For those of you who have been following the A2osX project, there is now a new version of the Source and Build floppies available for download from the A2osX Github repository. The brainchild of Rémy Gibert, A2osX aims to be a multitasking operating system for the Apple II much like Linux or other Unix type operating systems. If you are interested in helping with this project, developers who are familiar with this type of operating system development are welcome to…
DiskBrowser has been updated to version 1.0.25. The latest version of Denis Molony’s Apple II disk image browsing software now supports the WOZ format. DiskBrowser is a Java based application and includes the following features: Applesoft and Integer Basic Pascal disassembler 6502 disassembler Wizardry internals and maps Infocom text adventure internals Appleworks Visicalc HDV and 2mg Compressed disks – shrinkIt, gzip, zip Track and sector display Dual DOS disks CPM disks Comprehensive disk listing You will need the latest version…
James and John have released the 466th episode of the RetroMacCast Podcast. In this episode, they discuss a host of items including: eBay finds: six-color Apple poster, Woz-autographed floppy, and a Peach Apple II clone. They delve into the Takky Mac, and news includes Susan Kare, the end of Airport, and Hap’s prototype collection. To listen to the RetroMacCast podcast, check out their website at: http://retromaccast.libsyn.com/rmc-episode-466-takky?tdest_id=159182
Charity Buzz is currently auctioning off one of the original Apple-1 Computers. The “Duston 2” as this Apple-1 is being named, was previously owned by Adam Duston of Naperville Illinois. One of the original Byte Shop machines, the “Duston 2” has been modified slightly but according to Apple-1 restorer and expert, Corey Cohen, is not in bad physical condition and he gave it a 7.0 rating, stating that “the board would have been an 8,5 had it been all original….
The Applewin Emulator has been updated to Version 1.27.4.0. This version focuses on items related to the Super Serial Card and the recent interest in BBS and Modem related topics. The latest release of Applewin includes a host of improvements and fixes including: Fix for showing 559th DHGR vertical column. But now an HGR HCOLOR=2 vertical line at column 0 is only 1 DHGR pixel wide. Fix TEXT80 to be aligned with DHGR. Fix FLASH in TEXT80 (the inverse aux-memory…
The Spy’s garden is kinda dusty these days, as this past month has been the driest May on record here in the West of the frozen North. Apple has its own problem with dust–in its MacBook Pro keyboard switches. Seems once it accumulates sufficiently, the butterfly switches cease functioning. Good thing the Spy thought of that possibility and bought a JCPAL keyboard overlay when his machine was new. True, the extra printed information was one motivation, but he’d had dust…
The latest version of the Virtual II Emulator has been released. Virtual II is a Shareware full featured Apple II emulator which offers users near real hardware experiences on Mac OS X. The latest release, version 8.4 contains a host of changes including Improved “woz” disk image compatibility; the application now deals better with several copy-protection schemes. If a woz disk’s internal write protect property has been set, QuickLook now shows the disk without a write-protect notch, to indicate that…
Join Mike Maginnis and Chris Torrence as they try to fix Mike’s Rev 0 Apple II on the latest episode of the Assembly Lines podcast. Watch here!
I recently had the opportunity to beta test the new ReactiveMicro Apple IIc Plus Universal Power Supply, and it’s a beauty! The Apple IIc Plus was the last version of the already popular portable version of the Apple II. It featured a 4 MHz processor, expandable memory, internal 3.5 floppy drive, and new serial connectors. But the best feature was the lack of “brick on a leash” that plagued the original //c. This gave this model the freedom and portability…
For a spell, the Steve Jobs Archive was the one go-to place on the web to get a good synopsis of the videos of Steve and the associated grouping. The site contains 43 categories of Steve Jobs’ life and the videos which contain that aspect. After the disappearance of the site, A.P.P.L.E. inquired and apparently the interest in Steve Jobs had waned to a point where the curator, Art Matsak, felt that it was no longer needed. However, Since said…
Gerard Putter has released the latest update to his Virtual II emulator for Mac OS X. Virtual II is an Apple II Emulator which is completely standardized GUI and allows the user to experience both the sights and the sounds in addition to the actual functionality of the original Apple II Computer. Virtual II version 8.3 contains a bevy of updates and fixes including: Support for the “woz” disk image format. The woz format and implementation guide was created by…
Seattle, Washington — May 14, 2018 — Apple Pugetsound Program Library Exchange (A.P.P.L.E.) and John Blankenship are proud to announce the immediate availability of the book The Apple House: How to Computerize Your Home Using Your Apple II Computer. Originally published in 1984 by Pearson Education, Inc, the new 186 page book is completely remastered and re-typeset. Additionally, all of John Blankenship’s custom home automation software featured in the book has been retyped and made available on a free disk…
Apple Pugetsound Program Library Exchange (A.P.P.L.E.) released a new, expanded paperback manual for the popular Apple II machine language programming tool Big Mac: Macro Assembler. Originally published in 1981 by A.P.P.L.E. from author Glen E. Bredon, the new 128 page manual combines for the first time Big Mac, along with Big Mac.LC, Symbol Cross-Reference, and Symbol Symon that expand its capabilities. Availability Big Mac: Macro Assembler is available through the A.P.P.L.E. bookstore with production and fulfillment by Lulu.com. The programs…
May 2018 The Spy has oft noted the old proverb “He who dies with the most toys wins”, and responds with “Wins what?” But in any manufacturing space, and confined to this life only, the company making the most toys wins-at least for a while, at least for the immediate bottom line. At one time, this was IBM, but that venerable corporation, which could once have bought Apple Corp. for $1B, ditched its small computer line and tried to reinvent…
From Brian Court: The fourth edition of the Apple II Festival France will take place in early August 2018 (1st to 5th). The Silicium association, along with the Apple II France group on facebook, the Maska team and many enthusiasts prepare the meeting. For more information, go to https://www.apple2festivalfrance.fr/
Gerard Putter has released a new version of his Virtual II Emulator, an Apple II emulator with high quality interface and one of the most capable emulators for Mac OS X. The latest version, according to Gerard does not yet support WOZ files but is being released due to his desire to keep it functioning at near perfection: I decided to issue a bug-fix release. The new version also has an improved way for installing the ROM files – I…
David Schmenk has released a new Trival File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) server for the Apple II. The release is part of his PLASMA Programming Language for the Apple II release. To use the TFTP Server, boot the PLASMA System Floppy which you can download from the PLASMA Archive. Simply boot the floppy in your Apple II with Uthernet I or Uthernet II card installed. Once booted, you should see the PLASMA startup message. To run the TFTP server, type: +tftpd…
The RetroMacCast episode #465 has been released. This episode includes a preview of the upcoming Vintage Computer Festival Southeast 6.0 as well as James and John’s discussion on a variety of Macintosh related topics including: eBay finds: classic Mac iPad mini mount, Powerbook clock, and custom sneakers. John talks to Earl Baugh from the Vintage Computer Festival Southeast, and the news includes leaks, 32-bit saying good-bye soon and Mac OS 8 on iPhone. To check out the current episode, go…
For many years, Brutal Deluxe’s Antoine Vignau has been running the Apple II Cassette Repository, a site dedicated to gathering all of the Apple II software distributed on cassette tape. With the additions to the site this week, the repository has reached a whopping 670 entries. The latest addition to the site includes Confrontation by GRT Corporation. Antoine has also made a short how-to guide available which takes you through the steps required to recover the data from old Apple…
The Vintage Geek Blog has a nice write up on BBSing with the WiModem-232 OLED. If you were wondering about the WiModem 232 or how to get started, the Vintage Geek takes you through the gamut of the setup and connecting with a series of easy to understand photos. Check it out on the Vintage Geek Blog at: https://vintagegeek.wordpress.com/
