Writing my next book, on an Apple IIc

I am writing my next engineering book on an Apple IIc microcomputer. I made this choice because I used the IIc in seventh and eighth grades (1985-86) to do all my word processing. I could never afford one of my own back then, of course... I had a VIC-20. 22x23 text screens just don't cut it for word processing :) Note how, even though this machine runs at just 1MHz (yes MHz), I am still booted into my desired application with my desired document loaded in less time than it takes the average computer to start Windows XP.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• apple
• iic
• author
• writing
• engineering

[larwe74]

@musicalbacon2 I don't have that problem. I guess it's just because I'm a vintage kinda guy :) I spent many years in front of CRT monitors for most of the day.

[psyjax]

Being a vintage computer fan myself, I know how fun it is to work on older machines. But if you are writing a book, are you seriously relying on a decades old 128k floppy disk?

You know those things don't last forever. Be careful is all I am saying.

[larwe74]

@psyjax Don't worry. First, the disks are not vintage production - 5.25" media are still in active production (though expensive) for military/industrial applicatons. Second, I back up the media to PC over serial.

[THOMASSU63]

It looks like the plastic casing has yellowed over the years. It's very sad this happens with a lot of older systems. Don't you need illustrations for your book, though?

[larwe74]

@THOMASSU63 The UV-yellowing can be addressed with "retrobright" but it is a difficult process I am not keen to attempt. Note that I obtained the monitor and computer from different sources, which is why they are differently aged. Actually an Apple II can handle illustrations, but not so well in 128K RAM :) Anyway I am doing this the old fashioned way with separate illustration pages.

[Samguy765]

Wha?? I was watching music videos and this popped up!

[AirCooledMan2006]

Using an Apple IIc in this day and age? Dude, get something with at least Windows Vista, Max OS X, or Linux.

[harataikiphilosopher]

Great man, I'm writing my Undergraduate Philosophy Dissertation on my IIe when I'm not distracted my Mario on my NES or Sonic on my Megadrive (Genesis for you Yanks out there) 

[christo930]

How can you write a book of any length on a machine with such little memory and more importantly, such limited storage space on the disks? Even if you made each chapter a separate file (limiting each chapter to available memory), the disks hold under 200k. Your book is going to span 5 disks. Even in plain txt mode, the average book (at least on gutenberg) are close to a meg;

[Izavos]

You must be using the system "AppleWorks".

I loved the "AppleWorks" on my Apple IIe.

Good times I miss!

[musicalbacon2]

how often do you get "vga burnout" using your monitor? i use an imac g3 sometimes, and i get a headache in about ten minutes.