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Apple’s System Software 5.0 and 5.1, an operating system designed and developed for Macintosh computers, was first released on October 8th, 1987. The new software, distributed on four floppy disks and three floppy discs with manuals, came with a retail price of $49.
One of the most notable features of System Software 5.0 was the introduction of “MultiFinder”, a new multitasking function that allowed users to keep applications running in the background.
| Released | October 8, 1987 (5.0) November 27, 1987 (5.1) |
| Original Price | $49 |
| System Requirements | Motorola 68000 processor or later 1 MB RAM |
| Distribution | On four 800 KB floppy disks + three floppy disks with manuals |
| Versions | System Software 5.0 – System 4.2, Finder 6.0, MultiFinder 1.0 System Software 5.1 – System 4.3, Finder 6.0, MultiFinder 1.0 |
On November 27th, 1987, Apple released an updated version of the software, System Software 5.1, which included an updated LaserWriter driver and a new version of the Apple HD SC Setup.
Unfortunately, this version of Macintosh System Software was eventually replaced by System Software 6.0. However, it’s hard to forget the impact that System Software 5.0 and 5.1 had on Macintosh computers 36 years ago.
Further Reading and References
- Classic Mac OS – Wikipedia
- The Early Mac OS – The Apple Museum
- Apple Macintosh before System 7 – Early Macintosh
- Classic Mac OS Downloads and Updates – Low End Mac
- Macintosh: System Software Version History – Apple Support
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Last updated: May 1, 2023