Last updated on March 14, 2024
The Information Exchange was a collection of marketing program descriptions, tip sheets, Apple event schedules, key Apple contacts, Apple trade-show schedules, and other information. It provided readers with an overview of Apple’s marketing direction, as well as outline specific opportunities that readers could take advantage of to help market their Apple-compatible products.
NOTE: see my Macintosh Reference Documentation post for other information sources.
About
The Information Exchange was an information service created by Apple’s Developer Services to provide accurate and more timely information about Apple’s marketing and product directions.
With the introduction of this service Apple intend to:
- Provide readers with better information to help them develop marketing plans for your Apple-compatible products.
- Set up opportunities for the reader to communicate product and promotional information to some of Apple’s customers.
Updates were released quarterly.
Information Exchange
February 1st, 1987: The first release. Contained contact information and organization charts for Apple various organizations, Marketing and Sales Information (such as the VAR AppleGram Mailing to Apple’s Value Added Resellers), Trade Show Information, Advertising and Publications (such as Outside Apple), Public Relations, Market Research , Distribution, Product Design and Support, Legal Guidelines. For more about VARs see Apples V.A.R. website (1997-07-15)
October 1st, 1988: The information in this binder includes some of the original information as well as each of the updates that have been sent since its introduction. You will continue to receive updated information; thus, the binder and the stacks will become an increasingly useful resource. The Product Design and Support section provides information about: AppleTalk Development, AppleCD SC Development, Apple/Digital Connectivity (Mac II and VAX, AppleTalk and MS-DOS and OS/2), A/UX Development, and HyperCard Development.
Information Exchange: Technical and Marketing
In 1989 Apple decided to expand it’s service to developers (building on the Certified Developer program that had been in placed since 1983) by creating three basic programs: Apple’s Apple Programmers and Developers Association (APDA), Apple Associates, and Apple Partners (formerly Certified Developers) (source Dr. Dobb’s Journal Vol 14 page 932):
- The Apple Programmers and Developers Association (APDA) was an international direct distribution channel open to anyone interested in developing Mac products. Members could order Apple development tools, like the Macintosh Programmers Workshop (MPW) and MacApp, and documentation, such as Inside Macintosh and Macintosh and Apple II Technical Notes.
- The Associates Program was created to provide support to a wider group of developers than was formerly reached by the Certified Developer program. The Associates Program targeted educators, researchers, and inhouse developers, all of whom might develop software for the Mac or Apple II for their own use, not for resale. Development information available to associates includes system software and updates, the Technical Guidebook (see below), the AppleDirect monthly newsletter, and the Apple Viewpoints biweekly newsletter.
- The Partners Program replaces the Certified Developers Program, and targets developers who intend to sell Apple-compatible products within two years. Participants include third-party developers, VARs, and contract programmers. This program included all the benefits of the associates program plus a copy of the Marketing Guidebook (see below).
As described above, by September 1989 the Information exchange binder was separated in to two publications:
- The Information Exchange – Technical Guidebook (September 1989) by Apple’s Associates Program: was designed for the person in a company that needs Apple product and development information. It is not necessarily a “how-to manual” but rather a reference tool to help them better understand Apple products and platforms. Additionally, this guidebook contains information that will help them to determine the most effective ways to work with Apple throughout their development process.
- The Information Exchange – Marketing Guidebook (September 1989) by Apple’s Partner program: informed Apple Partners about Apple’s marketing directions and opportunities that existed for developers. It was a resource that was published twice yearly, and was available in either a loose leaf binder format or the popular HyperCard stack format (trying to find a copy of this). Updates to the information was posted to AppleLink as new information became available.
I cannot find any paper versions of the information exchange after September 1. But I think (trying to find evidence), that the Marketing Guidebook was replaced by the Apple Reference and Presentations Library CD-ROM mailings, and the Technical Guidebook was replaced by the Apple Developer CD-ROMs.