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The August issue of A2-2000 (the freeware monthly disk-0-zine) is now available to the public via: http://www.grin.net/~cturley/A2.2000/ From within that folder you can review the folder of August.8.97 to find the entire August Issue on line for your review and/or individual ShrinkIt archive downloads (as it appears) in its ShrinkIt archive - as well as the actual A2.2000.897.SDK archive. Sorry for the delay in getting the August issue of A2-2000 released to public access. Remember: you now have the added convience and advantage of simply reviewing the contents of the actual August as you wish - without the need of downloading the bootable 800K disk - A2.2000.897.SDK archive! I'll be sending all surface mail subscriptions of the August issue out in the mail on 8/19/97 by First Class U.S. Mail Services. Cheers, Tom ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- August 18th, 1997 - A letter from the Editor, Editorial & Table of Contents (or as many of my aureate, auriferous and authoritative Apple II austre axion |*FIVE-A |users| ;) would most likely say - more awless, cankerous and bashful diatribe from the good Doctor :0) Welcome to the 2nd issue of A2-2000 -the freeware monthly disk-O-zine devoted to all Apple II models and users worldwide! Celebrating Twenty Years of Apple II Productivity (to prove that the Apple II series part is its future) The first issue was presented as all text - to honor the the basic abilities of the first Apple II models and to celebrate the 20th Birthday of the commercial sales release of the Apple II's. I must admit, I didn't expect to much response with the first issues release. But, I was WRONG! I've received dozens of yearly subscriptions for mailing on disk, reports of several hundred downloads from the ftp sites and my own web site, where it was (and still is) available. Many of the A2-2000 readers have sent their feedback, suggestions for improvements, future style enhancement ideas and request for additions with; music files, sound files, graphics, fonts, games, applications and programs, etc. Rest assured, I intend to do just that, as best as possible with each future monthly issue! I've received a great many submissions for future issues already, with the promiss of some astounding submissions and contributions from all areas of Apple II series abilities. And, with several more years of monthly releases of A2-2000, I'll take as many more submissions and contributions as everybody wants to send. I've had a very interesting suggestion that I'd certainly like to impliment in a future issue and/or for my web site. The suggestion was presented to ask all the readers of A2-2000, that want to list their name, interest, talents, etc. and a method to contact each other via; email or telephone or snail mail or modem or IRC or chat room services, etc. - to send me their information. I'd be willing to host a web site with all listings and individual information on any A2-000 reader that wants to furnish such to other readers, to allow all the readers that want to communicate with one another to have that option and ability. I'd even be willing to include such a consentual listing in future issues of A2-2000. So, if any readers of this disk-O-zine want to be included in such an effort and listing, send me all your information to allow you and the other readers of A2-2000 to have their own personal contacts and useful activities with each other - as they elect to. I've also taken the suggestion and changed it from a disk-a-zine to a disk-0-zine, as the only disk-0-zine on Earth :) I'd like to express to all the readers of this issue of A2-2000 - that I had some very serious thoughts about including in this Aug.97 info file and combined 'Table of Contents', my own thoughts on the current civil war occuring in its multiple complexity, on the Usenet news group: comp.sys.apple2. However, thinking on the matters now presented by the posters to that news group and considering the opinions they have expressed on the issues of; piracy, opinions, moderation, leaving the news group for the Delphi online service, other radical suggested alternatives and so on, with the flame wars, rude, vulgar and childish rants, I've elected to simply ignore it all and hope things settle down again - as they usually do, with time. After all, the same basic things occured about this time last year - even more severe than they are currently. I've decided instead, to just include some choice CSA2.TIDBITS for the readers to review, evaluate and think over. To show you all that even with all the bickering, rants and flame wars and antics - it still has many valuable and helpful contributors offering advise, answers and positive thoughts. So, check out the CSA2.TIDBITS folder and I'm sure you'll see exactly what I mean. I've decided to include this folder each month. And, if your not subscribed to the comp.sys.apple2 new group yet, then do! It's a fairly active group that always has something interesting, provocate, informative and inovative to offer the readers. There's ample options to avoid having to deal with what you don't care to get involved in also. Like any other group on the Internet - theirs always going to be the helpful and polite and the rude and annoying - the questions and answers, the rants, opinions and friction. That's a fact of human nature, with any group I've ever encountered anywhere else. Cycles of ups and down, good and bad, smooth and ruff exist in everything - including this new group. A lot's happened within the Apple II community on some positive notes, sense the first issue was released last month. More than I can possibly relate in full detail in this issue! So, I'm simply including what I think offer the most diverse and useful with the information I have room to include. GNO/ME - formally a commercial Unix like IIgs program and environment system was just released with src. codes as freeware and with continued development efforts from many skilled programmers (see the posted announcement in the GS.ONLY folder). KansasFest '97 happened with 48 attendees and many interesting events, new program previews, amazing computer and hardware prototypes, the standard feasts, roast and antics - along with many new surprizing developments and so many future hopes and options of full Internet connection and use with the introduction of a true stand alone TCP/IP stack presented by its author - Richard Bennett (See; KF97.REPORT, NEW.TCP.IP.GS in the ARTICLES folder 'TO BE INCLEDED IN THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE OF A2-2000' and if your a IIgs owner and/or user - be sure to read the complete announcement from the new TCP/IP author 'MARINETTI' in the GS.ONLY folder. Review the 'Table of Contents' at the end of this file, to learn what is offered, how it's offered and what this issue contains for you. Perhaps some A2-2000 readers that got the first issue last month may think this parts of this editorial and info file to be redundant and sort of lazy in it's repeat content. But, try to understand, I need to present certain information each month - in each issue for those that didn't get the first issue. So, if you've read any the following before then ignore it and just go on to the contents of this issue. I've included the Table of contents in a brief outline below for you to review, something I DID NOT have the time to include in the first issue of A2-2000. I've been active and involved with the Apple II series of computers - for over twelve year now. I started out with buying my first Apple IIc after having been introduced to it by Woz at the US Festival. I've watched the Apple II computer industry rise to it's peak in 1986 thru 1990 and then slide back to its current state of affairs with a healthy Internet presents, user community, webs ites, Usenet news groups, online services, BBS's, ftp sites and user groups worldwide. I've explored them all on a daily basis, for several years now. I see a very long and promising future still ahead for the Apple II computers and for those that continue to use and support them. I've seen many Apple II commercial software and hardware companies come and go. I've watched many publications come, prosper and end too. This is a fact one must accept in any computer platform and with any such industry. I'm sure many others will come and go. I've watched many Apple II computer users come, go and return also! It seems there is something about the Apple II computers they just can't do without. After twenty years of Apple II activities the A2 platform and its users are still very present amd very active (in smaller numbers - that's true). But, I'm also observing new and younger users inheriting Apple II models, buying them used and new (The Tiger Learning Computer). I've also noticed a fair share of new and older users enter and return to the Apple II community over the past few years - with much vigor and interest in the Apple II models they own and use for many, many needs. Over the years I've had some great joy and many rewards from the Apple II computers, with many friends and users, as well as some disappointments and problems that caused a bit of aggravation and pain. I've made some stupid mistakes and errors with my efforts over the years and I've learned a lot along the way too. I've considered - on more than one occasion the option of leaving the Apple II models behind and venturing into other more current computerplatforms technologies and interest. But, in the end I've decided to remain and give all my productive efforts to the Apple II community that I possibly can give, for the balance of this century and for as long as I'm able to into the next millennium! Why? Because it's given me much more joy and rewards than it has aggravation and pain. Besides, I still have much faith in the future of the Apple II computers and a few more years of productive efforts I'd like to offer to it. I even intend to tap all the other computer platforms for what they can offer to the Apple II models and their users. And, why not - that's what they are there for anyway. I've found a great enhancement device to use for the Apple II computers too. It's called a Mac :) Using my great Apple II enhancement device to explore and tap all the resources during the past four years, I've learned about the offerings from the Internet and I've enjoyed using it from 5 up to as much as 12 hours per day, exploring all it has to offer the Apple II community. I've hosted a 'MegaWeb Site' (The GS WorldView EZine) and founded a worldwide Internet user group (US-A2WUG) both of which have offered much in the way of help to Apple II users around the world, who visit and enjoy their offered contents - for the past several months and years. With the departure of all of our Apple II monthly publications over the past years, I've felt the need for making available - a freeware monthly disk-0-zine like this to offer support, news and information on all the Apple II computer models have to offer their users around the world. Thus, I've decided to release A2 -2000 as such, each month on the 15th - in the hopes it will stimulate new interest, faith, production, development and the deserved appreciation in the Apple II computer models. And,I'm presenting some old classic and forgotten materials within the monthly issues of A2 -2000 also. To show the readers that after all these years, the Apple II's past is its future! Along with many old veterans and ICONS in the Apple II community, I intend to prove that Apple's past is INDEED it's future, to the best of my abilities. I've obtained ample permission to use most of the material from many old classic Apple II publications in this issue and all future issues of A2-2000. I'll be presenting in each issue of A2-2000 the most current news and product information I can gather also. I intend to continue with monthly releases of A2-2000 until at least - April, 2001 and as far beyond that date as possible. The contents just about cover everything you'd care to know about the Apple II computers over the past 20 years. Review the 'Table of Contents' take your time, relax, check out all you think suits your needs and enjoy! There's a lot more to come with each new monthly issue and I promiss you there will be a detailed table of contents for you to review - in each future monthly issue of A2-2000! Again,I apploigize for not having the time to include a 'Table of Contents' with the first issue. The Apple II models have been improved, developed for and expanded - to offer things never thought possible with the introduction of each new Apple II model over the years of it's production. In this premiere issue of A2-2000 and every issue that follows - I hope to present an informative review for the reader with all the Apple II models have offered, can still offer and will be able to offer during the next several years. Expanding the user base of the Apple II computers with curremt emulators now available for all Apple II models on nearly every computer platform and many other Apple II model emulators now under development, the Apple II models abilities can be experienced by every user on every computer platform - in the near future. This surge in the Apple II models emulation development proves that the Apple II still has a place and special need that no other computers can replace. The recent releases of IIgs emulators have given a need to offer a simply user-friendly program to capture and save your IIgs ROM image file - for use with them. So I'm presenting the first ever such program called 'GRC' - a ProDOS system program to capture and save as a ROM image file, from any IIgs; ROM 00, ROM 01 or ROM 03. It's released to public domain with the merlin assembly src. codes. The author wishes to remain anonymous also! The first issue of A2-2000, as outlined before in this file - was ASCII text in all of its content. No graphics, program archives, fonts, etc. were presented with it. It's was simply text and nothing else - for the reasons presented above. Each issue of A2-2000 is designed as a self-booting ProDOS 800k 3.5 disk - using Karl Bunkers public domain program 'Sneeze' as the startuP basic program. I've got some great programmers that want to improve and enhance the 'Sneeze' program abilities also. I hope to soon include such with futures issues - soon! How about a patch for ProDOS to allow the Sneeze program to allow the data only portions of files to be displayed - that have resourse forks to them? That's something one of my friends and very talented programmers is working on to present in a future issue. We've also discussed the options of enhancing 'Sneeze' to allow the graphic display of such formats as; PrintShop, The New PrintShop, PrintShop GS, gifs, jpegs and even the Mac files like PICT, etc. All these enhancements are possible and we hope to be able to update the OS and program to allow these improvements. And, why not - after all - it all going to be done as a free 'Labor of Love' effort for the useful needs of the A2-2000 readers. If you have any input and/or can offer any help on these suggested enhancements, please send me what you have to offer. Patches, src. code routines, modules for your inclusion, etc. are all welcome! As with the first issue - I've designed the style and format of A2-2000 to meet the request of many of my friends and contributors, with their suggestions as to just how they wanted to see its release to the Apple II community. And, as always - I'm certainly opened to all suggestions on improvements with the A2-2000 disk-0-zine format, style, offerings and contents with each new monthly issue release. I hope to receive feedback on a steady basis from the readers of A2-2000 , with expressing what they do and don't like about it, what they want to see added or removed from its style and format - and whatever suggestions they can offer to make it improved to meet their needs, with each new montly issue. A2-2000 is devoted to the needs and desires of its readers and users. Please let me know how YOU want it presented! A2-2000 is offered in three manners outlined below - in the hope that these will cover all options worldwide with its distribution and availability for everybody that wants it. (1) Each monthly release (with this first issue on) will be available for free download - presented as a ShrinkIt self-booting disk archive - from the following ftp and http urls over the Net. ftp://128.255.21.234/2/apple2/A2.2000/ http://128.255.21.234/2/apple2/A2.2000/ http://www.grin.net/~cturley/A2.2000/ http://www.grin.net/~cturley/gsezine/GS.WorldView/A2.2000/ All other ftp, BBS', web sites and online services are also welcome to make the A2-2000 monthly freeware archives available - if they wish (FOR FREE ONLY - with no restrictions). Posting the archive each month as a binary file to the Usenet Apple II binary news group is also an option - should anybody care to do that! (2) For those without Internet access or that simply wish to receive A2-2000 on a disk, ready to boot, read, review, view and enjoy - by mail each month, you can send $1.50 (US) per monthly issue or prepay $12.00 (U.S) yearly in advance - for covering the cost of each monthly 3.5 - 800k ProDOS disk, postage, shipping and handling only to: Charles T. Turley 115 Santa Clara St. Brisbane, CA 94005-1736 USA (If you have a need to contact me by tel. - I'm available by voice call only any weekday - 9AM to 9PM - PT. 415-468-1609) (3) For those that prefer it on 3.5 - 800k disk or in monthly disks bundles on 5.25 ProDOS disks only (if that's the only way you can use it) - you can email your request to: bmbj13@aol.com or bmbj@juno.com and arrange to receive it from him directly - as he is the only authorized and permitted distributor of A2-2000 in this manner - currently! My final thoughts to the A2-2000 readers are simply that I hope the monthly issues of A2-2000 (to be released on the 15th of each month - faithfully)) will prove to be of some useful value to the needs of the Apple II worldwide community. I can't please everybody and don't expect to. But, I try! I present this each issue of A2-2000 for viewing by any Apple II computer with 80 column text abilities - such as the the Apple IIe (enhanced) and on up, having a 3.5 - 800k disk drive . If your Apple II model does not have this ability - you can simply view each text file - with your favorite text file viewing program. I realize there will be several Apple II users with models that can't use it as presented. But, you do have the option of requesting it from Ben Johnson - as outlined above - on 5.25 data disk bundles for your needs. Produced and edited by me and me alone with Macs and apple II's - no doubt with errors and oversights - the readers will find them all and either overlook them or complain to me about them. In which case, I'll do my best to correct such things in the next issue.I invite you to email me and express your thoughts on the contents offered in any way you wish. (Easter Egg included - try to find it and GOOD LUCK!) ;) You never know what it might have to offer the first person to find it and respond.