The year was 1989. Someone had stored 7,000 Apple computers, hoping to capitalize on future demand. However, these machines never saw the light of day, as Apple demanded their destruction and they were ultimately buried in a landfill.

Over 35 years ago, someone stored around 7,000 Apple computers for future sale. They ended up being buried in a landfill due to Apple's demands.

In 1989, Apple ordered the destruction of 7,000 Lisa computers, a revolutionary model that was shunned by the public. A look back at a little-known episode in the history of the Cupertino company, where innovation clashed with brand image.

A Failure That Reveals a Stroke of Genius.

The story of the Apple Lisa is one of unbridled ambition, groundbreaking innovation, and a tragic end. Launched in 1983, this computer, considered the precursor to the Macintosh, experienced a resounding commercial failure. But what few people know is that 7,000 of these machines were crushed and buried in a landfill in 1989, at the request of Apple itself.

The Lisa: A Technological UFO for its Time.

Equipped with an intuitive graphical interface and a powerful processor, it promised to revolutionize personal computing. However, its exorbitant price (about 30,000 euros today) and its many design flaws made it a resounding failure.

Enter Bob Cook, a fervent Apple admirer and true technological treasure hunter. In 1986, he bought a stock of 7,000 unsold Lisa computers from Apple, determined to give them a second life.

Convinced of the computer's potential, Bob Cook invested $200,000 in the development of an improved version called the "Lisa Professional." This new version corrected the flaws of the original and offered new features.

Apple Demands the Destruction of the Computers.

But in 1989, there was a twist: Apple changed its position and demanded that Bob Cook return all of the Lisas, including the modified ones. The reason? The Cupertino company categorically refused to allow Apple computers, even those improved by a third party, to be sold outside of its strict control.

Faced with the legal power of Apple, Bob Cook bowed down. The 7,000 Lisas, as well as hundreds of Apple IIIs, were then transported to a landfill in Utah and crushed before being buried.

The annihilation of these computers represents much more than the simple destruction of obsolete machines. It is the erasure of a part of Apple's history, a time when audacious innovation coexisted with reckless risk-taking.

Despite its tragic fate, the Apple Lisa has not been forgotten. Enthusiasts and collectors continue to keep its memory alive by restoring the few machines that escaped destruction.

This episode from Apple's little-known history is a reminder that the history of innovation is often made up of resounding successes, but also of bitter failures. The destruction of the Apple Lisa can be seen as an act of technological vandalism, but it is also a valuable warning: even tech giants are not immune to errors in judgment.