Open Apple

Welcome to the first INIT HELLO Megapodcast! INIT HELLO is an Apple II conference that debuted in July 2025 at the System Source Computer Museum in Hunt Valley, Maryland. A week later, on August 2, six podcaster attendees gathered to reflect on their experiences at inaugural retrocomputing event.

Participants:

Kate Szknotnicki (RetroMetal)

Paul Hagstrom (Retro Computing Roundtable)

Blake Patterson (The Byte Cellar)

Megan Lemmert (6502 Workshop & Retro RPG Roundtable)

Charles Mangin (Chicken Missile)

Ken Gagne (Open Apple & Transporter Lock)

Thanks to Paul for editing this episode’s audio! The original video edition is embedded below.

The post Open Apple #89 (August 2025): INIT HELLO Megapodcast first appeared on Open Apple.

Welcome to Ron’s Apple Transporter Roundtable, the annual “megapodcast” from KansasFest 2025.

Participants:

Ken Gagne (Open Apple & Transporter Lock)

Ron McAdams (Ron’s Computer Videos & Retro Repair Roundtable)

Megan Lemmert (6502 Workshop & Retro RPG Roundtable)

Links mentioned in this episode:

KansasFest

Mike Westerfield’s KansasFest 1998 keynote speech

INIT HELLO

Skull Island by 8-Bit Shack

From Apple to Zilog by Chuck Mauro

Dan Bricklin

Ryan Suenaga Scholarship Fund

The post Open Apple #88 (July 2025): KansasFest 2025 Megapodcast first appeared on Open Apple.

Ken, Em & Quinn reunite to discuss KansasFest & INIT HELLO, ImageWriter printers, Steve Jobs movies, web-based Apple II emulation, and games we regret buying.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Intro (00:00 – 11:45)

Retro Computing Roundtable podcast

Open Apple #81: Remembering Tony Diaz

Pictures of people scanning QR codes

a2.click URL shortener

II News (11:46 – 1:02:43)

KansasFest 2025 goes virtual

Laine Nooney at INIT HELLO

The Apple II Age: How the Computer Became Personal

Steve Jobs movies

Noah Wyle as Steve Jobs

Chronologically Gaming

MobyGames

Glider

Apple2TS

Apple II RPG Development Tools (KansasFest 2024 presentation by Megan Lemmert)

Ivan Drucker’s emulator reviews for Juiced.GS

Plangman on Steam, Itch.io & IndieSider

Building an Apple II Newsroom (via Hackaday)

Rock-a-Fire Explosion LP released for Record Store Day

Apple Pickings (1:02:44 – 1:19:28)

Lot of 30 vintage copied game floppy disks

Retro Game Club

Blondihacks

The post Open Apple #87: The 2025 Episode first appeared on Open Apple.

In this lost episode of Open Apple, recorded 14 July 2018, Em Maginnis and Quinn Dunki are joined by John Morris, creator of the Applesauce floppy disk controller.
The post Open Apple #86 (July 2018): John Keoni Morris of Applesauce FDC first appeared on Open Apple.

On Saturday, September 28, 2024, the Portland Retro Gaming Expo hosted this panel:

The Apple II Origins of Today’s Games

The Apple II is known for its impact on the workplace (VisiCalc) and education (Oregon Trail) — but it was also an iconic games machine that launched and inspired franchises that continue to these days. From the early stealth action of Castle Wolfenstein to the strategic depth of Ultima and the revolutionary platforming of Prince of Persia, our panel will delve into how these classic titles laid the groundwork for today’s blockbuster games.

Ken Gagne, Kay Savetz, and Ian Baronofsky participated in the 45-minute panel, a video of which PRGE recently made available.

The audio was separately recorded by Kay Savetz, who has made it available for us to share as an episode of the Open Apple podcast.
The post Open Apple #85: The Apple II Origins of Today’s Games first appeared on Open Apple.