MPW IIgs Cross Development
A brief demonstration of Apple IIgs cross development using Apple’s MPW IIgs development tools.
Teach US Kids to Program
In his article “Teach US Kids to Write Computer Programs”, Douglas Rushkoff notes the following lay-man’s analogy regarding our relationship with computers today: Programming a computer is not like being a mechanic. It is the difference between being a driver and a passenger. As a passenger, you rely on your driver
to take you where you want to go and even tell you that a certain place exists.
Today, most consumers are passengers, but it wasn’t always this way. The Apple II provided BASIC in ROM (no compiler needed), many hardware features were well documented, and the programmability of a computer was just as highly regarded as the breadth of software available. This presentation will examine how
we got to where we are today and lessons we can take away from the Apple II that might re-enable us to take the driver’s seat once again.
(http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/10/opinion/rushkoff-code-writing/index.html)
Off-platform Apple II development
In this session, Dagen Brock deals with using modern development tools and languages to create code and assets for use in Apple II software, including definitions and comparisons of off-platform and cross-platform development; creating build pipelines; using modern tools to create audio and visual assets; and tying it all together, as well as conjecturing what additional tools could be developed to assist in this process.
Recorded on 7/22/2010 by Ken Gagne and made available under a ,Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Creative Commons license.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 58:10 — 1.1GB)
Expanding the coverage of HackFest
At the tenth annual KansasFest, Eric Shepherd had an idea: to challenge attendees to push the Apple II with a programming competition. Limitations breed creativity, so programmers would be required to write their programs start-to-finish within the time of KansasFest. How cool a program could be produced in just a few days?
Thus was born HackFest. Across the last 15 annual HackFests, at least 46 programs have been written or attempted, from games and utilities to cracks and demos. Some were conceived at KansasFest, while others had been plotted for months, with the results ranging from the ingeniously simple to the insanely complex. A few programs went on to become full-fledged software releases and staples of the Apple II library; others were highly anticipated but languished in a permanent state of beta. All were cool and impressive, wowing the KansasFest crowd with public demos.
Of those programs that have been released, 11 were selected to be featured in a recent Computerworld.com slideshow, "Hacking the Apple II at KansasFest". The screenshot and video gallery represents a range of entries entered into HackFest 2007–2012, demonstrating the breadth and depth of hacks that Apple II enthusiasts have been inspired to create, such as Michael J. Mahon’s 2007 winning entry NadaPong:
In conjunction with this bit of press, the official HackFest archives have been expanded. Previously listing only those hacks that were available for download, the database now lists every known entry into the HackFest competition.
May this renewed interest in the premier Apple II convention’s programming challenges bring inspiration for future hacks!
Introducing NuInput: A superior INPUT
If you’ve programmed in Applesoft, then you know that its INPUT command is not very capable. But now you don’t need it! NuInput, by Ivan Drucker, is a powerful and flexible replacement for INPUT which makes it easy for any Applesoft programmer to specify maximum entry length and permitted keys, automatically convert lowercase, refuse blank entry, provide an ESCape, and much more! Download your copy at http://ivanx.com/appleii/
Recorded on 7/24/2010 by Ken Gagne and made available under a ,Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Creative Commons license.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:55 — 653.4MB)
Introducing Slammer: A New Way of Using Machine Language from Applesoft
Wouldn’t it be great if you could put whatever machine language you wanted into a standard Applesoft program with practically no performance, dependency, or stability issues? With Ivan Drucker’s Slammer, you can! Slammer is a new method for installing and executing machine language routines, at machine language speed, using 100% legal Applesoft. This presentation introduces Slammer, explains how to use it, and describes the unusual and extreme machine language programming behind its development. Download your copy at http://ivanx.com/appleii/
Recorded on 7/24/2010 by Ken Gagne and made available under a ,Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Creative Commons license.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 48:28 — 917.6MB)