Tonight's Lost season finale has the Mac|Life staff giddy with excitement. As huge fans of the show, Apple, and stories that explore parallel universes, such as, DC comic's Elseworld series and Philip Roth's The Plot Against America, we wondered what would it be like if Ben Linus and Charles Widmore founded Apple instead of our favorites Steves.

 

April 1, 1976 - Apple Computer founded by two scrappy enigmatic co-founders, Benjamin Linus and Charles Widmore. Funding is provided by Alvar Hanso of the Hanso Foundation.

 

May 4, 1976 - The Apple Orchid is introduced at DHARMA computer club. Computers from other companies mysteriously disappear along with their creators.

 

April 8, 1977 - Apple Orchid II is introduced.

 

June 15, 1979 - Apple Orchid II+ introduced with magnetic dissipation technology.

 

July 16, 1979 - Work begins on Alex Project. Apple Computer moves from Cupertino to remote island. Sightings of mysterious Smoke Monster in Silicon Valley coincidently stop.

 

November 23, 1979 - Ben Linus visits PARC several times. Xerox vice presidents and management all go on an island vacation at the same time, never to be heard from again.

 

January 1980 - Ben Linus takes over Macintosh Pearl project.

 

February 1981 - Widmore, affectionately known as Wid, crashes his plane after leaving Apple Island. Wid doesn't return to Apple for unknown reasons.

 

January 1983 - The Apple Alex is introduced. Computer is named after Ben Linus' daughter.

 

January 1984 - Famous Macintosh Pearl "1984" orientation film airs. Features man describing the Macintosh's many features.

 

January 1985 - Apple Alex is scrapped.

 

May 1985 - Linus stripped of his duties by Dharma Initiative investors.

 

February 1986 - Ben joins "Others" computer collective. Promises NeXT big thing.

 

July 1997 - Alvar Hanso stripped of CEO position at Apple. Disappears.

 

August 1997 - Mass job losses at Apple Island known as The Purge. Curiously, no former employees are heard from again. Ben Linus returns to head of company.

 

May 1998 - iMac and Powerbook G3 introduced. Media hails Ben Linus as Apple's savior.

 

2001 - iPod introduced. Music is pre-installed.

 

January 2002 - Oceanic Airlines adds iPod integration to flights.

 

December 2004 - Apple Island goes dark after Oceanic Flight 815 disappears. 42GB iPod is introduced.

 

January 2005 - Apple returns after 108 days of no communications. Secrecy is heightened at Apple complex. Wid is in talks for hostile takeover of Apple.

 

2006 - Switch to Intel chips commences Paik Industries of Korea begins building all Apple components.

 

June 2007 - iPhone introduced, replaces bulky phones used by Apple employees.

 

Got a timeline addition for us? Tell us in the comments.