Hello, hello.

A2SERVER 1.2.5 is now available. Its main new feature is to offer to install GS/OS 6.0.1 for network boot (as it did before), as well as community releases 6.0.2 and 6.0.3. It also now includes HFS.FST with the install, and has a handful of bug fixes.

You can update by typing “a2server-update” at the command prompt in Raspple II, the A2SERVER virtual machine, or whatever Linux box you’re running on.

In case you don’t know what I’m talking about, A2SERVER is a file server and network boot host for Apple II computers, allowing you to easily share files between your Apple II’s, classic Macs, and modern computers on the same network. It’s easy to set up, and runs on a Raspberry Pi, which is pretty much the cheapest computer in existence. It also is available as a premade virtual machine (via VirtualBox) for your modern computer, or can be installed directly on some Linux computers.

You can get A2SERVER for free at: http://ivanx.com/appleii

Enjoy,
Ivan.

Hey all,

I’ve posted new updates to A2SERVER, A2CLOUD, and Raspple II. Biggest deal is compatibility with the Raspberry Pi 2 Model B, which is much faster than previous Raspberry Pi’s. Go get one! Also, the GSport emulator is now installed on non-Raspberry Pi machines.

A2SERVER is a file server and network boot host for Apple IIgs and IIe computers. (It also works with classic Macs and modern computers, allowing you to share files on your network among all your computers.)

A2CLOUD provides a virtual hard disk, a floppy disk imaging server, and an internet access device for any Apple II. It also offers preconfigured Apple IIgs and IIe emulators.

Both A2SERVER and A2CLOUD are designed to be easy to use, and can be run on a Raspberry Pi, a premade virtual machine, or a Linux computer. If you have a Raspberry Pi, you can install Raspple II — a “suite” that includes both A2SERVER and A2CLOUD, plus David Schmenk’s Apple II Pi.

All this stuff is free. Get your copy at http://ivanx.com/appleii now!

Updating:

If you’re using Raspple II, you can update everything, including the Raspbian operating system, by typing ‘a2cloud-update os’. After it’s done, you can use the SD card in any Raspberry Pi, including A+ and 2B.

Otherwise, update A2CLOUD by typing ‘a2cloud-update’. (A2SERVER doesn’t need updating if it’s already working for you.)

Changes:

A2CLOUD 1.8.0:
– Compatible with all Raspberry Pi’s, including the A+ and 2B
– GSport emulator installed for non-Raspberry Pi computers
– Links text-only web browser (alternative to Lynx)
– desktop shortcuts and Apple II Menu group for emulators and ADTPro
– many improvements and fixes to A2CLOUD environment and installer

A2SERVER 1.2.2:
– installer: command line options, unattended install, less prompting

Raspple II 1.1.1:
– both of the above, plus latest Apple II Pi package (version 0.2.0-1).

I’m pleased to announce updates to A2SERVER and A2CLOUD. They run on a Raspberry Pi, a premade downloadable virtual machine, or any Linux computer. Get them and read about how to set them up at http://appleii.ivanx.com. If you’re already running and want to update, type ‘a2server-setup’ and ‘a2cloud-setup’.

Raspple II, the “suite” which makes it easy to load a Raspberry Pi with A2SERVER and A2CLOUD, along with David Schmenk’s Apple II Pi, has also been updated to include the new versions. It’s at http://ivanx.com/rasppleii

A2SERVER is a free file server and network boot host for Apple II computers. Version 1.2.0 has the following improvements:

– supports Raspberry Pi Model B+
– handles potential AppleTalk-related crash on newer Linuxes (e.g. latest Raspbian)
– starts up faster
– installer script is much faster on Raspberry Pi and Debian x86
– virtual machine is available with A2SERVER only, or A2SERVER+A2CLOUD

A2CLOUD is a free internet access device, virtual drive, and floppy transfer tool for any Apple II. Version 1.7.1 has the following improvements:

– supports Raspberry Pi Model B+
– supports non-Raspberry Pi computers and virtual machines (no longer “beta”)
– Uses ADTPro 2.0.0 for faster floppy transfer, and easier file selection
– KEGS and Linapple are installed on non-Raspberry Pi computers
– installer script is much faster on Raspberry Pi and Debian x86
– adds unbit/unexec/usq unarchiving tools
– available in a premade virtual machine

Enjoy,
Ivan.

From CSA2:

So much for my hiatus. I’ve snuck out a couple of updates. If you haven’t been keeping score since the above announcement:

A2CLOUD 1.6.2 supports PC ANSI color and graphic text using Spectrum’s ANSI online display; has better VT-100 emulation for non-ASCII characters in ProTERM and Z-Link; provides ttytter for Apple II tweeting; adds sciibin and unblu for dealing with BinSCII and Binary II files; enables 300 baud support for you Micromodem nostalgists; and adds telnet (which I hadn’t realized wasn’t in default Raspbian) for online BBS access. Update with “a2cloud-setup”.

A2SERVER 1.1.4 fixes a bug preventing network boot from working if set up with version 1.1.3 while A2CLOUD was also installed. Update with “a2server-setup”.

If you’re starting fresh, Raspple II 1.0.5 includes both of the above: http://ivanx.com/rasppleii

Thanks to Alistair, Daniel, Stephen, and others for the suggestions and bug reports that prompted the above releases.

If you want to know about future updates in real time, you should probably follow me on Twitter at @II_tweets, since that seems to be the only place I’ve been consistently announcing them.

Enjoy,
Ivan.

Ivan Drucker presented an informative session on A2SERVER and Apple II networking during KansasFest 2011. Now Ivan has released his work for everyone else to enjoy.

Based on open-source software (Linux, Netatalk and VirtualBox), A2SERVER functions as a preconfigured virtualized AppleTalk server for your vintage enhanced Apple //e (with Apple Workstation Card), Apple IIGS and Macintosh computers. All you need is a fairly recent Macintosh or a PC running Windows, Linux or Solaris capable of running Oracle’s VirtualBox software and some sort of Ethernet/Localtalk bridge.

Get the details and downloads at: Ivan Drucker’s A2SERVER site.

Juiced.GS, the world's last and longest-running Apple II print publication, will publish its two-dozenth volume (issues #93–96) in 2019.

2019 subscriptions and renewals are available immediately. Customers who have previously purchased a subscription that automatically renews need to do nothing; their accounts will be charged on January 1. (An active subscription status can be verified by logging into one's online account.)

Apple II enthusiasts who are curious about Juiced.GS can subscribe to the email newsletter to receive a new, free sample issue with 20 pages of content from the past five years of the magazine.

Additionally, Juiced.GS has released five new PDFs of themed content, previously available in hardcopy only:

• BBS: Here's everything you need to know about connecting to a telnet bulletin board system or even running your own, as well as a review of the WiModem232. It also includes a review of BBS: The Documentary and an interview with its creator, Jason Scott.
• Education: The Apple II gained much of its fame in the classroom, where its effects can still be felt. This PDF is a reflection on the Apple II's longevity in the classroom and how modern students respond to such classics as The Oregon Trail and VisiCalc, as well as how the Raspberry Pi might serve as a modern equivalent for teaching programming.
• Raspberry Pi: This affordable microcomputer makes an excellent Apple II peripheral. An introduction to A2SERVER, a review of the Apple II Pi, how to use the Pi to run a BBS, and what today's students could learn from the Pi round out this PDF.
• Apple-1: The precursor to the Apple II, the Apple-1 is also alive and well. From replica models to soldering experiences to convention appearances, the Apple-1 is everywhere in this Concentrate.
• The Oregon Trail: The seminal edutainment title has seen multiple adaptations over the years. This PDF reviews a theatrical play, a handheld game, and a card game; examines how today's students interpret Oregon Trail; and also goes behind the scenes of Melissa Barron's hack, 73H 0r3g0n 7r41L.

These files are available immediately starting at $5, with more PDFs to come later in 2018.

I’ve heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. During KansasFest, that isn’t true — it’s lunch. So many people stay up late and then sleep in that lunch is kind of the new breakfast. Sadly, the food isn’t worth jumping out of bed for.

Right off the bat, we had a thinking session as Mark Pilgrim introduced his research posing the question, ‘can an Apple II program detect if it’s running in an emulator vs. real hardware?’

Up next, Stephen Buggie showed off his solutions for making the Apple IIc a greatly more portable (but still technically ‘luggable’) computer.

For me, the most interesting session of the morning was ‘Controlling I/O Via Game Port Interface’ presented by father and son Andrew and Ivan Hogan. They put on quite the show, with an Apple II controlling a K’NEX roller coaster and a compressed air/water plastic bottle launcher. A couple of the 2L bottles were quickly launched onto the roof of the dorm, over 40′ in the air. The nearby campus security guard didn’t look very amused but this was science!

Ivan Drucker presented the latest 2014 edition of A2CLOUD and A2SERVER, demonstrating to attendees how easy and useful a Raspberry Pi can be when used in conjunction with an Apple II. If you’re not using a Pi now, YOU SHOULD BE.

Tony Diaz tore into an Apple /// to go over the good, the bad and the ugly of the machine’s design. He pointed out mostly the good things about the /// that often go overlooked. Tony physically took the machine apart, showed the crowd the internals and led a Q&A on it’s capabilities and maintenance. Then, he put it back together again. Good times.

Our next session featured Geoff Weiss demonstrating how you can use the Git revision control system for Apple II development. The assumption is made that the programming is taking place in an emulated virtual machine. For example, Geoff was emulating an older Mac with Basilisk running OS 7.5.5 and using the Apple MPW development environment.

After dinner, Ken Gagne lead several participants in an interactive text adventure game called Jungle Adventure. At the same time, Carrington Vanston was teaching a beginner’s course how to setup and use the cc65 cross-compiler on Mac OS X (with some help from Apple’s free Xcode IDE).

About a dozen or so attendees signed up for Vince Briel’s Build a Computer Workshop. Under Vince’s supervision, participants assembled and soldered their own Briel kit. If you ever get a chance to attend one of Briel’s workshops, you should try it. They are a lot of fun.

Later, we remembered Ryan Suenaga and raised money for the scholarship named in his honor. We enjoyed a round of Krispy Kreme donuts and raised a glass of milk to our friend that we miss so much.

Also tonight Daniel Kruszyna presented a performance of ‘Satin Weave’ featuring 3 Apple //c computers. I hope we’ll be able to post a recording of that at some point. Even later is the Structris Tournament, but I’ll probably be too zonked out to watch or participate in that.

Registration for KansasFest 2014 closes on Thursday, July 10. This is your last chance to get the sessions, camaraderie, and keynote from Margot Comstock.  Also, don’t forget to register for the optional “Build Your Own Computer” workshop with Vince Briel and “Stitch Your Own Apple IIe Ornament” workshop with Sarah Walkowiak by July 10.

Here’s the latest list of sessions.  The final schedule will be available shortly before KansasFest starts.

• Off-the-Grid Total Portability for the Apple IIc (Steven Buggie)
• Sew your own Apple II ornament (Sarah Walkowiak)
• Apple II Pi (David Schmenk)
• Controlling I/O via game port interface, or “How I learned to stop worrying and love the Apple II rocket launcher” (Ivan Hogan)
• Emulator detection in 6502 assembly language (Mark Pilgrim)
• Accelerating the IIc+ (James Littlejohn)
• How to Play STAR SAGA: ONE using VASSAL (Michael Sternberg)
• AppleTalk Networking with GSport (Peter Neubauer)
• A2CLOUD and A2SERVER 2014 (Ivan Drucker)
• Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of Sara (Tony Diaz)
• Jungle Adventure: an interactive text adventure (Ken Gagne)
• 3D Print Your Next Apple II (Charles Mangin)
• Making Apple II software on Mac OS X with cc65 (Carrington Vanston)
• A.P.P.L.E. — A Highlight of Current Projects and Products (Bill Martens & Brian Wiser)
• The Third Wave: A brief history of the Apple /// Development (Mike Maginnis)
• An Overview of the Apple3rtr Emulator (Mike Maginnis)
• Getting Started with an Apple ///: Oh My Gosh, What Did I Just Buy? (Mike Maginnis)
• Computer Art Technology (Andrés Lozano)
• Build a computer workshop (Vince Briel)
• Japanese on the Apple IIGS (Ian Johnson)
• Lawless Legends top-to-bottom (Martin Haye)
• The Internet Archive: It’s Been a Busy Year (Jason Scott)
• Satin Weave (Daniel Kruszyna)
• Veronica – a 6502 pilgrimage (Quinn Dunki)

Discounted early-bird registration for KansasFest ends on June 1 (this Sunday). It’s pretty simple: Register before then at http://www.kansasfest.org/registration/. You’ll get the usual awesome sessions, camaraderie, keynote from Margot Comstock, and good times, and you’ll have more money in your pocket than your buddies who wait a day.

The registration price with a room will go up $55 on June 1 and close on July 10.

KansasFest has a long list of exciting sessions planned already:

• Off-the-grid Total Portability for the Apple IIc (Steven Buggie)
• Sew your own Apple II ornament (Sarah Walkowiak)
• Writeaway: An Apple II Word Processor (Bill Wallace)
• Apple II Pi (David Schmenk)
• Controlling I/O via game port interface, or “How I learned to stop worrying and love the Apple II rocket launcher” (Ivan Hogan)
• Emulator detection in 6502 assembly language (Mark Pilgrim)
• Pascal as my second Language (Jay Graham)
• Accelerating the IIc+ (James Littlejohn)
• Accessing the A2MP3 USB thumbdrive storage from Applesoft BASIC (Michael Sternberg)
• Star Saga One using VASSAL (Michael Sternberg)
• AppleTalk Networking with GSport (Peter Neubauer)
• A2CLOUD and A2SERVER 2014 (Ivan Drucker)
• Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of Sara (Tony Diaz)
• Jungle Adventure: an interactive text adventure (Ken Gagne)
• 3D Print Your Next Apple II (Charles Mangin)
• Making Apple II software on Mac OS X with cc65 (Carrington Vanston)
• A.P.P.L.E. — A Highlight of Current Projects and Products (Bill Martens & Brian Wiser)
• The Third Wave: A brief history of the Apple /// (Mike Maginnis)
• Virtual Apple (Mike Maginnis)
• A look at Apple’s appearances at computer shows/conventions/etc (Mike Maginnis)
• Computer Art Technology (Andrés Lozano)
• Build a computer workshop (Vince Briel)
• Japanese on the Apple IIGS (Ian Johnson)

I’ve been away for the holiday season enjoying some time off from work and yes, even A2Central. I hope everyone had a great Christmas, and is looking forward to a prosperous New Year 2014.

A lot happened over the past week. I took in nearly *4 TONS* of Apple II stuff — a lot of it is destined for giveaway at KanasFest 2015 (we already have a huge load set aside for 2014). Where did it come from? I’d like to thank Michael Mahon for his incredible generosity in donating his collection of 30+ years. He’s going to make a lot of Apple II users happy when we finally start distributing it all. Some of it will eventually head to eBay to recoup shipping expenses, but once that’s recovered the rest will be freely given away. Either way, some Apple II users will gain access to some really cool Apple II gear.

David Schmidt’s ADTPro was upgraded to 1.2.9 and it appears to be a big deal. Read speed performance for VSDrive is reportedly faster, and Ivan Drucker will be integrating the new version into A2CLOUD (more info later).

New functionality:

• Disk II drive turns on a little early to reduce spin-up delay

Bug fixes:

• Nibble sends work correctly in batch mode
• [Client] Nibble sends retry (more) correctly
• [VDrive] Virtual disks are loaded at once at initialization time, making it much faster for huge drives (but much less dynamic)
• [VDrive] Serial driver installer quits to where it came from, allowing an invocation from the launcher to return there, this time with the driver in place

Bill Buckels released utilities (with source) to convert BMP files to Super Hi-Res (SHR) and PIC format, as well as viewers for Carte Blanche and Video Overlay Card (VOC) users. Bill’s initial announcement and follow-up are attached.

Read about it here:

Win32 etc.
http://www.aztecmuseum.ca/extras/bmp2shr.pdf

Apple II
http://www.aztecmuseum.ca/extras/PicSave.pdf

Download it here:

http://www.aztecmuseum.ca/extras/B2S.zip

This download contains programs, source code, documentation, and disk images for creating Super Hi-Res Pictures, and for viewing and saving Super Hi-Res
pictures on an Apple II GS, or on an Apple //e with a Carte Blanche, or an Apple //e or Apple II GS equipped with an Apple II VOC (Video Overlay Card),
or in an Apple II GS emulator (like Kegs32).

BMP2SHR – converts BMP Files to PIC Files

The BMP2SHR command line utility will convert Windows BMP files to Apple II SHR (Super High Resolution) Graphics Files of Apple II GS File Type $C1 Aux Type $0000.

This utility converts from the following BMP file formats to Apple II SHR files:

• 2 Color (Monochrome) BMP Files
• 16 Color (VGA) BMP Files
• 256 Color BMP Files
• 24 bit BMP Files

The BMP2SHR utility is provided with doucmentation, source code and 3 flavors of executable program(s):

B2S16.EXE (MS-DOS) Built under 16-bit Microsoft C Version 8.00c
B2S32.EXE (WIN32) Built under 32-bit Microsoft C Version 14.00
B2S.EXE (WIN32) Built under MinGW 5.1.4 (gcc)

Windows Build environments and source code are provided with all the above. This includes the gcc (MinGW) build script. It should be straight-forward for those using Linux and other Unix-like OS’s to build this under GCC but I am leaving that up to them.

Additional utilities are provided for the Apple II as well. They are noted below.

PICSAVE – converts PNT Files to PIC Files

The PICSAVE utility for ProDOS 8 loads Apple Preferred Format (APF) SHR (PNT) Files and saves them to SHR Screen (PIC) Files of Apple II GS File Type $C1 Aux Type $0000.

PICSAVE also comes with 3 other programs:

PICSHOW – a simple SHR Slideshow Viewer for SHR PIC Files
PICLODE – a simple SHR File Viewer for PIC Files
PNTLODE – a simple SHR File Viewer for PNT Files

These programs are written in Aztec C for the Apple IIe and were cross-compiled in Windows XP.

Thanks to Charlie, Andy McFadden, Antoine, and others for all the good info that made this relatively straight-forward to put together.

Please read the documentation, the source code, and run the programs for more information.

…and, Bill’s updated info:

The BMP2SHR Distribution and the document above have been updated.

BMP2SHR now produces Brooks Format 3200 Color SHR Files from BMP files, in addition to what it did yesterday.

When a 640 x 400 BMP file is converted to Brooks, a second 3200 Color SHR files is also produced suitable for loading to the VOC’s auxiliary memory, and providing the VOC with a 320 x 400 x 3200 color effective display.

I do not provide loaders for these yet, but decided I’d better get this part out of the way first.

A Sample disk in 2mg format of brooks files converted by BMP2SHR is also included for anyone interested in such things.

And finally, we mentioned earlier that Ivan Drucker was adding the latest ADTPro to his A2SERVER/A2CLOUD/Raspple II suite. Here’s Ivan’s announcement:

Hey everybody, happy almost new year. I’m pleased as punch to announce a couple of small but significant year-end updates to A2CLOUD, A2SERVER, and Raspple II.

If you haven’t tried out this stuff yet, consider that, via A2CLOUD, I’m posting this message with my Apple IIc by using ProTERM running from a virtual hard drive. Good times. You’re missing out.

With these releases, I’m going to be taking a hiatus from Apple II development until at least KansasFest 2014, but I’d still certainly be happy to hear from you if you have questions, comments, or suggestions.

If you’re starting fresh, go get Raspple II if you have a Raspberry Pi, or try out the A2SERVER virtual machine, at http://appleii.ivanx.com.

If you’re already up and running and and want to update, type:

a2server-update
a2cloud-update

Here’s what’s new. The user guides for A2CLOUD and A2SERVER have been updated as well to explain this stuff a little more.

A2CLOUD (1.6):

• If you have A2SERVER installed, the ADTPro disks folder is now shared on your network as ADTDISKS. You can in drop disk image files from a Mac or Windows computer, and then use ADTPro to make them into floppies. Or you can make a disk image from a floppy and easily copy it to a Mac or Windows computer for use in an emulator. Or you can immediately use a ProDOS disk image as a virtual drive, or copy Apple II files into one. Possibilities abound!
• Includes David Schmidt’s ADTPro and VSDRIVE 1.2.9, which dramatically improves read performance of virtual drives.
• On a Mac, or on a Windows computer with Bonjour Print Services, you can now refer to your Pi from another computer on your network as “raspberrypi.local” rather than needing its IP address.

A2SERVER (1.1.3):

• On Macs, A2SERVER now appears under Shared computers, rather than needing to use “Connect to Server”. (This was long overdue.)
• Windows file sharing is now enabled by default in Raspple II and the A2SERVER virtual machine.
• On a Mac, or on a Windows computer with Bonjour Print Services installed, you can now refer to A2SERVER from another computer on
  your network as “a2server.local” (or “raspberrypi.local” if it’s a Pi) rather than needing its IP address.
• The A2SERVER virtual machine is based on Debian 7.3.0, rather than Ubuntu Server 12.04.

Raspple II (1.0.3):

With Ethernet attached to your Pi, displays progress bar during installation, and properly reboots after.

Based on Raspbian 2013-12-20.