E-Z Pilot

Seattle, Washington — July 28, 2024 — Apple Pugetsound Program Library Exchange (A.P.P.L.E.) has published “E-Z Pilot” – an updated 90 page manual for the easy-to-use version of the Pilot programming language, created by Earl L. Keyser for the Apple II in 1983 and previously published by A.P.P.L.E. It is especially useful for school teachers and parents. You will enjoy interactive computer sessions.

Features Include:

Table of Contents PDF
E-Z PILOT – The Pilot interpreter which presents lessons to students.
AUTHOR – the BASIC program which allows one to write lessons.
Seven demonstrative lessons and straight-forward instructions on how to create your own.
Pictures created by a Koala Pad, Applesoft shape tables, or other graphics methods may be freely mixed with the text of your lessons.
Programs can talk to students if your Apple II has a Mockingboard card.
Source code included.

Availability

E-Z Pilot is available in Paperback – printed in color – through the A.P.P.L.E. bookstore with production and fulfillment by Lulu.com. A disk image of the “rare” disk is available on our Store page.

Author

Earl L. Keyser — a university professor and early adopter of the Pilot programming language for use in the educational environment. He worked for Technology and Information Educational Services cooperative (TIES), an educational software collaborative operated by Minneapolis Metro Area Schools. Earl wrote a number of versions for varying platforms including E-Z Pilot for the Apple II, published by A.P.P.L.E. in 1983. Earl created E-Z Pilot in Applesoft BASIC to bring both textual and graphical programming to the lessons which Pilot is famous for. The final release of E-Z Pilot contained herein is one of the earliest fully-integrated programming environments which was produced outside of the mainstream programming language realm and was created specifically for A.P.P.L.E.He licensed the ApexText graphical character generator system for E-Z Pilot. ApexText was created by Tim Cimbura of Apex Software, and easily displayed lowercase, color fonts, and graphic images on all Apple II computers. Earl enjoyed showcasing his skills as an amateur magician, working on puzzles, playing games, watching movies, and attending plays. His contributions to computing still resound mightily in the retro computing realm.

Producers

Brian Wiser — A producer of books, films, games, and events, as well as an Apple consultant, historian and archivist. Designer, editor, and co-producer of dozens of books including: Nibble Viewpoints: Business Insights From The Computing Revolution, Cyber Jack: The Adventures of Robert Clardy and Synergistic Software, Synergistic Software: The Early Games, Graphically Speaking: Enhanced Edition, What’s Where in the Apple: Enhanced Edition, Understanding the Apple IIe: Enhanced Edition, and The WOZPAK Special Edition: Steve Wozniak’s Apple-1 & Apple II Computers. Brian is also the author of The Etch-a-Sketch and Other Fun Programs. Producer/Director of the documentary film “Done The Impossible: The Fans’ Tale of Firefly & Serenity“, his Browncoat Cruise convention with Firefly cast, and an extra in the movie “Serenity.” Co-producer of Beagle Bros and Applied Engineering websites, the retro iOS game Structris, and co-producer/writer for CallAPPLE.org and Call-A.P.P.L.E. magazine.

Bill Martens — Apple historian and enthusiast, programmer, President of Apple Pugetsound Program Library Exchange (A.P.P.L.E.) and co-producer of Call-A.P.P.L.E. magazine, and books like: Cyber Jack, Synergistic Software: The Early Games, Nibble Viewpoints, The WOZPAK Special Edition, and What’s Where in the Apple: Enhanced Edition. Bill also co-produced and co-programmed the retro iOS game Structris. Bill is the author of ApPilot/W1, Beyond Quest, The Anatomy of an EAMON, and multiple EAMon adventure games. He is a systems engineer specializing in office infrastructures and has been programming since 1976. And he is the production editor for the A.P.P.L.E. website CallAPPLE.org, writes science fiction novels in his spare time, and is a retired semi-pro football player.

Publisher

Apple Pugetsound Program Library Exchange (A.P.P.L.E.) has been a global Apple user group since 1978, with membership peaking near 50,000 in 1985. Offering many services, A.P.P.L.E. is also a book publisher and game developer, and has produced dozens of new book titles since 2013 and over 100 Apple software titles. A.P.P.L.E. published the The WOZPAK Special Edition – a detailed book containing Steve Wozniak’s restored handwritten notes and printouts about his Apple II computer, as well as forewords from Steve Wozniak and other Apple legends. They also publish books such as: Graphically Speaking: Enhanced Edition by Mark Pelczarski, Tome of Copy Protection, Cyber Jack: The Adventures of Robert Clardy and Synergistic Software, Synergistic Software: The Early Games, Nibble Viewpoints: Business Insights From the Computing Revolution by Mike Harvey, What’s Where in The Apple: Enhanced Edition, The Colossal Computer Cartoon Book: Enhanced Edition by David H. Ahl, A.P.P.L.E. 1978 and 1979 magazine Compendiums, and the retro iOS game Structris.