Open Apple -- An Apple II podcast

Open Apple #15 (May 2012): David Finnigan, new books, CRPGs, and prototypes

Posted on May 7, 2012Feb 8, 2022 by Ken Gagne

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:33:00 — 48.0MB) | Embed

This month on Open Apple, Mike and Ken chat with David Finnigan, proprietor of the Mac GUI Web site and author of the upcoming book, The New Apple II User’s Guide. Our eyes are caught by another new book release, The Best of Creative Computing: Volume 3, as well as the upcoming biopic based on Steve Jobs, in which actors have been cast to play Apple’s two co-founders. Prince of Persia is still big news, with the source code for Jordan Mechner’s classic Apple II game having been salvaged, released, and modified, while classic games like Leisure Suit Larry, Dungeon Master, and even Repton are enjoying literal and spiritual remakes. On eBay, we crack open the case to examine broken Apple III boards and prototype Apple IIGS boards.

Click past the jump for links mentioned in this episode.

Introduction (0:00 – 8:33)

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Talking with Brutal Deluxe

Posted on Apr 30, 2012Mar 24, 2023 by Ken Gagne

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:14:16 — 38.0MB) | Embed

Join us as Open Apple celebrates the 20th anniversary of the founding of premier Apple II programming group, Brutal Deluxe, developers of such famous games as LemminGS, The Tinies, Cogito, and Blockade; utilities including Fishhead, T40, and Convert 3200; and projects such as the Apple Cassette Archive.

In this special podcast episode, Ken interviews Brutal Deluxe members Antoine Vignau and Olivier Zardini on the group’s history, what the Apple II and BBS scenes were like in France in the 1980s, how they acquired the rights and assets to popular licenses and ported them to the Apple II, their open source philosophy, and news from other French developers.

Happy birthday, Brutal Deluxe!

Show #14 (April 2012) eBay auction results

Posted on Apr 24, 2012Feb 8, 2022 by Ken Gagne

In the April 2012 episode of the Open Apple podcast, Mike and Ken reviewed several eBay lots. The results of those auctions are below.

Title	Starting bid	End date	# Bids	Sold
Akalabeth on cassette	$0.99	Feb 18, 2012 19:00:04 PST	20	$1,325 + $6 S&H
Apple II game lot	$49.99	Mar 11, 2012 17:00:34 PDT	15	$244.27
Apple III in the box!		Mar 16, 2012 10:36:22 PDT		$799.99 + $75 S&H
CFFA3000	$0.99	Mar 26, 2012 13:57:52 PDT	18	$271 + $7.50 S&H
Apple IIGS watch	$399.99 (Buy It Now)			Still available
Open Apple	$400 (Buy It Now)			Still available

Open Apple #14 (Apr 2012): Brian Picchi, GameFest, Prince of Persia, and gadgets

Posted on Apr 5, 2012Feb 8, 2022 by Ken Gagne

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:27:46 — 44.3MB) | Embed

This month on the Open Apple podcast, our hosts chat with world video game record holder and Apple II game critic Brian Picchi, whose YouTube channel showcases the best and worst of Apple II entertainment. It’s a good time to be a convention-goer: registration has opened for KansasFest 2012, the lineup for Vintage Computer Festival East 8.0 has been announced, 8 Bit Weapon played at the Smithsonian’s opening of the Art of Video Games, and Jordan Mechner is keynoting PAX East. Kickstarter continues to be popular for reviving classic franchises, Ewen Wannop updates SNAP and SAFE on a shoestring budget, and Jordan Mechner unearths his Prince of Persia source code. On eBay, we found a rarer-than-the-Apple-1 copy of Akalabeth on cassette, a rare Apple IIGS-specific wristwatch, and a potential CFFA3000 scalper. Finally, we look at some gadgets that are new to us, including old iPads, new iPads, and DSLR cameras.

Click past the jump for links mentioned in this episode.

Introduction (0:00 – 5:58)

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Show #13 (March 2012) eBay auction results

Posted on Mar 31, 2012Feb 8, 2022 by Ken Gagne

In the March 2012 episode of the Open Apple podcast, Mike and Ken reviewed several eBay lots. The results of those auctions are below.

Title	Starting bid	End date	# Bids	Sold
Kensington ADB Turbo Mouse	$25.99	Mar 01, 2012 07:54:31 PST	0	relisted
Apple II J-plus with Videx card	$0.01	Feb 25, 2012 09:21:22 PST	18	$550 + S&H
Apple IIGS ROM 01 w/6 MB RAM	$49.00	Mar 05, 2012 20:45:27 PST		$675 + $49 S&H
Bell & Howell Apple II	$29.00	Feb 14, 2012 18:00:34 PST	19	$455
Dumpling-64 printer buffer	$15.00	Feb 25, 2012 15:24:03 PST		relisted and relisted
Woz-autographed Apple-1 schematic	$45 (Buy It Now)			14 sold, 5 still available

Welcome, ChatterBoxers!

Posted on Mar 15, 2012Feb 8, 2022 by Ken Gagne

Welcome to our friends and fans from the ChatterBox Video Game Radio Show! Open Apple co-host Ken Gagne appeared on ChatterBox episode #424 (MP3 / iTunes), where he and ChatterBox hosts Alon Waisman and Ara Shirinian talked about everything from chiptune music group 8 Bit Weapon performing at GameFest to John Romero keynoting KansasFest.

Ken has been a listener of ChatterBox since the first episode eight years ago, and previously had his letter read on the air on episode #323 (March 7, 2010). He much appreciates having had this opportunity to talk modern and retro gaming with friends old and new. We hope not only that ChatterBox‘s fans with an interest in retrocomputing will enjoy Open Apple, but that Open Apple fans will check out ChatterBox for an outsider’s unique perspective on the Apple II community.

(Also give a listen to ChatterBox’s 2005 interview with 8 Bit Weapon.)

And remember… all your Apples are belong to us!

Open Apple #13 (Mar 2012): Andrew Roughan, Marinetti, Karateka, and e-books

Posted on Mar 7, 2012Feb 8, 2022 by Ken Gagne

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:26:32 — 45.5MB) | Embed

This month on the Open Apple podcast, Mike and Ken chat with Andrew Roughan, Australian Apple II user and curator of the Marinetti Open Source Project. From Jordan Mechner at PAX East 2012 to John Romero at KansasFest 2012 to Nolan Bushnell at GameFest, we’re all about attending conventions and chasing luminaries. We squabble over how to pronounce “Karateka”, look forward to new Monkey Island and Wasteland games, and eagerly consume iBooks for Apple II users on our iPads. On eBay, we get a previously untold tale of an extravagant Australian lot, then take a small jump north to look at an Apple II J-plus, before marveling at how astounded major press outlets were over your typical Bell & Howell.

Click past the jump for links mentioned in this episode.

Introduction (0:00 – 10:32)

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Show #12 (February 2012) eBay auction results

Posted on Mar 1, 2012Feb 8, 2022 by Ken Gagne

In the February 2012 episode of the Open Apple podcast, Mike and Ken reviewed several eBay lots. The results of those auctions are below.

Title	Starting bid	End date	# Bids	Sold
Ultima IV	$14.99	Feb 07, 2012 11:11:39 PST	13	$112.50 + S&H
CFFA3000	$0.99	Jan 31, 2012 12:45:48 PST	10	$307.99 + $7.50 S&H
Apple IIe Platinum w/books, software, games	$190.00	Feb 05, 2012 13:57:16 PST	32	$2,700
Apple IIe Platinum w/games, software, books	$190.00	Feb 05, 2012 13:23:45 PST	22	$1,250

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