Volume 16, Issue 3 (September 2011) of Juiced.GS, the longest-running Apple II publication in print, is now arriving in subscribers’ mailboxes. Featured in this issue is a reflection on KansasFest 2011 by Ivan Drucker; reviews of Mike Willegal’s Brain Board and Vince Briel’s A2MP3 card; a tutorial for getting started with the Apple IIGS; and much, much more!

This is Juiced.GS‘s third quarterly issue of 2011. Annual subscriptions are available for both the 2011 and 2012 volumes.

At KansasFest 2011, Juiced.GS, the Apple II community’s longest-running print publication, announced that the magazine will continue its streak into 2012 with a seventeenth volume of quarterly issues, with subscriptions now being accepted. A new PDF is also available for purchase, and publisher Gamebits is offering advertisement design services. Full details are on the Juiced.GS blog.

KANSAS CITY, MO — March 30, 2011 — KansasFest, the 22nd annual convention dedicated to the Apple II computer, is now open for registration. Users, programmers, hobbyists, and retrocomputing enthusiasts are invited to Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Missouri, from Tuesday, July 19, 2011, through Sunday, July 24, for six days and five nights of sessions, demos, announcements, contests, and camaraderie.

The week kicks off with keynote speaker Bob Bishop, co-founder of Apple’s R&D lab alongside Steve Wozniak and creator of many popular Apple II programs and articles. Several sessions and workshops are scheduled throughout the rest of the week, including but not limited to:

• Ivan Drucker’s tutorial for putting your Apple II on a LAN
• Build your own Apple II MP3 expansion card workshop by Vince Briel
• A look at the Apple III’s technical aspects and modern accessories, by Mike Maginnis
• A live-action text adventure, hosted by Ken Gagne
• A behind-the-scenes look at the Open Apple podcast
• The latest on Apple’s iOS mobile devices by Rob Walch of the Today in iPhone podcast
• A vendor fair that includes an exhibit hall for attendees to show off and play with new or unusual hardware and software
• HackFest, an annual programming challenge open to coders of all skill levels

What the schedule can’t predict is the variety of surprises that are a hallmark of KansasFest. Recent years have seen the debut of a new, boxed Apple II game; the reclassification of Resource Central’s catalog; a “lunch and learn” session on Apple IIc disassembly; and many other announcements and demonstrations. Attendees are encouraged to share their knowledge by presenting their own hardware and software sessions, especially of the Apple II but also including Macintosh, Windows, Linux, iOS, and others.

Register before June 1 to guarantee a price of $365 for a double room or $435 for a single, which includes admission to all sessions as well as most meals. Official KansasFest shirts and Vince Briel’s MP3 workshop are extra and optional and must be ordered by May 31; registration for staying on-site closes July 10. Veterans of the event are invited to bring a first-time attendee; if each indicates the other’s name on the registration form, both will receive a $25 referral rebate at the event. To register, please visit the official Web site at http://www.kansasfest.org/

KansasFest sponsor 16 Sector invites any and all Apple II users, fans, and friends to attend the world’s only annual Apple II conference. For photos, schedules, presentations from past year’s events, and inquiries, please visit the event’s Web site.

CONTACT:
Email: http://www.kansasfest.org/contact/
Register: http://www.kansasfest.org/register/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/kansasfest
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=192182347486252

After a brief hiatus, the Echoes of KFest podcast is back with more great historical content from the world’s premiere Apple II convention.

Three Four recordings from Resource Central’s catalog, which was recently reclassified under a Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution License, have been digitized by Steve Weyhrich and made available as podcasts. Each episode is a different session from KansasFest 1992, featuring the tales and insights of Tom Weishaar, Roger Wagner, Steve Disbrow, Silas Warner, and more.

The first episode was published this weekend, with another coming each of the following Saturdays. The show is available at KansasFest.org or via iTunes.

The KansasFest committee, having recently published an extensive video record of KansasFest 2010’s sessions, is now making the audio of some of those recordings available separately. The Echoes of KFest podcast debuted with Mark Simonsen’s keynote speech. Catch future episodes by subscribing to the podcast in iTunes.

Volume 15, Issue 3 (September 2010) of Juiced.GS, the longest-running Apple II publication in print, shipped today to all subscribers. This issue features reviews of both Ewen Wannop’s SAM2 email client and Jason Scott’s Get Lamp documentary; complete KansasFest 2010 coverage; 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.

This is Juiced.GS‘s third quarterly issue of 2010. Annual subscriptions for both 2010 and 2011 are available for $19 each for United States customers and $26 for international customers.

[This is a re-post of a message from the official KansasFest Mailing List sent out by KansasFest attendee and Organizing Committee member Peter Neubauer. It contains the list of prizes announced on the KFest blog.]

The prize collection for KFest is looking pretty impressive thanks to generous vendors and mysterious “anonymous benefactors.” Check out the KFest blog or the copy below for the prizes available and how to win them.

I look forward to seeing all of you soon!
-Peter

Each KansasFest attendee goes home with more than they brought. The memories and friendships made at KansasFest last a lifetime, and the lessons and experiences learned from fellow Apple II enthusiasts, both within and without the structured sessions, lead to even more enjoyment of our favorite platform.

But what about more tangible mementos? How about some fantastic swag?

When you pack for KansasFest, leave room in your luggage, as every person at KansasFest has the opportunity to go home with prizes that will make you a true Apple II power user. Among this year’s selection are hardware, software, and magazines that you won’t find at any other computer convention:

• FC5025 floppy disk controller card (with floppy drive from 16Sector)
• Replica-1 unassembled kit
• Simply Softdisk G-S and Softdisk Supreme CDs (courtesy Syndicomm)
• Focus IDE card
• iPod Shuffle (2GB / black / engraved)
• Assembler/Macrosoft software package (courtesy Nibble Magazine)
• Juiced.GS one-year subscription (courtesy Gamebits)
• 8 Bit Weapon’s Electric High EP CD (courtesy Gamebits)
• $50 cash prize (courtesy Ryan Suenaga)

How does one win such fabulous prizes? There are several ways:

• Enter the HackFest. This programming contest challenges you to create a cool Apple II program in a limited amount of time. Your entry doesn’t need to be practical or even complete to win!
• In honor of Roger Wagner, attendees (men and women!) are invited to “Tie One On” and wear outrageous or ugly ties to the Friday night formal banquet. The person with the best (or worst!) tie will be decided by a member of the planning committee.
• Attendees staying on-site in Rockhurst University dorm rooms may decorate the door to their room. Posters, signs, knick-knacks, and other accessories are all fair play, as long as they can be safely removed at the end of the conference. The best door sign may prove worthy of a prize!
• Show up! Just for being at KansasFest, we guarantee you’ll go home with more than you expected.

Other potential prize venues include playing games such as GShisen or Bite the Bag. These prizes are in addition to whatever gear you haul from Sean’s garage or buy at the vendor fair. Our thanks to all community members and vendors who have contributed to this year’s offerings. So come enjoy the people, activities, and prizes of KansasFest!

Next week, we begin our on-site coverage of KansasFest. I know a lot of our readers wish they could be there in person but couldn’t make it. So, A2Central will try to keep you vicariously involved with daily write-ups and information on new developments. This year, we’ve borrowed Mike Maginnis and Andy Molloy from Juiced.GS to help us cover the event and keep the posts timely (unlike last year). Thanks, guys — I very much appreciate the assistance!

For breaking news and info, you’ll want to follow the KansasFest blog via RSS or email. You can also read Kirk Mitchell’s updates on Twitter and follow the #kfest hashtag on Twitter to get the news as it’s happening. Kirk will also be posting his own daily reports via newsgroup comp.sys.apple2 on Usenet. Don’t have Usenet access? Try Google Groups.

Join the discussion on the official KansasFest mailing list!

We’ll also be chatting on A2Central’s IRC channel at: irc.a2central.com #a2c.chat on port 6667 — join us!

-=THANKS=- to Ken Gagne for his assistance in corralling the links for this post. Check out his Apple II blog, it’s one of our recommended reads.

KANSAS CITY, MO — April 9, 2010 — KansasFest, the 21st annual convention dedicated to the Apple II computer, is now open for registration. Users, programmers, hobbyists, and retrocomputing enthusiasts are invited to Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Missouri, from Tuesday, July 20th, 2010, through Sunday the 25th for six days and five nights of sessions, demos, announcements, contests, and camaraderie. Veterans of the event are invited to bring a first-time attendee; if each indicates the other’s name on the registration form, both will receive a $25 referral rebate at the event.

The week kicks off with keynote speaker Mark Simonsen, former president of Beagle Bros Micro Software and author of many popular Apple II software programs. Several sessions and workshops are scheduled throughout the rest of the week, including but not limited to:

• A tutorial of Structured Applesoft, Ivan Drucker’s approach to BASIC programming
• Floppy disk drive maintenance and hardware color restoration with Tony Diaz
• Ken Gagne’s review of Macintosh games inspired by the Apple II
• Programming with Macrosoft by Peter Neubauer
• A closer look at the Apple III by Mike Maginnis
• Martin Haye’s introduction to his Super-Mon utility and NakedOS
• The latest on the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad by Rob Walch of the Today in iPhone podcast
• HackFest, an annual programming challenge open to hackers of all skill levels

What the schedule can’t predict is the variety of surprise demonstrations that are a hallmark of KansasFest. Past years have seen the release of the Sweet 16 2.0 emulator, the Apple II VGA video adapter, the prototype Apple II MP3 player, and many other announcements. Attendees are encouraged to share their knowledge by presenting their own sessions, be it hardware, software, Apple II, or Macintosh.

Register before June 1st to secure your place at this memorable event. Prices until that date are $365 for a double room or $435 for a single and include admission to all sessions as well as room and board. Official KansasFest shirts are extra and optional. To register, please visit the official Web site at http://www.kansasfest.org/

KansasFest 2010, the world’s only annual Apple II conference, invites any and all Apple II and Macintosh users, fans, and friends to attend this year’s “summer camp for geeks.” For photos, schedules, presentations from past year’s events, and inquiries, please visit the event’s Web site.

CONTACT:
Email: http://www.kansasfest.org/contact/
Register: http://www.kansasfest.org/register/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/kansasfest
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=116990081645486

KANSAS CITY, MO — December 22, 2009 — Mark Simonsen, employee number three and later owner of Beagle Bros, will be the keynote speaker at KansasFest 2010.  At Beagle Bros, whose popular software products for the Apple II hobbyist demonstrated the publisher’s quirky sense of humor, Mark developed software including Flex Type, Beagle BASIC, Beagle Graphics, Triple-Dump, and Double-Take.  In the early 1980s, Mark decided that he “wanted to work with the Apple for the rest of [his] life,” a statement that captures the enthusiasm and spirit of Mark, Beagle Bros, and many Apple II users.

Beagle Bros started in 1980 under the direction of Bert Kersey to provide software to casual users of the Apple II.  A year and a half after graduating with a degree in computer science from Brigham Young University, Mark “fell in love with the Apple.”  Mark published Flex Type through Beagle Bros in 1982, joined the company as a programmer in 1983, and bought it in 1987 at the age of 29.

Besides software like Shape Mechanic, GPLE, and DOS Boss for budding programmers, Beagle Bros produced books, posters, and even advertisements full of clever and useful tidbits demonstrating the capabilities of the Apple II.  Later, the company produced highly regarded productivity software like Platinum Paint, BeagleWrite GS, and the TimeOut line of AppleWorks add-ons.  Beagle Bros earned many loyal followers thanks to the combination of quality products, enthusiasm, and humor.

Mark sold the company’s product line in 1991 and 1992 to Quality Computers.  Today, Mark helps save memories as the CEO of iPreserve, a company specializing in photo, film, video, and document preservation.

KansasFest 2010, the 21st annual Apple II conference, is set for July 20th through July 25th at Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Missouri. KansasFest was originally hosted by Resource Central and has been brought to you by the KFest Committee since 1995.  Any and all Apple II and Macintosh users, fans, and friends are invited to attend this year’s “summer camp for geeks.”  Registration details will be announced on the KansasFest Web site in early 2010.  Please heed the warning from Beagle Bros and refrain from feeding your disks to alligators.  For photos, schedules, and presentations from past year’s events, please visit the event’s official Web site at http://www.kansasfest.org/

CONTACT:
KansasFest 2010
http://www.kansasfest.org/
http://twitter.com/kansasfest/