40 Years Ago, Apple Made Its Mark on the History of Computer Self-Publishing.
The Apple LaserWriter initiated the desktop publishing revolution by establishing WYSIWYG as a new standard that we now consider commonplace.
Apple introduced the LaserWriter printer in March 1985, marking a milestone in the history of printing. This printer, along with a Macintosh computer, Adobe PostScript technology, and Aldus PageMaker software, kickstarted desktop publishing. Before its arrival, Apple offered the ImageWriter, a dot matrix printer that had limitations in speed and resolution. The inclusion of a laser printer changed the game, allowing professional design and printing to be done for the first time from a compact computer system, ideal for a desktop.
One of the most notable advancements of the LaserWriter was the implementation of the WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) design. This concept quickly became the standard for digital publishing, ensuring that a document looked the same on screen as it did on paper, which had not always been the case.
It is important to mention that while Apple was a pioneer in this field, the idea of a revolutionary system like the LaserWriter had already been conceived by researchers at Xerox in the Palo Alto Research Center. The Xerox Star, a business solution, bore similarities to Apple’s Lisa and Macintosh computers, featuring a user-friendly graphical interface that was easy to navigate thanks to a mouse.
The price of the LaserWriter was high compared to more advanced printers in 2025, costing around $7,000. However, it was a more accessible option than many of its competitors. This printer was capable of printing eight pages per minute at a resolution of 300 dpi, sufficient for producing sharp text and graphics. To achieve this quality, Apple equipped the LaserWriter with a powerful processor, the same Motorola 68000 used in the Macintosh. This allowed for the use of Adobe PostScript software, optimizing quality and speeding up the printing process.
Today, high-end color laser printers produce documents with resolutions of up to 1,200 dpi and printing speeds of 35 pages per minute, far surpassing the LaserWriter. Nevertheless, Apple’s legacy in the history of desktop publishing remains intact thanks to this innovative printer.
