Introducing the Open Apple podcast
February 7, 2011 — Mike Maginnis and Ken Gagne, two long-time Apple II users, are proud to announce the Apple II community's first co-hosted podcast. Open Apple, a monthly show dedicated to Steve Wozniak's most famous personal computer, begins broadcasting today at http://www.open-apple.net/ with a new episode to come every month.
"When we got home from KansasFest 2010, we didn't want the experience to end," said Gagne in the show's first episode, referring to the annual Apple II convention. Added Maginnis, "One of the great things about the Apple II is the community that surrounds it. Having a podcast where we can chat with other Apple II users fosters that community feeling you get at events like KansasFest." In keeping with that theme, the two co-hosts are joined in their first episode by KansasFest veteran Andy Molloy, the first of many guests to appear on Open Apple.
The Apple II was the first personal computer produced by Apple Computer Inc. after its founding in 1977. More than eight models and five million units were sold before it was discontinued in 1993. Nearly two decades later, the computer still enjoys regular releases of new hardware and software, thanks to the dedication and enthusiasm of both loyal fans and retrocomputing newcomers.
The Open Apple show aims to spotlight that vibrancy and serve that community with regular segments that include "II News", a roundup of the latest Apple II activities and announcements; "Retroviews", a look back at classic hardware and software; "Apple Pickings", which spotlights Apple II sales on eBay and Craigslist; and "Name the Game", an audio trivia challenge in which listeners can win prizes.
"There are plenty of other great retrocomputing podcasts that we enjoy listening to," said Maginnis, "but none dedicated to the Apple II is produced on a regular basis, and nothing that consistently features multiple voices from the community. With this show, Ken and I are looking forward to keeping in touch with each other and other Apple II geeks every month."
Mike Maginnis writes about Apple's pre-Mac computers on his blog, 6502lane.net. Ken Gagne is editor and publisher of Juiced.GS, the Apple II's longest-running print publication, and is marketing director for the community's annual convention, KansasFest.
The Open Apple podcast is available immediately at http://www.open-apple.net/ where it can be streamed live or downloaded.
Interesting cast! Please keep it going.
Jim
Thank you, Steven and Jim! And sorry for the delayed response; I must've forgotten to enable whatever email notification this forum offers.
We've made some nice tweaks to both our site and our recording process in time for the second episode, featuring guest Ivan Drucker, a former Apple employee and current staff writer for Juiced.GS:
http://www.open-apple.net/2011/03/07/show-002-ivanx-vcf-vnc-gple/
We're still hammering out the bugs and hope to finally "get it right" by our third show next month. 
Thanks again,
-Ken
And here's the April episode, published today:
http://www.open-apple.net/2011/04/11/show-003-neubauer-kansasfest-edutainment/
The May episode has just gone live and features guests Steve Weyhrich and Chris Lackey talking about scanning, Steve Wozniak, and Out of this World:
http://www.open-apple.net/2011/05/11/show-004-weyhrich-history-humanism-outland/
The June 2011 episode of Open Apple, the Apple II community's only co-hosted podcast, is now available.
This month, Mike and I are joined by Brian Wiser, an unsung hero of the Apple II archivist movement, as well as a director and producer of projects related to Joss Whedon's Firefly television show and Serenity movie. I report on my trip to the Vintage Computer Festival East 7.0, Mike notes the changing of the guard at Syndicomm, and Brian brags about the Apple employees he's met and the museums he's visited, after which Mike and Brian chat about their favorite Apple II publications. We all lusted after the Ultima trilogy on eBay but were dismayed by two other auctions that were not what they seemed. Classics that need to be remade, those that are being remade, and those that were and failed are our gaming topics of the month.
Listen to the show for how you can win a $20 credit to the RetroFloppy store, courtesy David Schmidt!
The show can be found at any of these URLs:
http://www.open-apple.net/2011/06/06/show-005-wiser-museums-magazines-ultima/
http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/open-apple/id418895188
http://social.zune.net/podcast/Open-Apple/93ccfacb-1043-4a1e-aaf0-b26fcbf521f8
We look forward to your feedback!
Is this the one with Carrington Vanston as an occasional guest? I think he mentioned he would be in it on the 1mhz podcast
Smiley,
Carrington is a regular contributor to, and occasional host of, the Retro Computing Roundtable monthly podcast.
-Ken
The July 2011 episode of Open Apple, the Apple II community's only co-hosted podcast, is now available.
This month in Open Apple, Mike and I share the studio for a one-on-one recording session. We look at user groups, museums, and academic classes that celebrate the Apple II, as well as the growing collection of the Internet Archive, courtesy Jason Scott. While looking forward to next week's KansasFest convention, memories of previous KFests are unearthed and examined. Unusual Apple II and Apple III machines are hot on eBay, as are the competitors in recent and upcoming arcade tournaments. And let's not overlook the gauntlet that Richard Garriott has thrown down over the future of the Ultima franchise.
The show can be found at any of these URLs:
http://www.open-apple.net/2011/07/15/show-006-groups-miniappler-kfest-tournaments/
http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/open-apple/id418895188
http://social.zune.net/podcast/Open-Apple/93ccfacb-1043-4a1e-aaf0-b26fcbf521f8
Thanks to everyone who listens. We look forward to your feedback!
-Ken
The August 2011 episode of Open Apple, the Apple II community's only co-hosted podcast, is now available.
This month, Mike and I keep the KansasFest vibe going with first-time attendee David Schmenk, getting his perspective on the greatest products, sessions, and experiences of last month's Apple II convention, from the CFFA3000 to Sweet16 and more. Ewen Wannop's publication of an online magazine archive leads to a brief discussion on the creation and consumption of PDF scans, after which we get Tony Diaz on the line to clarify a hardware matter. On eBay, we like pins, buttons, and games, before getting ready for a special guest at this month's Denver Apple Pi user group meeting.
Listen to the show for how you can win a $20 Juiced.GS gift certificate in our easiest-ever Name the Game contest!
The show can be found at any of these URLs:
http://www.open-apple.net/2011/08/10/show-007-schmenk-kansasfest-cffa3000-buttons/
http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/open-apple/id418895188
http://social.zune.net/podcast/Open-Apple/93ccfacb-1043-4a1e-aaf0-b26fcbf521f8
Thanks to everyone who listens -- we look forward to your feedback!
-Ken
Just one quick question. Why can't I access the May, June and July podcasts on the website any longer? Also when I tried downloading all the episodes in iTunes I'm missing the June and July episodes. Why? Just curious.
Dean
Magnus,
Sorry for the late reply, but as you've probably found, the "missing" episodes were restored a day or two after your message. An update to our podcasting plugin temporarily broke the link between our blog posts and their associated MP3 files.
-Ken
The October 2011 episode of Open Apple, the Apple II community's only co-hosted podcast, is now available.
This month, Mike and I talk with Kelvin Sherlock, prolific Apple II programmer of GShisen, Silver Platter, ProFUSE, and more. I build the suspense before revealing the identity of KansasFest 2012's keynote speaker before we look at the latest Kickstarter fundraising projects that appeal to Apple II users. We ask ourselves, "Why are Apple II users different?" when sharing knowledge, products, and magazines. On eBay, we're looking at soundtracks, CP/M cards, compression software, and defunct user group newsletters, before engaging in a smackdown of BASIC programming languages. Finally, we enjoy classic Apple II games on iOS and challenge Kelvin to explain why we can't port Portal to the 6502.
The show can be found at any of these URLs:
http://www.open-apple.net/2011/10/03/show-008-sherlock-kickstarter-basic-bcs/
http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/open-apple/id418895188
http://social.zune.net/podcast/Open-Apple/93ccfacb-1043-4a1e-aaf0-b26fcbf521f8
Thanks to everyone who listens — we look forward to your feedback!
-Ken
The November 2011 episode of Open Apple, the only co-hosted Apple II podcast, is now available!
This month, Mike and I talk with Melissa Barron, the Apple II community's famed tapestry artist. We three relate their experiences exploring the past and future of computer media at conventions and museums in Chicago and Rochester, exploring the methods used to create and preserve history. Further tributes are made to Steve Jobs, while Mike Westerfield reclassifies old BASIC tools and releases new ones. Lord British's Texas mansion is up for sale -- a fitting home for Vintage Computer Festival Southwest? We debate various models of floppy drives and are wary of fake and expensive Apple II computers on eBay but excited about new e-books and iOS apps of interest to retrocomputing enthusiasts.
Find this show at any of these URLs:
http://www.open-apple.net/2011/11/14/show-009-barron-britannia-floppy-ios/
http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/open-apple/id418895188
http://social.zune.net/podcast/Open-Apple/93ccfacb-1043-4a1e-aaf0-b26fcbf521f8
Our thanks to everyone who listens -- we look forward to your feedback!
-Ken
The December 2011 episode of Open Apple, the only co-hosted Apple II podcast, is now available!
This month on the Open Apple podcast, Mike and I are joined by Rob Kenyon, a two-time KansasFest attendee as well as a professional programmer and 30-year veteran of the Apple II. We talk about how great it is to be a part of the international community of Apple II users, even if none of us can afford to buy Apple's founding contract in a Sotheby's auction. Rob asks, did Steve Jobs purposely kill HyperCard to turn the Mac into a more closed environment? We congratulate Wade Clarke and Andrew Schultz on their showing in the 17th annual Interactive Fiction Competition. Plenty of original Apple II computers are selling on eBay, with Mike and Rob discussing how to distinguish an authentic classic from a modified one. We share our wishes for the holiday season, including for an affordable accelerator card and a CFFA3000, before signing off for the calendar year.
Find this show at any of these URLs:
http://www.open-apple.net/2011/12/06/show-010-kenyon-hypercard-ifcomp-authenticity/
http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/open-apple/id418895188
http://social.zune.net/podcast/Open-Apple/93ccfacb-1043-4a1e-aaf0-b26fcbf521f8
And please take our listener survey!
http://www.open-apple.net/2011/12/01/listener-survey/
-Ken
The January 2012 episode of Open Apple, the only co-hosted Apple II podcast, is now available!
This month, Mike and I chat with David Greelish, co-host of the Retro Computing Roundtable podcast and recently published author of the book The Complete Historically Brewed. The highlight this month is David discussing with noted Apple II historian Steve Weyhrich the role of former CEO John Sculley at Apple Computer Inc. and in the fate of the Apple II — a topic about which David recently interviewed Sculley himself!
Find this show at any of these URLs:
http://www.open-apple.net/2012/01/11/show-011-greelish-weyhrich-sculley-jobs/
http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/open-apple/id418895188
http://social.zune.net/podcast/Open-Apple/93ccfacb-1043-4a1e-aaf0-b26fcbf521f8
-Ken
The March 2012 episode of Open Apple, the only co-hosted Apple II podcast, is now available!
This month, Mike and I chat with Andrew Roughan, Australian Apple II user and curator of the Marinetti Open Source Project. From Jordan Mechner at PAX East 2012 to John Romero at KansasFest 2012 to Nolan Bushnell at GameFest, we're all about attending conventions and chasing luminaries. We squabble over how to pronounce "Karateka", look forward to new Monkey Island and Wasteland games, and eagerly consume iBooks for Apple II users on our iPads. On eBay, we get a previously untold tale of an extravagant Australian lot, then take a small jump north to look at an Apple II J-plus, before marveling at how astounded major press outlets were over your typical Bell & Howell.
Find this show at any of these URLs:
http://www.open-apple.net/2012/03/07/show-013-roughan-marinetti-karateka-ebooks/
http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/open-apple/id418895188
http://social.zune.net/podcast/Open-Apple/93ccfacb-1043-4a1e-aaf0-b26fcbf521f8
The April 2012 episode of Open Apple, the Apple II community’s only co-hosted podcast, is now available!
This month, our hosts chat with world video game record holder and Apple II game critic Brian Picchi, whose YouTube channel showcases the best and worst of Apple II entertainment. It’s a good time to be a convention-goer: registration has opened for KansasFest 2012, the lineup for Vintage Computer Festival East 8.0 has been announced, 8 Bit Weapon played at the Smithsonian’s opening of the Art of Video Games, and Jordan Mechner is keynoting PAX East. Kickstarter continues to be popular for reviving classic franchises, Ewen Wannop updates SNAP and SAFE on a shoestring budget, and Jordan Mechner unearths his Prince of Persia source code. On eBay, we found a rarer-than-the-Apple-1 copy of Akalabeth on cassette, a rare Apple IIGS-specific wristwatch, and a potential CFFA3000 scalper. Finally, we look at some gadgets that are new to us, including old iPads, new iPads, and DSLR cameras.
Find the show at any of these URLs:
http://www.open-apple.net/2012/04/05/show-014-picchi-gamefest-persia-gadgets/
http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/open-apple/id418895188
http://social.zune.net/podcast/Open-Apple/93ccfacb-1043-4a1e-aaf0-b26fcbf521f8
The May episode of Open Apple, the Apple II community’s only co-hosted podcast, is now available!
This month, Mike and Ken chat with David Finnigan, proprietor of the Mac GUI Web site and author of the upcoming book, The New Apple II User's Guide. Our eyes are caught by another new book release, The Best of Creative Computing: Volume 3, as well as the upcoming biopic based on Steve Jobs, in which actors have been cast to play Apple's two co-founders. Prince of Persia is still big news, with the source code for Jordan Mechner's classic Apple II game having been salvaged, released, and modified, while classic games like Leisure Suit Larry, Dungeon Master, and even Repton are enjoying literal and spiritual remakes. On eBay, we crack open the case to examine broken Apple III boards and prototype Apple IIGS boards.
Find the show at any of these URLs:
http://www.open-apple.net/2012/05/07/show-015-finnigan-books-crpgs-boards/
http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/open-apple/id418895188
http://social.zune.net/podcast/Open-Apple/93ccfacb-1043-4a1e-aaf0-b26fcbf521f8
Ken,
lol Ken, you beat me to it.
I was at A2Central yesterday and read the news. I went straight to the new site and listened to the podcast. It was OUTSTANDING! The entire site is nice.
Congrats to you and Mike for a great new site.
Steven (gsmcten)
"Apple ][.....It's ALIVE!!!!!"