Apple IIe: the first computer in an olive mill (1983)
The legendary Apple IIe computer, used by the Locci Oil Mill since 1983, was the first personal computer employed in Italy for the management of an oil mill. At that time, there were no ready-to-use programs, so Francesco Locci, the owner of the mill, had to personally develop the software suitable for the company's needs, using the AppleSoft BASIC programming language.
Although the Apple IIe computer, launched in 1983, featured some significant technical innovations for its time, there were still considerable limitations that made programming and using the computer a challenge. The MOS 6502 processor, running at just 1.023 MHz, provided significantly lower computing power compared to today's standards.
The available memory was extremely limited, with only 128 KB of RAM and 5 1/4 inch floppy disks with a capacity of just 140 KB. For comparison, the memory capacity of modern smartphones is at least 500 times greater than that of the Apple IIe.
Despite these technical limitations, Francesco Locci was able to exploit the potential of the Apple IIe computer, registering about 700 producers and managing approximately 2,000 processes for each olive season. This allowed for significant time and effort savings compared to traditional paper registers, highlighting the importance and positive impact of adopting information technology even in the early stages of personal computer development.
Despite these technical limitations, Francesco Locci was able to exploit the potential of the Apple IIe computer, registering about 700 producers and managing approximately 2,000 processes for each olive season. This allowed for significant time and effort savings compared to traditional paper registers, highlighting the importance and positive impact of adopting information technology even in the early stages of personal computer development.
