Is there some big project trying to collect all extracted diskete and disk images from all over the world?
It is a nice opportumity to be renewed this. If all files for 8 bit PC-s are extracted as .DSK and the information from them extracted in today PC-s format there will not be any use of going back to the 8 bit PC's ever.
...there will not be any use of going back to the 8 bit PC's ever.
EEEK!! 
except, of course, for the fact that they are just AWESOME to use and sitting down in front of a nice clean vintage piece of computer hardware to play a game or use a piece of software that you used twenty years ago on the same machine is a feeling that just cannot be reproduced by using DSK images on an emulator.
however, i LOVE the idea of having a library of all software from the golden 8 bit era that can be (fairly easily) dumped onto disks to be used on the original hardware.
(Or used in other ways, i.e. a serial connection between a new pc and vintage machine to transfer files or perhaps making a "disk drive" for vintage hardware that will read the DSK images off of a flash drive or something...)
however, i LOVE the idea of having a library of all software from the golden 8 bit era that can be (fairly easily) dumped onto disks to be used on the original hardware.
Or perhaps be able to boot games/programs off of a DVD drive (full of .dsk images) connected to an Apple II. 
as i remember, there is already hardwqare out there to use a newer computer as a "semi" virtual disk drive. ironically, its called..."semi"virtual disk drive. I wonder if u could get a cd or a dvd drive working with one of theose ide cards out there for the apple ii. all u would need is an init for prodos. anyone wanna try writting one?
I actually wanted to say that if there is created a database with all the software turned into .dsk files and the info in them extracted there will not be a chance some software good idea to be lost and it will be sure that the software goes only forward - in this means there will not be need to go back to the 8 bit PC's ever. If some one however has them as a favourite thing to do - it is OK.
I actually wanted to say that if there is created a database with all the software turned into .dsk files and the info in them extracted there will not be a chance some software good idea to be lost and it will be sure that the software goes only forward - in this means there will not be need to go back to the 8 bit PC's ever. If some one however has them as a favourite thing to do - it is OK.
Dude! That's actually a great idea. Maybe we can get some kind of wiki going with that too.
I know this is being done for most other 8 bit machines.
Atari, C64, Sinclair Spectrum, Tandy Coco, MSX... I never understood why nobody has really done it for the Apple II.
Some of these guys have a database, screen shots, box art or tape insert art, docs, you name it.
The Atari an C64 sites are all over the place.
Here is a speccy one:
http://www.worldofspectrum.org/
A Tandy Coco game index (besides an ftp site):
http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/coco_game_list.html
Even the Commodore Plus/4 has a pretty good site:
http://plus4.emucamp.com/
But Apple II?
Asimov's web page is sometimes unavailable - I don't know the reason why. However I downloaded all .dsk files from there. I also downloaded a 350Mb archive of .wav files of casetes for a bulgarian Pravetz PC and some bulgarian .dsk files, but I don't know where to place them for free so they to be downloadable. I am seeking a place with no banners, legally free, unlimited size of the upload. If you know such place I will place them.
I really don't mind starting a site dedicated to archiving Apple II programs. I have the web server resource available (with a few gigabytes of space) and web programming skills, but I don't have a lot of Apple II materials to share. Who wants to collaborate this project with me?
need to send a PM to the gentleman who posted above you
/Bill
I am new at forums How to PM him and what is a PM
PM=Private Messages, in other words it means to use the message delivery system built in to your AppleFritter account. Select the "view inbox (0)" link on your screen when you are logged in.
Mutant_Pie
I really don't mind starting a site dedicated to archiving Apple II programs. I have the web server resource available (with a few gigabytes of space) and web programming skills, but I don't have a lot of Apple II materials to share. Who wants to collaborate this project with me?
How about a database server so it's easy to add content without creating a new page for everything?
I really don't mind starting a site dedicated to archiving Apple II programs. I have the web server resource available (with a few gigabytes of space) and web programming skills, but I don't have a lot of Apple II materials to share. Who wants to collaborate this project with me?
How about a database server so it's easy to add content without creating a new page for everything?
Sure.
Then I think the next steps are:
Locate someone to do the artwork.
Make a prototype for the pages.
Design the database.
I think the pages for the games should have a screenshot(s), disk image link(s) and a description. Possibly a rating and download meter if you follow some of the other sites.
That means someone should start grabbing files, make snapshots of the screens and write up descriptions. I think the title screen and at least one in game screen would be good. Possibly one for each level if you want to get fancy.
Then I think the next steps are:
Locate someone to do the artwork.
Make a prototype for the pages.
Design the database.
I think the pages for the games should have a screenshot(s), disk image link(s) and a description. Possibly a rating and download meter if you follow some of the other sites.
That means someone should start grabbing files, make snapshots of the screens and write up descriptions. I think the title screen and at least one in game screen would be good. Possibly one for each level if you want to get fancy.
Here's version 0.01 of the Apple II software database. Keep in mind that the info on there aren't accurate; they're just place fillers.
http://arch.ihella.com/appleii/
Here's the piece of PHP code that calls up the database:
(BBcode not working for code tag)
http://arch.ihella.com/appleii/code.txt
Here's the database structure:
Here are some of the other 8 bit archive sites. Most are just simple indexes. I think the best sites are for the Spectrum and Plus/4 from my other post and the last Atari one here.
Atari
http://www.mushca.com/f/atari/index.php
http://atari.fandal.cz/games.php?name=A
http://freenet-homepage.de/mrbacardi/
http://atarigame.cjb.net/
Here's version 0.01 of the Apple II software database. Keep in mind that the info on there aren't accurate; they're just place fillers.
http://arch.ihella.com/appleii/
Here's the piece of PHP code that calls up the database:
(BBcode not working for code tag)
http://arch.ihella.com/appleii/code.txt
Here's the database structure:
Looks like a good start.
You might need an index based on type (arcade, adventure...) or by alphabet.
I do plan to have it sort by title, year, and any other meaningful categories. Come up with a list of software types (RPG, arcade, text adventure, graphics, programming, OS, word processing, etc.) and I'll get a working interface for users to input information to the database.
Ok.
The search by first letter in the title (A,B,C,etc...) should just involve a link to a script with a different sql query. That should be easy enough to do.
The Database entries on the Atari site include what you have plus Copyright owner, developer (programmer), Year, Downloads, Votes, Notes Configuration (emulator) and a link to download the manual.
I don't know if all of those are useful but some would be. That way people could search by programmers or for all games by a publisher.
Tracking downloads and offering the ability to vote for games let people see what's most popular.
The categories... here are some possibilities to consider:
business
utility
tools
text adventure
graphics adventure
sports games
simulations (could have war, flight, trade...)
arcade conversions
arcade
productivity
OS
programming
Shoot'em up
Racing
Strategy
RPG
Educational
Platform
Board
Logic
Fighting
Documentation (not associated with other files)
Books
Magazines
graphics
pictures
photos
music
printing
What, nobody has any comments on the possible categories?
What should stay, what should go, what's not there?
We need input here.
Well, how to connect with you to start uploading the archives that I collected? To say the true I have no free time enough to sort the .dsk files in categories ... but some one else can do it no problem
Here is a site that already has some snapshots with the downloads:
ftp://garberstreet.com/Game_Vault/
Their home page:
http://www.garberstreet.com/
Those are good categories for types of programs, but I may need to exclude some out and shorten it. I'll get back to programming this database after Thursday.
Those are good categories for types of programs, but I may need to exclude some out and shorten it. I'll get back to programming this database after Thursday.
I was hoping some other people would have some comments but I guess this forum doesn't get that much traffic.
Given the lack of feedback... I think using generalized categories would be best.
This trimmed should be pretty close unless you think it's too short or long. It's long enough to keep some unique categories that are popular but not to the point of making it difficult to chose where to put something.
Arcade & Action Games
Adventure Games (Interactive Fiction?)
Board & Strategy Games
Role Playing & Fantasy Games
Sports & Driving Games
Simulations
Business & Productivity
Programming
Graphics
Music
Educational
Other
I'm glad to see someone is finally putting together an Apple II software site similar to what exists out there for the C64 and Atari. I've downloaded the entire Asimov Archive, so I can supply you with lots of software if you need it.
I like the categories and I think you also need to mention this idea on comp.sys.apple2 if you'd like more comments and input about the project. Alternatively I could post there about it for you if you'd like.
Dean
Well, such sites aren't totally non-existent but this is the best I've found.
http://www.virtualapple.org/
BTW, the http://www.a2central.com site is ok but no downloads.
I forgot a category.
Demos
Not that there were many for the II.
Those are good categories for types of programs, but I may need to exclude some out and shorten it. I'll get back to programming this database after Thursday.
A couple Thursdays came and went so I'm guessing you got busy.
Any progress?
Well, Asimov is probably close...
ftp://ftp.apple.asimov.net