The Images Explained

The online images cover a broad range of categories. From a shot of a Work in Progress (Seen here) Apple ][ (notice no vents in the sides of the case) to the never released 'ROM 4'.

The Apple ][: The beginning of it all.

The Red Book. Hailed by some as the [ Bible ], the book of the beginning. This book was included with the first Apple ]['s shipped. To most it appeared more like a book of notes on what someone who also had just purchased their Apple ][ might have put together. Followed by the highly unseen [ Blue Book ], aka the Red Book of AppleSOFT. It came later when AppleSOFT basic replaced Apple's Integer BASIC in the ROM of the Apple ][, making it the Apple ][ Plus.

From the first Apple to the last Apple II. It's all here awaiting you.

At this time alot of the pictures aren't the best quality, this is being worked on and they will be replaced with better ones as time marches on. The pictures are from 1996 when a Quadra A/V system was all the rage and the majority of them were done with a camcorder on a tripod. Scanners can now do a much better job although that usually means an increase in filesize. I am currently working on a FileMaker database solution that will allow me to catagorize all the Apple II stuff and determine duplicates, needs and the like.

Portable IIgs [ Front View ] I started this project in March of '92 for KansasFest but it actually was finished the night before I hopped on a plane for Boston to Apple Expo East/Oct. '92. It was there, stationed next to the Psygnosis booth with a Lemming sitting atop with a caption reading "I want to live in the IIgs, help me!". As of now, this may well be a reality, take a [ look ]. At KansasFest '96, we saw a preview of Brutal Deluxe's LemminGS.

[ Rana 8086-2 ]. The Original PC 'Transporter'. Introduced in early to mid 1985, it preceeded the PT Transporter by nearly three years. It is basically an entire PC compatible computer in a box, with a [ controller card ] that lets you use your Apple ][ peripherals to control the 'box'.

Apple ][ Product Catalog July 1978. From a time when Apple was still young, but had already developed well beyond that, a time when it seemed that the whole company was proud of it's product unlike today where one half doesn't even know what the other is doing. One phone call got you a full sized envelope with a [ product catalog ], [ price list ] and dealer locations.

Apple In Depth. Apple produced quarterly catalogs featuring the product line and even some third party products as well. They were mailed to registered owners and available at the dealer. Here is the cover from two issues, [ Fall 1980 ] and [ Fall 1981 ]

The [ DuoDisk 3.5" ] [ Left Side View ] Some thoughts on this product could be that since a single drive carried a list price of approximately $599.00 apon introduction, a dual unit would have cost atlest 50% higher. Possibly about 15 of these units exist, yet they made it completly through the engineering phase and the injection mold to make the case was textured meaning they were ready to go with it.

At one point Apple had planned to make most if not all the external storage peripherals platform independent, thus offering either the same or slightly modified versions for each platform of the time. Those being the Apple ][, Apple /// and Macintosh & Lisa, Apple's 32 Bit "SuperMicros". Evidence of this is the labeling on the back side of a non-release UniDisk 5.25" drive with two DB-25 connectors, one labeled "Connect only to specified Apple Computer or Disk Drive" and the other labeled "Connect only to specified Disk Drive". The beginnings of Daisy Chaining storage devices. If you ever dis-assembled a UniDisk 5.25" (The Biege colored variety) and realized the analog board was labeled "UniDisk Analog #2", it's because in this model which was released, the second DB-25 was removed, the cable changed to DB-19 and molded to fit into a strain relief within the case and was not intended for removal. The only storage unit to see the light of day with the original 'system' of cabling intact was the DuoDisk 5.25". You'll notice it went from a single DB-25 at the drive to the DB-19 on the controller card. The Apple /// drives at this time changed from IDC 26 to the DB-25 style connector with the introduction of the Apple /// Plus. Would the DuoDisk 5.25" become the next drive for the Apple /// since Apple was phasing out the full height Shugart drive mechanism in favor of the half height Alps assembly that was to be used in all other Apple produced 5.25" drives for the Apple ][? Some exploration of the DuoDisk analog card will only tell.

Here we have Disk ][ Serial number 00046. Was this one built by Woz himself? One day we may find out! Another Apple Achievment was the FileWare drive, subject of a stock conspiracy lawsuit, it almost disappeared as fast as it came, first offered on the original Lisa, then planned for release for the Apple /// it never was. Apple's ease of use spirt was very aparent in this drive, using a semi standard 5.25" transport mechanical assembly but featured two read write heads positioned 180 degrees apart for simultanious read and write capability, making it a very fast Quad Density drive, not quite high density at only 67.5 tracks per inch. The [ Floppy disks ] were slightly, just slightly mind you, wierd looking. This drive would lower the hub centering support automaticaly once the disk was pushed in and electricaly 'eject' the floppy when a button was pushed or told to on the Lisa Desktop.