In a turbulent conflict-shaken world rife with geopolitical rivalry, tech export bans seem increasingly prevalent. However, history provides some context, and some fun in this case, as industry watchers rightly highlight that computer technology export bans are nothing new. Here we look back at the Apple Power Macintosh G4 export ban from 1999, and Steve Jobs making marketing gold from the situation. In the summer of 1999, the U.S. government put export restrictions on Apple’s newly launched Power Mac G4 desktop tower systems. Being capable of a claimed performance of “over 1 billion calculations per second” meant these stylish ‘graphite’ translucent designs were “classed as a weapon” and thus routinely banned from export to 50 nations worldwide. Though Apple naturally sought to get the restrictions lifted , according to contemporary reports, its new interim chief executive officer, Steve Jobs, didn’t miss a great marketing trick.…