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Wozniak's Original System Description of the Apple ][

Posted by Soulskill on from the no-you-don't-eat-it-listen-to-me dept.

CowboyRobot writes "Opening with the line, 'To me, a personal computer should be small, reliable, convenient to use and inexpensive,' Steve Wozniak gave his system description of the Apple-II in the May, 1977 issue of BYTE. It's instructive to read what was worth bragging about back then (PDF), such as integral graphics: 'A key part of the Apple-II design is an integral video display generator which directly accesses the system's programmable memory. Screen formatting and cursor controls are realized in my design in the form of about 200 bytes of read only memory.' And it shows what the limitations were in those days, 'While writing Apple BASIC, I ran into the problem of manipulating the 16 bit pointer data and its arithmetic in an 8 bit machine. My solution to this problem of handling 16 bit data, notably pointers, with an 8 bit microprocessor was to implement a nonexistent 16 bit processor in software, interpreter fashion.'"

9 of 170 comments (clear)

  1. Almost, Apple... by jmerlin · · Score: 4, Funny

    To me, a personal computer should be small, reliable, convenient to use and inexpensive,

    Small, check.
    Reliable, check.
    Convenient to use, check.
    Inexpensive... whoops.

    1. Re:Almost, Apple... by ThePeices · · Score: 2, Funny

      Macs price competitive for the hardware?

      Dude, what planet are you on? Let me guess, one with a bite taken out of it?

    2. Re:Almost, Apple... by Ihmhi · · Score: 3, Funny

      He's referring to modern Apple hardware, which some might call "overpriced."

      While others might call it "rape."

      Come on now, be fair. How could you "rape" someone with Apple hardware? Let's compare an iPhone to, say, a vibrator.

      A vibrator is sleek, metallic, vibrates, and can be shoved up your ass. That's completely different from an iPhone which is sleek, metallic, vibrates, and can be-

      Mother of god.

      --
      Random Thoughts From A Diseased Mind (Not For Dummies)
    3. Re:Almost, Apple... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

      Meanwhile, in ER rooms all around the world:

      Doctor: "So let me get this straight: You're telling me that you were getting ready to take a shower, and you had your iPhone propped up vertically next to your scales. The floor was wet, and you slipped. It just so happens that you landed on your iPhone and it managed to insert itself into your rectum. Ok... And it just so happens that there are no significant cuts or scratches in the area of your anus, which also just so happens to be covered in vaseline. Are you sure you've told me the whole story?"

    4. Re:Almost, Apple... by jasonq · · Score: 1, Funny

      Well, let's see...

      I just put on my Daring Fireball t-shirt, 501s and Converse because I'm just about to walk through the park to an art gallery with my extremely hot wife... Yeah, this cult I'm in is pretty cool.

  2. Re:Mistake by samkass · · Score: 1, Funny

    Getting back on topic, has anyone started a petition to get the other Steve back as head honcho at Apple?

    Shit, that happens, let me know.

    With Woz at the helm, I may just be forced to reconsider my Apple boycott, walled garden or not...

    And you'll probably be able to augment your iPhone via 6 PCI slots or one of 20 ports...

    --
    E pluribus unum
  3. Re:6502 was awesome! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    You evil S.O.B. Gimme my $35.

  4. Re:Mistake by bryan1945 · · Score: 3, Funny

    I'm just sick and tired of the continuous hype for technologists when the people who actually invented math are forgotten. :D

    --
    Vote monkeys into Congress. They are cheaper and more trustworthy.
  5. Re:6502 was awesome! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    No way. You pirate, you would probably sell my personal information :)