Buckshot is a free to use, open-source image conversion utility for Windows, Mac OSX and Linux. It is based on a command-line image conversion tool called “bmp2dhr”. It’s mostly a toy to play around with, as it doesn’t support all features available in bmp2dhr, but it works well and is fun for checking out possible conversions. Get Buckshot
This month on Open Apple, we sit down with Alex Lee, purveyor of the canonical IIgs reference site What Is The Apple IIgs? We talk about what it was like being one of the brave few with this machine, and that feeling of living in a secret world of incredible graphics and sound that nobody else seemed to know about. Alex walks us through the history of IIgs emulators, and all the ways that the IIgs Finder was actually better…
December 2016 Sierra’s problems continue, as the Spy receives other reports of programs not functioning besides the ones cited here last month. To be fair, the Olive Tree folk managed to get their Bible Study program working on Sierra, reducing the number of fails by one. On the other hand, he now has multiple reports of Sierra installs killing off or corrupting the keychain, and some of SSH, ITunes, and other apps failing, or running very slow. There are also…
Apple Pugetsound Program Library Exchange (A.P.P.L.E.) has updated the manual for the popular Apple II graphics programming tool Turtlesoft: Turtle Graphics for Applesoft with a new softcover manual. Originally published in 1983 by A.P.P.L.E., the new manual features revised formatting and now includes the 15 sample programs with screenshots. In addition to the original Turtlesoft DOS 3.3 version by Robert Gallup, John Brooks converted it to work with ProDOS. Both Turtlesoft disk images are available and also include sample programs….
The WOZPAK Special Edition, first released in 2013 in Softcover and Hardcover, has been upgraded with a forward by Don Williams and some additional information on the back cover. For those who purchased the original edition of the book, we’ve made Don Williams forward available as a high-quality PDF that can be printed and inserted in the book. The press release follows: Originally produced in 1978 by Val Golding and Dick Hubert of A.P.P.L.E., The WOZPAK was the first official…
Apple Pugetsound Program Library Exchange is proud to announce the book Call-A.P.P.LE. Magazine 1979 Compendium – a nostalgic look back at the early years of the Apple computing revolution through the eyes of Call-A.P.P.L.E. magazine and the Apple Pugetsound Program Library Exchange (A.P.P.L.E.) user group. All 9 issues from the second year of Call-A.P.P.L.E. magazine are included along with a four page forward by Don Williams. Over 340 pages are enhanced and restored in high-quality grayscale, complete with the advertisements…
David Schmidt has announced the immediate availability of ADTPro 2.0.2. The latest update includes ProDOS 2.4.1 as the base operating system as well as a host of other new features and bug fixes including: New functionality: Support added for Uthernet II based on new integrated IP65 library from Oliver Schmidt (http://oliverschmidt.github.io/ip65/) Integrated John Brooks’ ProDOS 2.4.1 as base operating system for all ADTPro actions (Speediboot, text bootstrapping, base disks, etc.) [VDrive] Uthernet II virtual Ethernet driver from Oliver Schmidt that…
The What is the Apple IIgs website has announced that there are a number of new additions to their 8-bit floppy archive. The site is one of the largest Apple IIgs specific websites and archives all of the floppies, documentation, and packaging covers. For more on the latest additions check out the news page at: http://www.whatisthe2gs.apple2.org.za/more-8-bit-on-3-5-disk-software-added-and-just-in-time-for-christmas/?stage=Live
Huibert Allbers has announced the return of a number of his Apple IIgs apps from the 1980’s. According to Huibert, “I believed to have lost. However, Antoine Vignau was able to rescue most of the contents of my damaged HD 20SC drive. Now all of his apps are availebe for free download from his website. The Applications available include the following: Jigsaw! A very simple game, written in less than a week. It was never meant to be published but…
I hate to break it to you, but with the introduction of new MacBook Pros last week came news that the beloved Mac startup chime has died of unknown causes at age 32. I was, of course, heartbroken. So, I made a little video with famous startup chimes and chimes of death/doom as a kind of memorial for the deceased: Special thanks to the nice folks at MacTracker; I couldn’t have done this without them.
Antoine Vignau of Brutal Deluxe Software has announced the addition of four new software titles to the Apple II Cassette Collection. The collection now contains a total of 653 titles that were produced on Tape for the Apple II computer during the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. You can download the tapes at: http://www.brutaldeluxe.fr/projects/cassettes/
I’m about to embark on my annual tour of Mac user groups in the great Northeast: Monday, November 7: Virginia Macintosh Users Group (VMUG) at 6 p.m. Tuesday, November 8: Princeton Macintosh Users Group (PMUG) at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, November 12: Main Line Macintosh Users Group (MLMUG) at 9 a.m. All meetings are free of charge; click the links for details. At each meeting I’ll be showing a few ways to work smarter on your Mac; demonstrating a few of my favorite things; and revealing the best things…
The Spy described himself last month as “still breathing”. In view of the worst cold to afflict him in many years, that is not a quality statement, just a bare fact. Good thing he isn’t trying to dictate this column. VCON-41 was this past weekend (why he delayed writing this) and the Spy was scheduled for four panels and a reading. After struggling through Friday afternoon and evening, he awoke Saturday with no voice at all, and had to cancel…
The second batch of Apple IIGS VGA Adapters shipped out last week and should now be in their new happy homes. We love hearing about what monitor you are using with the adapter: “Per your recommendation, I am using the adaptor with a Samsung 712N and it is working as advertised. This came just in time for me to fix up a ROM1 GS that I’m going to give to my son-in-law for Christmas.” – Bill from Pottstown, PA Thank you…
Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, spoke at the Utah Tech Tour yesterday with other industry leaders. Members of the audience had the rare chance to submit questions to Tim. As always, Tim is very thoughtful, articulate and clearly brilliant. I feel lucky to have been there and heard his insights into encryption, being a successful entrepreneur, AR vs. VR, and embracing Steve Jobs’ vision at Apple. These are the highlights from Tim: What can students do to be competitive in…
System Disk 4.4 has been released for Apple //e and newer computers. The following programs are included: ProDOS 2.4.1 operating system. Bitsy Bye program launcher from ProDOS 2.4.1. Launcher.System 4.4, now updated to restore Bitsy Bye v2.4.1 to Language Card Bank 2 on exit. SysUtils.System 3.1 from System Disk 4.0.2. FastCopy.System version 1.0.1 from System Disk 4.0.2. Bitsy Boot 1.0 from ProDOS 2.4.1. Basic.System 1.6 from ProDOS 2.4.1 The Make.No.P8 utility from ProDOS 2.4.1 which saves 1KB from ProDOS by removing GS/OS…
Announcement from Brutal Deluxe Software: Brutal Deluxe Software, in partnership with Jean-Louis Le Breton (CEO of Froggy Software) and Richard Soberka (programmer, author of Zephyr), is happy to announce the release of the arcade game Pleins gaz for the Apple II. This color HGR arcade game was released by Froggy Software in late 1986. As the company shut its doors shortly after, the game was barely distributed. Version 1.2 presented here runs under ProDOS and is hard disk drive installable….
This month on Open Apple, we sit down with Kate Szkotnicki, long time Apple II fan and new addition to the retro community. We chat about her first impressions as a newcomer to the community, and the big splash she made at her first KansasFest. Kate is a cosplayer and frequent attendee of anime and comic cons, so she brought a very fresh set of skills and perspectives to KansasFest. Her presentation on making plastic parts (and candy!) with silicone…
New version: ProDOS 2.4.2 is available here. ProDOS 2.4.1 adds several improvements and bug fixes to ProDOS 2.4. Includes ROM ID detection for many Apple II clones, and workarounds for clone firmware bugs. Franklin Ace Laser 128 Unitron Pravetz Updates MiniBas to version 1.2. Fixes a bug when launching ProDOS 2.4 from GS/OS using Closed-Apple to activate Bitsy Bye. Fixes a ROM bug in un-enhanced Apple //e when quitting to Bitsy Bye with 80-column mode enabled. Files on disk have been organized for…
macOS 10.12 Sierra comes out tomorrow; please don’t install it until you read this: Dr. Mac’s Rants & Raves (Dr. Mac’s Rants & Raves Episode 187 for The Mac Observer) Or, if you can’t read the whole thing (it’s only a few hundred words) for whatever reason, here’s the thrilling conclusion: If you like to live dangerously, go ahead and install Sierra and iOS 10 the minute they come out. I will, but remember, I’m a trained professional. So, before you do…
