Hewlett-Packard, Atari and Commodore Business Machines in an attempt to sell the Apple computer concept. It covers all the twists and turns that Apple has experienced along the way. Apple Confidential 2.0 provides the reader with information on how Apple came to be, who thought of what, who never got the credit that they justly deserved, or who took the blame when things went wrong. The book includes time lines for Apple from the start of both Wozniak and Jobs in college to the computers, operating systems, peripherals and software from the very start to the present day.

If you want an easy to read book on the story of Apple and the people involved, get yourself Apple Confidential 2.0. The book is packed with everything you need to know, provides the background on people, and places and things, and it does so without being boring or preachy. A very good read, you’ll find yourself totally engrossed. If you didn’t buy Mr. Linzmayer’s first book, take the time to get the second. Apple Confidential 2.0 will make a great addition to your home library – a must-have for Apple lovers.

Highly Recommended.

My Mac Rating: 5 out of 5