November 1979 — Vol 1 No 10

Overview

The IAC issue. Bernie Urban returns from the Oct 27–28 San Francisco user-group summit to report on the formation of International Apple Core (IAC) — an international federation of Apple user groups with a board of directors elected from four US regions plus international representatives, a bi-monthly core newsletter, free Source access for member-group members, and a software exchange chaired by Neil Lipson (Philadelphia) with Sandy Greenfarb also on the committee. The October 27 Pi meeting (held in Urban's absence) covered a KDA Associates rep's pitch on the Paper Tiger (8 units ordered), and a member-list privacy update. NOVAPPLE elects its 1979–80 board (Phil Eastman President, Nicholas B. Cirillo VP, Gerald Eskelund Secretary). Pascal is demoed at NOVAPPLE — "Pascal is a new language available for the APPLE." DOS 3.2.1 ships. Bell & Howell Microcomputer System (battleship-gray Apples) spotted at the Federal Computer Conference. Technical content: Hersch Pilloff on IDS 440 interfacing, Dana Schwartz's Random Spiro, Ken Silverman's Silicon Gulch, Mark Crosby's Kaleido-Shape.

Table of contents

Articles

Minutes of Pi 10/27/79 (page 2)

Urban was in SF; Moon presided. Items: - Members told not to modify GWU's Apples (one was fried at last meeting) - Hersch Pilloff presented Apple Inc. instructions for adding colors to HI-RES via hardware mod, plus a terminal utility package - Paper Tiger group buy update: 8 units ordered, first shipment Nov 12; 12% discount + 2% prepay; vendor rep from KDA Associates (Linthicum MD) attended and presented service/warranty details - Newsletter program copyright question: motion carried to delay until the Board develops a proposal - Member-list release: motion carried to include a release-of-address/phone opt-in on the 1980 dues application - David Morganstein (Librarian) has a growing program list - Jim Nielson discussed DOS 3.2.1 - Paper Tiger demo after the meeting

Minutes of NOVAPPLE 10/10/79 — Pascal demo

"Pascal is a new language available for the APPLE." Developed at the University of [the City of] San Diego (UCSD Pascal). With the Pascal card the Apple "performs as a 16-bit machine"; uses P-code rather than 6502 native. Can run BASIC with the Pascal card present but not mix the two in one program. Graphic-use demo. Pitched as compatible with other Pascal-using machines.

Minutes of NOVAPPLE 10/25/79 — elections + Alfred the Office

Officers elected (1979–80):

Dues now collecting ($6/6 mo). Gerald Eskelund reports from the Philadelphia Computer Convention — theme: computer music. Demo highlight: "Alfred the Office" — Apple controlled by voice command. Nicholas B. Cirillo reviewed a new high-resolution character generator from Call-A.P.P.L.E. (still buggy).

NYBBLES (pages 4–5)

• ABT Key Pad — 13-key numeric pad for Apple II, $125, from Advanced Business Technology (Saratoga CA)
• Teksim from Cybersoft Systems (Rochester MI) — Tektronix 4010 emulation via ROM, $795, ~1/4 of Tek's resolution
• Bell & Howell Microcomputer System spotted at the Federal Computer Conference at the Sheraton — battleship-gray Apple II rebrand. B&H's promotional language: "the result of superior technology from Apple Computer, Inc. and Bell & Howell's reputation for software and services working together"
• DOS 3.2.1 released — fixes multi-drive issues; dealers copy free onto your 3.2 diskette (bring Apple serial number and 3.2 disk)
• Dave Skillman reports an Applesoft quirk: PRINT 4.9999999999 (ten 9s) returns 5.00000001. Asks if it's his machine or universal. Also seeks scientific-application SIG members for telescope control work — call (301) 474-0653.

"Here Comes International Apple Core!" (pages 5–7) — Bernard Urban

The cover-highlight report. Eleven hours of meetings over two days in San Francisco produced the outline of International Apple Core (IAC):

Structure: International organization of member Apple user groups. President, VP, Secretary, Treasurer elected for 1-year renewable terms by an 8+ Board of Directors. Board composition: 4 US regions (West of Rockies; East of Appalachians; North and South of Mason-Dixon line in the middle) each electing 2 reps for staggered 2-year terms, plus 2 international reps. Board elects its Chairman, who becomes IAC President. Donor region replaces a member who's elevated to Chairman.

Member benefits: - Apple Computer to send extensive APnotes to all registered user groups (covering innards beyond WOZPAK) - Free access to The Source for member groups, tying them together as an info/comm channel back to Apple Inc. - Access by Spring 1980 to all Apple-contributed programs and individual group libraries; Software Exchange Committee chaired by Neil Lipson (Philadelphia) with Sandy Greenfarb on it - Newsletter exchange for local group libraries

Tentative objectives: - A. Communication via bi-monthly core newsletter (working title The Apple Orchard); two-way info transfer; free Source subscription - B. Support of SIGs - C. Establishing software/hardware standards and conventions - D. Code of ethics around software piracy and copyrighted material

"Interfacing the IDS 440 Printer" (page 5+) — Hersch Pilloff

Cover-highlight article. Putting the game I/O to work to interface the Paper Tiger printer the club just bulk-bought.

Editorial (page 7) — Bernard Urban

(Specific content not extracted but typically Urban's wrap-up commentary on the IAC outcome and what it means for Pi locally.)

"Random Spiro" (page 7) — Dana J. Schwartz

A spirograph-like random program.

"Silicon Gulch" (page 7) — Ken Silverman

First column by Silverman.

"Kaleido-Shape" (page 8) — Mark L. Crosby

Crosby continues his HI-RES graphics contributions — likely a kaleidoscope using shape tables.

Classifieds (page 3)

• FOR SALE: George Hinds — Novation Modem 310ZA $200; Apple Communication Interface Card $200; (585-0979)
• WANTED: articles for the Apple Orchard (IAC newsletter), due Dec 1, 1979 for the March West Coast Computer Faire issue. Submit via Mark L. Crosby to Val Golding

Club news / events / announcements

• IAC formed; Pi is a charter member
• Apple Orchard accepting submissions for March 1980 launch
• IDS 440 group buy near delivery
• DOS 3.2.1 update path documented
• Next Pi meeting: November 24 (Saturday), 9:30 AM, GWU Tompkins Hall Room 206
• Next NOVAPPLE: Wed Nov 14 (Computers Plus Franconia), Thu Nov 22 (Computerland Tysons)

Notable advertisements

Display ads continue (page 2): Computerland Tysons Corner, SOFTAPE, Personal Software, D.C. Hayes Associates, Mountain Hardware, Integral Data Systems, THE SOURCE Information Utility (new advertiser!), Heuristics, Hayden, Automated Simulations, MUSE.

Key quotes

• "The meeting in San Francisco was very eventful and productive. In what was really a very short time (about eleven hours over two days) we defined the outlines of an international APPLE users' group called INTERNATIONAL APPLE CORE (IAC)…" — Bernard Urban (page 5)
• "Pascal is a new language available for the APPLE." — NOVAPPLE minutes (page 2)
• "An APPLE was made to perform functions by voice command." — Eskelund on Alfred the Office (page 2)
• "It's pretty much the same as the promotional literature that Apple Computer, Inc. puts out, but in the introduction Bell & Howell hints at their role." — Urban on the B&H rebrand (page 4)

Entities

People: Bernard Urban, John Moon, Sandy Greenfarb, Mark L. Crosby, Hersch Pilloff, Phil Eastman, Nicholas B. Cirillo, Gerald Eskelund, Jim Nielson, Neil Lipson, Val Golding, David Morganstein, Dana J. Schwartz, Ken Silverman, Dave Skillman, George Hinds Topics: International Apple Core, Apple User Group Federation, UCSD Pascal, Voice Control of Apple, Apple HI-RES Color Modification, Member List Privacy, Software Piracy Ethics References: KDA Associates, The Apple Orchard, DOS 3.2.1, Bell & Howell Microcomputer System, Federal Computer Conference, ABT Key Pad, Advanced Business Technology, Teksim, Cybersoft Systems, Novation Modem 310ZA, Alfred the Office, Philadelphia Computer Convention, The Source, Paper Tiger Printer

Connections to other issues

• Urban's SF meeting was previewed in 1979-10 — V01 N09; this issue delivers the trip report
• IAC software exchange (Greenfarb, Lipson) extends the disk-library theme from 1979-07 — V01 N06
• Member-list privacy motion implements the Sept 1979 confidentiality policy (1979-09 — V01 N08)
• The Apple Orchard articles bound for March 1980 will be in coming issues
• DOS 3.2.1 update follows from Greenfarb's DOS 3.2 internals piece in 1979-06 — V01 N05

Open questions

• Who becomes IAC's first President, VP, Secretary, Treasurer once the Board elects them?
• Did Pi's Sandy Greenfarb make notable contributions to the IAC Software Exchange Committee in subsequent issues?
• Did the IAC Code of Ethics on software piracy get adopted and how was it framed?