• Tag Archives Apple II

  • Hardcore Computist (August 1988)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment


    Source: Hardcore Computist – Issue Number 58 – August 1988



    Hardcore Computist was a technically oriented magazine that mostly covered the Apple II. It was controversial for its emphasis on circumventing the disk-based copy protection of the time. The August 1988 issue includes:

    • Editorial
    • Bugs
    • Most Wanted Softkeys

    Features

    • Mixing ProDOS with Thexder – Here’s how to put Thexder on a disk with ProDOS.
    • Infocom Decoder Revisited – Here’s how to add semi-automatic decoding to the Infocom Decoder. No more tedious hand decoding.
    • Cracking on the IIe – Another look at using the auxiliary memory on the IIe to remove copy protection.
    • Might & Magic Revisited – More information on what’s where and how to get a little more. Also included, a complete item list with the various equipping/use effects and bonuses.
    • Might & Magic Character Editor – Some much needed help for the adventurer in a neat and easy to use format.
    • An indepth guide to Ultima IV – A fairly comprehensive look at the excellent adventure.
    • Computing for 1-3 year olds

      • – How to use your computer to teach your child in the formative years.

    • The Product Monitor

      • – Games, Bugs and fixes, and some juicy rumors and propaganda.

    Notes

    • A better way to print Starter Kit DOCs
    • Curing Fatal System Error #0911
    • Realtime Situation Control using CDAs
    • Chuck Yeager’s Advanced Fight Trainer
  • Softkeys
    • A.I.
    • BoulderDash
    • BoulderDash Construction Set
    • DeathSword
    • Design Your Own Home: Architecture
    • Design Your Own Home: Interior
    • Design Your Own Home: Landscape
    • Facemaker
    • Gauntlet
    • Kings Quest II
    • Mastery Arithmetic
    • Microzine #26
    • Muppet Slate v1.0
    • PFS: Graph
    • Rad Warrior
    • Rings of Ziflin
    • Seaspeller
    • Smart Eyes
    • Spell It!
    • Wings of Fury

    APT’s

    • Castle Wolfenstein
    • Marble Madness IIgs
    • Might & Magic
    • Ultima IV
    • Ultima V

    Playing Tips

    • Coveted Mirror
    • Deathlord
    • Might & Magic
    • Oo-Topos
    • Ultima IV

    IBM Notes

    • Help Wanted!

    …and more!


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  • VersaWriter (Apple II)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment


    Source: Micro – Issue Number 64 – October 1983



    VersaWriter is a drawing tool that was released for the Apple II and other computers sometime in 1983. It consists of software and a tablet with an articulating arm to aid in drawing or tracing. All of this could have been yours for the low price of $299. Accounting for inflation, that would be more than $770 today.

    The software that went along with VersaWriter was fairly sophisticated despite being written (mostly?) in BASIC. You could use this for art, drafting type drawing, diagrams and tracing other things easily. Unfortunately, the very high price of this product meant that few could afford it. As far as artistic uses, there were other far cheaper products that worked just as well and if you were doing professional drafting or something similar I would imagine there were better prodcuts for that as well. In other words, the market for this product was probably very small.

    Although this ad emphasizes the Apple II, it also mentions availability for the Atari 8-bit and DOS based PCs. I’m not sure if there are any price differences but if there were it was likely a higher PC price. The ad also mentions additional software products other than what comes with the tablet that adds additional functionality. There are three Expansion Packs mentioned, the last of which adds animation capabilities. However, I don’t know if these were all released.

    There isn’t much use for this product today except as a historical curiosity. I imagine that this item complete with software and hardware is probably quite rare so it may be of interest to collectors. The above ad is from the October 1983 issue of Micro: The 6502 Journal.


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  • Micro: The 6502 Journal (October 1977)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment


    Source: Micro – Issue Number 1 – October 1977

    Micro: The 6502 Journal was an early computer magazine, or really technical journal, dedicated to computers and computer kits based on the 6502 CPU. These included the likes of the KIM-1, Commodore PET, Apple II, Atari 8-bit and later on the VIC-20 and Commodore 64 among others. The first issue from October/November 1977 features the brand new Apple II on the cover and the contents include:

    • Cheap Memory for the KIM-1 – by Byron Salzsieder – has an expanded KIM-1, KIMSI, and is currently waiting for delivery of a Micromind.
    • Terminal Interface Monitor (TIM) for the 6500 Family – by Oliver Hold – “The Computer Doctor” for Microcomputers, Inc., microcomputer teacher and consultant, micro-systems designer.
    • We’re Number One! – An Editorial
    • Inside the Apple II – by Arthur Feruzzi – a confirmed “computer nut” who owns a number of 6502 microcomputers – assembled, kit and homebrew.
    • Rockwell International and the 6502 – by Arthur Ferruzzi – currently designing some special purpose micro-systems, 6502 based, of course.
    • The PET’s IEEE-488 Bus: Blessing or Curse? – by Charles Floto – Editor of Buss and Yankee Bits and freelance writer and photography whose work has appeared in Byte, Personal Computing, and Kilobaud.
    • 6502 Related Companies – by Mike Rowe – prefers hexadecimal notation since he has eight fingers on each hand.
    • Hypertape and Ultratape – by Robert M. Tripp – Editor of MICRO, author of PLEASE and other software and hardware for the KIM-1.
    • KIM-Based Degree Day Dispatcher – by Mike Rowe – Computer consultant for the Starship Enterprise.
    • Computer Controlled Relays – by Robert M. Tripp – Microprocessor consultant and lecturer.
    • 6502 Bibliography – by William Dial – Retired Research Chemist with a KIM-1 and several 6502-based OSI boards.
    • 6502 Reference Car

    …and more!


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