Apple II Emulator Virtual ][ Version 4.3 Released
What's new in version 4.3
This is a bug-fix release.
• Solved an issue in the built-in Spotlight module, which could cause endless rescanning of hard disk image files.
• The Spotlight module now does a better job in recognizing the file system on diskette image files. It used to skip some valid DOS images.
• Improved the compatibility of the A2V2 program; it now supports more types of USB-to-serial adapters.

Virtual ][

Apple Announces Newton Subsidiary
Complementing the addition of a 1997 Newton, Inc. MessagePad 2000 Ad to The Mothership Advertising and Brochure Gallery, we present this original press release, dated May 22, 1997, in which Apple announces the creation of a new company, Newton, Inc., to "focus on computing & communications for mobile users".

Apple Announces Newton Subsidiary

NeXT, OpenStep, and the Triumphant Return of Steve Jobs
The latest interesting Apple history article by the talented Tom Hormby at Low End Mac. This time he tackles the tumultuous mid-to-late 1990's, an era that ultimately ushered in the modern, successful Apple Computer, Inc. as we know it today. Tom Begins:
"From the day of his appointment as Apple CEO in February 1996, Gil Amelio presided over an ailing company. After the near-disastrous reign of Michael Spindler, Amelio promised to change the corporate ethos of Apple."

NeXT, OpenStep, and the Triumphant Return of Steve Jobs

X/ProFile IDE Storage Interface for Vintage Apple Computers!
The X/ProFile is truly an exciting development in the world of vintage computers and should be of great interest to all collectors and users of the Apple Lisa, Apple II and Apple III. From the X/Profile page:

"Apple ProFile, Apple Widget, Sun20 -- these parallel port hard drives use a proprietary interface protocol to connect to historically important Apple computers, namely:

• Apple Lisa (aka Lisa 1)
• Lisa 2
• Lisa 2/10 (aka Macintosh XL)
• Apple ][
• Apple ///

As the original drives are now 20+ years old and new repair-parts are long unavailable, it is no wonder that the number of working units is dwindling. This style of hard drive is essential for most Lisa operating environments and the Apple /// SOS, so a solution was sought to maintain operability of these legacy computers.
We set out to develop a long-term solution to this problem, with emphasis on maximum compatibility, flexibility, and performance. The result is the X/ProFile."

The X/ProFile, providing an interface between the Apple parallel interface protocol and economical, readily available, and better performing IDE storage devices, is potentially a very important step toward the long-term preservation and continued useability of these historic systems.

Click here for more information on the X/Profile.

The Apple II, by Steve Wozniak
This article at oldcomputers.net originally appeared in BYTE Magazine, May 1977, Vol. 2, No. 5 and was written by none other than The Woz! It Begins:
"To me, a personal computer should be small, reliable, convenient to use and inexpensive.
The Apple-I, my first video oriented single board computer, was designed late in 1975 and sold by word of mouth through-out California and later nationwide through retail computer stores."

The Apple II, by Steve Wozniak

In the Loop with Larry Yaeger
An interview from June, 2005 with Larry Yaeger at arstechnica.com by Jeff Smykil. In this three part interview, he discusses his work at Apple in the Advanced Technology Group, as Technical Lead in the development of the neural network-based handprint recognition system, used in Newton PDAs and Mac OS X's "Inkwell".

In the Loop with Larry Yaeger

Mac OS 8 Installation and Use
Complementing todays addition of a 1997 Mac OS 8 Introduction Ad to The Mothership Advertising and Brochure Gallery we present this 1997 guide to OS 8 by Bill Fox at MacsOnly.com.

The Index:
• Here's What You Get
• My Installation Notes
• Main Feature Descriptions
• Hits and Misses--Opinion
• PowerBase Issues
• Troubleshooting Installation
• Troubleshooting Use
• Pre-Release Information

Mac OS 8 Installation and Use

A2 News and Notes
The October, 2005 issue of the A2 News and Notes Newsletter for Apple II fans has been posted by Howard Katz!
This issue:
* If You Want It To Sing
* It Keeps Growing and Growing....
* Calling Call-A.P.P.L.E.
* History Republished
* Software News
* Emulation News
* SignOff

A2 News and Notes

My Man Newton: Six Months with a Personal Digital Assistant
From February 1994 we present this article by Don Montabana in the PennPrintout, the University of Pennsylvania's online computing magazine. It begins:
"Just over two years ago John Scully, the former CEO of Apple, introduced the term "personal digital assistant" (PDA) to describe the as-yet-unreleased Newton. This new device, by many accounts, was heralded as the next step in silicon's evolutionary path--a device that would dramatically expand current communications and computing capabilities by including handwriting recognition as well as a new operating system, which would work intelligently both with and for the user."

My Man Newton: Six Months with a Personal Digital Assistant

Apple's Copland Project: An OS for the Common Man
The latest interesting Apple History article from Tom Hormby at Low End Mac. It Begins:
"In 1995, Microsoft was busy promoting the latest release of Windows, Windows 95. Apple was confident that users would still be attracted to the Mac because of its interface, but also worried that Windows' multitasking environment would put Mac OS 7.5.x to shame."

Apple's Copland Project: An OS for the Common Man