Pronunciation: [ˈapə͡l tˈɔːk] (IPA) 
AppleTalk is a term used in the world of computing to refer to a now obsolete networking protocol developed by Apple. The word AppleTalk is pronounced as /ˈæpəl.tɔːk/ and is spelt as it sounds. The "a" in "Apple" makes the sound /æ/ as in "cat". The "p" and "l" are pronounced as normal, and the "e" at the end makes the sound /ɪ/ as in "sit". The word "Talk" ends with a silent "k".
AppleTalk is a proprietary networking protocol developed by Apple Inc. in the 1980s, primarily for communication and data sharing between Apple Macintosh computers. It was designed to provide a simple and user-friendly method of connecting multiple Macintosh computers and peripherals within local area networks (LANs). AppleTalk was widely used on Macintosh computers until it was gradually phased out in the late 1990s with the emergence of more modern networking standards.
The AppleTalk protocol offered a range of features and services, including file sharing, printing, and device discovery. It operated on the basis of a peer-to-peer architecture, where all devices connected to the network had equal communication privileges and could communicate directly with each other without the need for a centralized server. Each device in an AppleTalk network had a unique network address and name, making it easy to identify and locate other devices on the network.
AppleTalk utilized a variety of protocols for different purposes, such as the AppleTalk Data Stream Protocol (ADSP) for reliable data transmission and the Name Binding Protocol (NBP) for name resolution. The protocol suite also included the AppleTalk Address Resolution Protocol (AARP) for mapping network addresses to physical hardware addresses.
While AppleTalk is no longer widely used, its impact on the development and early adoption of local area networking for personal computers cannot be understated. It played a significant role in establishing an early foundation for networked computing and served as a precursor to more advanced and standardized networking protocols.
The word "AppleTalk" is derived from the combination of two words: "Apple" and "Talk".
The term "Apple" refers to the computer company Apple Inc. founded by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in 1976. AppleTalk was specifically developed by Apple as a proprietary networking protocol for their Macintosh computers in the 1980s and 1990s.
The word "Talk" in "AppleTalk" refers to the purpose of the protocol, which is to enable communication and data sharing between computers and devices on a network. So, the name "AppleTalk" essentially signifies the networking technology developed by Apple for their computers to facilitate communication and data transfer.
