A2 News and Notes
The May, 2005 issue of the A2 News and Notes Newsletter for Apple II fans has been posted by Howard Katz!
This issue:
* More Storage Revisited
* Another Name Gone
* Online History
* Software News
* SignOff

A2 News and Notes

Gloom and Doom for the Newton MessagePad?
This is a semi-hidden page at the Walletware.com site on the "Future" of the MessagePad. It begins:
"Considering the recent announcements regarding the death of the Newton OS, we're concerned with the attitude of the 'Chicken Littles' assuming that Apple may be doing a 'bad' thing, assuming that the MessagePad itself has been killed.

Having been involved with the Newton industry as Newton software publishers and developers since 1993, we (WalletWare, Inc. and Balcones Software) feel compelled to attempt to shed some positive light on what Apple may be attempting to do in the handheld and palm PC industry. And if our guesses are correct, it's not all bad, folks!!"

Gloom and Doom for the Newton MessagePad?

An early look at the Macintosh Plus with its whiz-bang 7.8-MHz Motorola processor and 1 MB of RAM
Following up yesterday's popular "Blasts from the Past" from the Byte Magazine archives, here is another blast! This time it's the Macintosh Plus from June 1986.
It begins:
"BYTE took an early look at the Mac Plus , a $2599 system that came with 1 MB of RAM, a 9-inch display, a 7.8-MHz Motorola 68000 processor, and an optional 20-MB hard drive (but no expansion slots). The Compaq Deskpro 286, which we also reviewed, had 512 KB of RAM, a 30-MB hard drive, and four expansion slots; it cost $6245 with a monitor, but it was faster than IBM's AT."

Blasts from the Past - Macintosh Plus

Preservation is better for archaeologists than computer companies, or why the II GS didn't make a bigger splash.
This article from the Byte.com "Blasts from the Past" series originally appeared in the October 1986 issue. It's a Product Preview written by former senior technical editor Gregg Williams, and Rick Grehan.
It begins:
"The Apple II GS received mixed reviews. We liked its new 16-bit processor but worried that the GS cost too much and didn't offer graphics superior to the Amiga or Atari. Also, we wondered why Apple would invest such energy in preserving 10-year-old technology."

Blasts from the Past - Apple IIgs

The Macquarium Collection
This is the ultimate Macquarium resource! The Apple Collection website has assembled a page with photos and links to everything there is to know about the widespread practice of installing a permanent screensaver on your Apple. Everything from classic Macs to the Cube is covered here.

The Macquarium Collection

Becoming Tom Clancy: Letters from Tom
This is the second entry a series of four letters from author Tom Clancy. In them he describes events surrounding the publication of his first novel, The Hunt for Red October, but in this letter he describes quite extensively his thoughts on his new computer (a Macintosh 512k "Fat Mac"), Apple and personal computers in general.

Becoming Tom Clancy: Letters from Tom

Apple II Plus - Bell & Howell Model
Macgeek.org does a great job documenting this unusual variation on the beloved Apple II.

Apple II Plus - Bell & Howell Model

A Visit from Saint Woz
A poem by Marty Knight, set to "The Night Before Christmas" starring our favorite bearded jolly guy.
From Poppyfields.com, which features song and poem parodies with computer related subjects!

A Visit from Saint Woz

Apple Announces the IIc
Another cool vintage article at Atarimagazines.com. This one by George A. Miller, originally appeared in Creative Computing, Vol. 10, No. 7 / July 1984 / Page 116, and begins:
"On April 24, 1984 Apple Computer made an earthshaking announcement: the Apple IIc. The Moscone Center in San Francisco shook for nearly three minutes with the force of 6.2 on the Richter scale. The occasion for the announcement was a combined dealer/sales convention for Apple. The theme of the convention was "Apple II Forever," which neatly summarizes Apple's long range strategic plan for the Apple II."

Apple Announces the IIc

Computer Graphics Primer
The complete 1979 book "Computer Graphics Primer", by Mitchell Waite is now available online at atariarchives.org! This is a great resource, and includes a lots of Apple II information. Of particular interest is Chapter 3: Graphics Programming on the Apple II!

Computer Graphics Primer