Softkey Publishing's magazines', Hardcore Computing, Hardcore Computist, and Computist, are available for free from The Computist Project Website, either as PDF's or by request via free DVD. In addition, the PDF's have recently been re-cropped, color corrected, and OCR'd so they can be fully searched. Definitely check out this valuable community service to Apple II-series enthusiasts and software hackers in general. As a nice bonus, this project has even been blessed by the original publishing company! Check out the Website here. I know my free DVD is already on its way (thanks, Mike)!

After literally taking four hours to drive home in this afternoon's New Jersey snow storm for a trip that usually takes me around one hour, I didn't expect much from my night-time activities. My curiosity got the best of me, however, as a second cheap video capture solution came today, a Cardbus TV Card, to go along with my oft-talked about Adaptec GameBridge TV USB adapter. I was very curious if this new solution would give me the results I was after - capturing those systems that the GameBridge had trouble getting a sync on, like the Apple II and Panasonic JR-200U. After having the seller e-mail me the contents of the CD-ROM that he forgot to include, I was able to install the card to my trusty Gateway Tablet PC and after I looked up a registration code for the included InterVideo WinDVR 3 (turns out the registration code was in the zip file after all), I was in business. Or so I thought. Long story short, after multiple cable variations and going back to my usual InterVideo Home Theater application, I was getting the same scrambled result I was getting with the GameBridge, and in fact in some cases getting less of a result. After spending way too much on this, I was about ready to give up, when I decided to try a solution I was thinking about and others agreed was a possible answer - using a VCR as an intermediary between the vintage system and the capture device. So I went into my very-much-needs-to-be-organized-and-cataloged storage area under the basement stairs to grab an old VCR. I hooked it up and was unable to switch to the video input because I didn't have the remote.

A History of Gaming Platforms - The Apple II
"The Apple II is one of the most successful, influential and long-lived home computers of all time. Perhaps more than any other machine, it moved the home computer from the worktable of the hobbyist to the living room of the typical American family. The Apple series debuted in 1977 and became a definitive home computer after the introduction of the Disk II drive in 1978. The "Platinum" IIe, the last of the Apple II line, was in production until November 1993. For countless enthusiasts and professionals thriving in the industry today, the adventure began with their first bite of Apple."

What follows are the two images Gamasutra chose not to include in the article:

A2 News and Notes September, 2006

INDEX
* Just Cloning Around
* Home Expansion
* Curling Up With A Good Book
* Wish You Were There?
* Socket Makeover
* Software News
* Emulation News
* SignOff

-- While making new clones of old Apple II computers has become popular,
clones of Our Favorite Computer aren't new. Apple II clones, especially

Apple //c Cable Connection Photo from Brendan Robert's "Apple Game Server"

A2 News and Notes August, 2006

INDEX
* Old Computer, New Clone
* Phoenix Wings
* Solid-State Work
* Another Anniversary
* We're Number 1!
* Prairie Home Changeover
* Plug In, Tune Out?
* Hacking Around
* File Storage
* Software News

By Ryan M. Suenaga, M.S.W. and edited by Howard Katz:

A2 News and Notes July, 2006

INDEX
* Kansas In July
* Phoenix Rising
* Sweet Emulation
* Name That Format
* Apple I Rebirth
* Apples Online
* Name That Game
* More Storage Options
* Software News
* Emulation News
* SignOff

-- By all accounts, KansasFest (aka KFest) was a success this year. Held

A2 News and Notes June, 2006

INDEX
* Cloning Around
* What's My Spec?
* Old Parts, New Owner
* Software Copyright
* Programming For The Masses
* Understanding Apple
* Online Group Kill
* VGA Support
* Color Our World
* KFest