Apple Macintosh IIfx computer processing unit
Datecirca 1990
Inventory Number1999-1-0014a
ClassificationComputer
Subject
Maker
Apple Computer Inc.
1976-present
User
Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments, Harvard University
founded 1948
Cultural Region
Place of Origin
Place of Use
Dimensions14.8 × 47.5 × 36.4 cm (5 13/16 × 18 11/16 × 14 5/16 in.)
Material
AccessoriesApple extended keyboard (1999-1-0014b); Apple desktop bus mouse (1999-1-0014c); Allied Telesis Ethernet transceiver (1999-1-0014d )
DescriptionMain system unit of the Macintosh IIfx computer is a beige plastic rectangular box with two disc drives on the right-hand side of the front panel. The main system unit contains the core memory, hard drive and mother board and central processing unit. A vertical line ventilation grating is cut into the faces of the box. There is a band of shorter vertical lines cut around the entire bottom perimeter of the box.
The power button is located at the bottom left-hand corner of the back panel of the box. Above it is a long skinny beige button that opens the top of the case. Next to this button is a serial number and barcode on a white vertical strip. There is a ventilation and fan grate panel occupying most of the left half of the back panel. There are six connection jacks underneath it. The jacks, from left to right, are as follows: round audio jack (for speakers or headphones), two round jacks for plugs with four round pins and one rectangular pin (for mouse and keyboard), two round jacks for plugs with eight round pins (for printer and cable modem jack), one long trapezoidal jack with two rows of round pins, thirteen on top and twelve on the bottom with a tightening screw hole on either side (for twenty-fine pin D-subminiature plugs).
On the right hand side of the panel are six vertical panels for other optional connection jacks, each covered with a beige panel. The right-most two panels are removed, each revealing a fifteen pin D-subminiature connector. The external ethernet transceiver that accompanies this instrument attaches to one of these (1999-1-0014d). The leftmost open panel also provides a cable jack. There are two, power cable connection jacks, one female, and one male, next at the rightmost end of the back panel.
The power button is located at the bottom left-hand corner of the back panel of the box. Above it is a long skinny beige button that opens the top of the case. Next to this button is a serial number and barcode on a white vertical strip. There is a ventilation and fan grate panel occupying most of the left half of the back panel. There are six connection jacks underneath it. The jacks, from left to right, are as follows: round audio jack (for speakers or headphones), two round jacks for plugs with four round pins and one rectangular pin (for mouse and keyboard), two round jacks for plugs with eight round pins (for printer and cable modem jack), one long trapezoidal jack with two rows of round pins, thirteen on top and twelve on the bottom with a tightening screw hole on either side (for twenty-fine pin D-subminiature plugs).
On the right hand side of the panel are six vertical panels for other optional connection jacks, each covered with a beige panel. The right-most two panels are removed, each revealing a fifteen pin D-subminiature connector. The external ethernet transceiver that accompanies this instrument attaches to one of these (1999-1-0014d). The leftmost open panel also provides a cable jack. There are two, power cable connection jacks, one female, and one male, next at the rightmost end of the back panel.
Signedin black letters next to rainbow apple logo on main system unit front panel: Macintosh IIfx
Inscribedhand-written in black ink on a white label in bottom lefthand corner of main system unit front panel: CHSI 1
in black letters underneath barcode on back panel of main system unit: F3104MN9C41
FunctionThe Macintosh IIfx is a re-programmable, electric, digital, stored-program personal desktop computer which is usually used to perform repetitive computations (as opposed to following a single long list of instructions). As such, its function is extremely variable and flexible. This particular device, however, was used by the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments. Click here for a complete description of the Macintosh IIfx, its improvements over other designs and its compatibility information.
Macintosh's outline of the IIfx's technical specifications is available here.
Macintosh's outline of the IIfx's technical specifications is available here.
ProvenanceFrom the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments.
Historical AttributesBelonged to and used by the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments.
Commodore International
Date: 1982-1985
Accessories: four-shelf computer rack (2003-1-0239a); commodore video monitor (2003-1-0239b); magnetic temperature monitor (2003-1-0239c); pulse timer (2003-1-0239d); Panasonic dot-matrix printer (2003-1-0239f); two cyclotron lead bricks (2003-1-0239g, h); cardboard box with printer paper (2003-1-0239i); user's guide for commodore 64 with instructions for use, connections, installation, and service (stored next to the commodore video monitor on top shelf of computer rack); user's guide for commodore 1541 with instructions for use, maintenance, connection, installation, and service (stored next to the commodore video monitor on top shelf of computer rack); ten floppy discs stored in a cardboard box on top of external disk drive
Object number: 2003-1-0293e
Date: 1890-1930
Object number: RS0501
Apple Computer Inc.
Date: 1987-1990
Accessories: AppleDesign keyboard; Logitech mouse (not original); connection cables (b)
Object number: 2009-1-0018a
Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: 1960-1970
Accessories: circuit board, "flip chip" cards (10)
Object number: 1998-1-0230
Harvard Cyclotron Laboratory
Date: 1980-1985
Accessories: four-shelf computer rack (2003-1-0239a); commodore video monitor (2003-1-0239b); pulse timer (2003-1-0239d); Commodore computer, keyboard (2003-1-0239e); Panasonic dot-matrix printer (2003-1-0239f); two cyclotron lead bricks (2003-1-0239g, h); cardboard box with printer paper (2003-1-0239i)
Object number: 2003-1-0293c
International Business Machines Corporation
Date: 1986-1992
Accessories: monitor; keyboard (b); one black cable; one grey cable; function key template; part of cable; printout of an e-mail from Chip Robinson (c)
Object number: 1997-1-1825a
International Business Machines Corporation
Date: 1986-1992
Accessories: monitor; keyboard; one black cable; one grey cable; function key template; part of cable; printout of an e-mail from Chip Robinson
Object number: 1997-1-1825c
See also/See also
