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The December 2010 issue in-depth

Volume 15, Issue 4 (December 2010)

As announced yesterday, the sixtieth issue of the world’s longest-running Apple II publication has now shipped to all domestic and international subscribers.

Though the cover photo may suggest we’ve strayed from our focus of Apple II coverage, Mike Maginnis’s piece on the Apple III is right in line with our mission statement. Rather than tread old ground by reviewing what made this machine Apple Computer, Inc.’s first commercial failure, Mike dissects the technological advances that debuted in the Apple III and were eventually incorporated into models of the Apple II. It’s a great piece about the overlooked origin of aspects of our favorite computer.

Perhaps the issue’s most substantial piece is an interview with Wayne Bibbens, who has been selling Apple II hardware and software for more than twenty years. After being featured in the documentary Welcome to Macintosh, reviewed in our December 2009 issue, Wayne’s phone has been ringing off the hook! Rather than get in the queue for his attention via phone or email, Juiced.GS associate editor Andy Molloy drove to Bibbens’ store and got a personal tour and interview, complete with photos.

This issue’s installment of our five-part series on transferring files between the Apple II and a modern computer covers the reading of physical media (floppy disks, hard drives, CD-ROMs, and CompactFlash) as well as how to convert those same volumes into disk images. It was a fun challenge to get the wisdom and expertise of Tony Diaz, Ivan Drucker, Mike Maginnis, and myself all into a single article!

Hot on the heels of the KansasFest 2010 debut of Slammer is a behind-the-scenes look at its creation by its inventor, Ivan Drucker. This utility makes it possible to executes monitor commands from within Applesoft programs without requiring any external routines.

Martin Haye provides Juiced.GS with what could be the first piece of fiction we have ever published. His short story of two detectives puzzling over the disastrous consequences of an innocuous PEEK command is a fun read for programmers and budding sleuths alike.

Our regular columns round out this issue. In the quarterly editorial, I talk about how my academic pursuits have influenced Juiced.GS, and vice versa. DumplinGS reveals the KansasFest 2010 keynote speaker and looks at other recent events in the Apple II community, while hinting at content to be found in our March issue. Eric Shepherd’s back-page column makes a call for the tools necessary to support a thriving Apple II development community. Interested in being a part of this project? Drop us a line!

The envelope in which your December issue will arrive includes a reminder of whether or not you’ve renewed for 2011. If you haven’t, you can use the enclosed order form to ensure you receive another four issues of the last Apple II publication still in print. If you missed the 2010 volume entirely, all four issues can now be purchased for only $16, which includes shipping anywhere in the world. This volume is also now included in our print bundle and “Everything Juiced.GS” bundle.

Online resources referenced in this issue are indexed in the issue links. I think this issue marks a new record — I counted 35 URLs! Since not all our readers have easy or any access to the Internet, we do try to provide offline alternatives whenever possible. But so much commerce is conducted online these days, and print space is at such a premium, that it’s impractical and nearly impossible to offer a postal address and phone number for each and every resource. I will continue to accommodate requests for this information, as has happened with the occasional postal letter to the editor.

This issue is also indexed in our exhaustive online database and is outlined on its own page.

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Enjoy Juiced.GS Volume 15, Issue 4 (December 2010)

Volume 15, Issue 4 (December 2010)
Volume 15, Issue 4 (December 2010)

This issue features an interview with Apple II retailer and collector Wayne Bibbens, who was featured in the documentary Welcome to Macintosh; an analysis of technologies introduced in the failed Apple III that were more successfully deployed in the Apple II; a comprehensive guide to accessing ProDOS disks on modern computers, and how to convert those volumes to disk images; a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of Ivan Drucker’s Slammer; and much, much more!

Check out this issue’s links to online resources for more related content.

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The power of creative association

The back page of the September issue featured a column about the power of creative association. Two recent books use that concept to scrutinize the question of where good ideas come from. The first, The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs: Insanely Different Principles for Breakthrough Success, was released on Sep. 20 and examines how Steve Jobs conceives of and makes manifest the ideas that have made an innovative powerhouse of Apple Inc. An excerpt from that book makes apparent how this quality affected the Apple II:

While Wozniak was improving the internal circuitry and design of what would become the Apple II, Jobs concentrated on the case, which, in his opinion, had to appeal to non-hobbyists looking for a complete, ready-to-use computer. Otherwise it would not have the mass-market appeal that would be required to make the product, and the company, successful. Jobs envisioned the computer in the home, perhaps the kitchen, where the entire family would enjoy using it. Clearly the Apple II had to have a far more approachable look and feel than any computer existing at the time. It would have to be more like a kitchen appliance and less like something found in a hobbyist’s garage.

The other book, Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation, released today, does not address technology specifically but is nonetheless relevant to anyone with the potential for The Next Big Thing. This four-minute video summarizes the author’s hypothesis:

The Apple II is the product of genius, and those who use it today exemplify creative computing and imaginative problem-solving. Though I’ve not yet had the opportunity to read either of these books, I suspect their messages will resonate with members of our community.

(Hat tip to Cory Doctorow)

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The September 2010 issue in-depth

Volume 15, Issue 3 (September 2010)

As announced earlier today, Juiced.GS Volume 15, Issue 3 (September 2010) has now shipped to all domestic and international subscribers and is available to all new subscribers as well.

As per Juiced.GS tradition, the cover story for our third issue of the year is KansasFest, the annual Apple II convention held in Kansas City, Missouri. Ken Gagne and Mike Maginnis provide a play-by-play report of the sessions and events from this perennial event. If you weren’t able to attend, our coverage should give you an idea of the value this conference offers Apple II users.

At this year’s KansasFest, Martin Haye won the programming contest. In this issue, he provides a brief look at how he crafted the winning entry, while HackFest judge Ivan Drucker gives official insight into what earned this submission first place.

Juiced.GS‘s five-part series on methods to transfer files from an Apple II to a more modern computer continues this issue as Tony Diaz and Ivan offer a thorough tutorial for setting up AppleShare networks. If you don’t know or can’t remember the difference between AppleTalk, LocalTalk, EtherTalk, and Netatalk, this article serves as a useful reference.

We also have reviews of Ewen Wannop’s SAM2 email client for the IIGS and Jason Scott’s Get Lamp text adventure documentary. Are these products worth your time or money? Read our critics’ recommendations.

The My Home Page editorial, the DumplinGS news roundup, and the back-page column round out this issue.

To find links to the online resources referenced in and related to this issue, please visit the issue links page. This issue is also indexed in our exhaustive online database and is catalogued on its own page.

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Enjoy Juiced.GS Volume 15, Issue 3 (September 2010)

Volume 15, Issue 3 (September 2010)
Volume 15, Issue 3 (September 2010)

This issue features complete KansasFest 2010 coverage; reviews of both Ewen Wannop’s SAM2 email client and Jason Scott’s Get Lamp documentary; a behind-the-scenes look at Martin Haye’s winning HackFest entry; and the third in a five-part series on transferring files between the Apple II and other computers, with Tony Diaz and Ivan Drucker detailing AppleShare networking options.

Check out this issue’s links to online resources for more related content.

Don’t be left out — sign up for a 2010 subscription!
Get the latest Apple II news, reviews, interviews, and how-tos,
delivered right to your mailbox.

Not sure what to think? Check out our sample content!

Buy the complete annual volumes at a discounted rate!