David ColarussoThis long weekend I’m cleaning out the basement & playing a game called, “Does it boot?” If it works, this little fella’s coming to the office with me on Monday. Follow for progress. ;)
Actually doesn’t look too bad, just a few cobwebs and a lot of dust. Let’s clean it up and plug it in. 🤞
Okay, there’s power (solid white light on below the shift key) and I think the monitor is working (i.e., I can get bits of green static if I wiggle the input), but so far just this one light. Any thoughts?
Looks like I’ll be spending some time with this. https://vintageapple.org/apple_ii/pdf/Apple_II_Plus_IIe_Troubleshooting_&_Repair_Guide_1984.pdf
As @katrinakatrinka pointed out, that screen was it waiting for a disk. In my defense, it’s been decades. ;)
So, without any further ado, sound up!!!!!! Stay all the way to the end for the good stuff. https://youtube.com/shorts/bTio6COphzI?feature=share
Where in the world?
I’m just a Gen Xer playing computer games in my basement. 🤟 I can’t believe this really worked. They really don’t build them like the used to. “Does it boot?” Yes, yes it does!
Correction, I’m a Gen Xer playing video games in my basement with my 8yo.
40 years old!!! Talking with folks in the comments, I’ve come to realize that this ][+ (one of ~380,000) is AT LEAST fourty years old. Wow, just wow. See https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_II_Plus
UPDATE: The 4yo has surpassed her brother’s time on the Apple ][+. Not knowing how to read, or much about geography, we skipped Carmen Sandiego and opted for programming in BASIC / testing which keys still work.
We’re at my in-laws’ for Thanksgiving, and look what I found in my wife’s room. Looks like we have to update the thread. Does it boot, part two!
The answer is, “Yes, it boots too.” They really don’t make them like they used to.
I’m informed that the computer is named Tiberius. Note the hard drive icon. Also, when it booted there was audio of a communicator chirp and Bill Shatner saying, “Kirk here.”
And because I know you’re all wondering. It has both Oregon Trail and Zork!
Me: Do you want to see mommy’s computer from when she was a kid?
8yo: It has color!
The long weekend (and thoughts of cleaning the basement) got me thinking about this thread. So I decided to go check on the Apple ][
No actual cleaning was done. :/
The keyboard means I have to get creative (e.g., non working zero key), but she still works. I just hope the nostalgia is as smile inducing for you as it is for me.
Does it boot? Thanksgiving 2023 edition. We’re at my in-laws and my wife just found this old friend.¹ And, yes, yes it does “boot.”
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¹ https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children's_Discovery_System
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¹ https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children's_Discovery_System
Justin Williams@Colarusso Ahem... What sort of uncouth monsters begins their programs at line 11? 
@jstnwill a chaotic neutral one? ;)
I was trying for ten, but the zero key is broken. :(
Dan Kennedy@Colarusso I wish I’d kept my IIc. I still think AppleWorks for the Apple II was one of the most elegantly designed pieces of software I’ve ever used. I mean, my God, compare it to MS Office 365.
@dankennedy_nu feature bloat is a real thing. Sometimes I do miss the simple elegance of early software design.
@krisnelson@Colarusso what a thrill! (And I’m getting flashbacks now, lol)
Jiva DeVoe@Colarusso I miss the days of so themes. Sigh…
Karen E. Lund 💙💛@Colarusso I disagree. It has escaped!
yomimono, still on land@Colarusso there is a dangerous Esc Ape on the loose
Robin Hood
@__Chimaera when I first read the caption, I thought it said “retirement,” and I was like, I’m not that old. 😂
@__Chimaera also, I haven’t seen Severance, I’d this from Severance?
@Colarusso yes, it’s really good. It picks up more and more as it goes along
@Colarusso you’ll get how that photo you shared reminds me of Severance if you end up watching it :)
Lawrence Akka KC@Colarusso my uncle had an Apple ][ when I was about that age. It was one of the things that got me hooked on computing!
@law my mom got a one as part of the Apples for teachers program. I used to play around writing short programs in basic. It was glorious.
Dee Toher@Colarusso I'd love to hear the 8yr old's review.
@DToher “I liked it,” he says. In the moment, he kept commenting on the noises (disk drive+ beeps) and pixelation. We got through a whole round. So, I think it was a success.
Jeff Sonstein@Colarusso we gotta get them one of these https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acorn_Computers
🥸
UrbanEdm@Colarusso This version of Carmen Sandiego taught me so much when I was that age.
Do you still have the paper reference materials? That's gaming as it was meant to be.
Maria Varmazis 
@Colarusso wow the memories!!
Funny Lookin' SidMe to my coworkers: Gather around children. Let me tell you why it is called the C: drive....
RuthlessBunnyDoes she get dysentery?
@RuthlessBunny no, but I like that, an Oregon Trail mash up.
E. Emel Ertas@Colarusso my favorite in highschool!!
Tiffany Li@Colarusso wow throwback
@tiffanycli I know, the sound of those drives spinning up.
Gary Hyslop@Colarusso @profcarroll It looks beautiful! First microcomputer I ever programmed on.
Jeffrey Vagle
Dan Morgan@Colarusso Seriously jealous right now!
@PowerCatDan what can I say; it was a good day. :)
CrazyITGuy42@Colarusso I still have my old Apple ][+. One of these days, I bring it out and try booting it.
Julie V.@Colarusso I LOVED THIS GAME thanks for the flashback 💪
daela@Colarusso I used to love that game as a kid.
TheNurseIsIn@Colarusso oh, the memories! This was the first computer I used in 1986.
John de New 🇦🇺🇨🇦🇩🇪🇪🇺@Colarusso mega. I can hear the floppies from here
Timothy Forner@Colarusso OMG. I remember those when they were new. Maybe I shouldn't admin that... 🤔
Brian 🚵@Colarusso very nice. Good times with that game and system 😃
Christine 🏳️⚧️🦋@Colarusso I haven't seen one of those sign high school!
phryk 🏴@Colarusso Ah yes, the machine that would've been open hardware if it weren't for Steve Jobs.
Whenever I stop thinking about how many great developments in our world were ruined just by business dudes doing one tab of acid too many and going into tech, I could cry… :<
Ultra Violet 
🌹🏴@Colarusso so many memories from grade school.
With Poetry My Mind I Flex@Colarusso I used to play that same game on my Apple IIc some 30 years ago!
Micah@Colarusso @katrinakatrinka the memories 😁