Episodes | Open Apple

Open Apple #89 (August 2025): INIT HELLO Megapodcast

Posted on Aug 16, 2025Aug 16, 2025 by Ken Gagne

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:13:15 — 168.1MB) | Embed

Welcome to the first INIT HELLO Megapodcast! INIT HELLO is an Apple II conference that debuted in July 2025 at the System Source Computer Museum in Hunt Valley, Maryland. A week later, on August 2, six podcaster attendees gathered to reflect on their experiences at inaugural retrocomputing event.

Participants:

Kate Szknotnicki (RetroMetal)
Paul Hagstrom (Retro Computing Roundtable)
Blake Patterson (The Byte Cellar)
Megan Lemmert (6502 Workshop & Retro RPG Roundtable)
Charles Mangin (Chicken Missile)
Ken Gagne (Open Apple & Transporter Lock)

Thanks to Paul for editing this episode’s audio! The original video edition is embedded below.

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Open Apple #88 (July 2025): KansasFest 2025 Megapodcast

Posted on Jul 25, 2025Aug 16, 2025 by Ken Gagne

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:09:15 — 79.7MB) | Embed

Welcome to Ron’s Apple Transporter Roundtable, the annual “megapodcast” from KansasFest 2025.

Participants:

Ken Gagne (Open Apple & Transporter Lock)
Ron McAdams (Ron’s Computer Videos & Retro Repair Roundtable)
Megan Lemmert (6502 Workshop & Retro RPG Roundtable)

Links mentioned in this episode:

KansasFest
Mike Westerfield’s KansasFest 1998 keynote speech
INIT HELLO
Skull Island by 8-Bit Shack
From Apple to Zilog by Chuck Mauro
Dan Bricklin
Ryan Suenaga Scholarship Fund

Open Apple #87: The 2025 Episode

Posted on Apr 13, 2025Jul 22, 2025 by Ken Gagne

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:19:29 — 91.4MB) | Embed

Ken, Em & Quinn reunite to discuss KansasFest & INIT HELLO, ImageWriter printers, Steve Jobs movies, web-based Apple II emulation, and games we regret buying.

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Open Apple #86 (July 2018): John Keoni Morris of Applesauce FDC

Posted on Mar 31, 2025Mar 31, 2025 by Ken Gagne

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:01:36 — 139.6MB) | Embed

In this lost episode of Open Apple, recorded 14 July 2018, Em Maginnis and Quinn Dunki are joined by John Morris, creator of the Applesauce floppy disk controller.

Open Apple #85: The Apple II Origins of Today’s Games

Posted on Feb 9, 2025Feb 12, 2025 by Ken Gagne

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 47:10 — 54.4MB) | Embed

On Saturday, September 28, 2024, the Portland Retro Gaming Expo hosted this panel:

The Apple II Origins of Today’s Games

The Apple II is known for its impact on the workplace (VisiCalc) and education (Oregon Trail) — but it was also an iconic games machine that launched and inspired franchises that continue to these days. From the early stealth action of Castle Wolfenstein to the strategic depth of Ultima and the revolutionary platforming of Prince of Persia, our panel will delve into how these classic titles laid the groundwork for today’s blockbuster games.

Ken Gagne, Kay Savetz, and Ian Baronofsky participated in the 45-minute panel, a video of which PRGE recently made available.