We’re back, with an episode that was three months in the making. Mike and Paul talk (in November 2016) about the state of things in our Apple /// worlds, and then speak at some length with Don Burtis (in December 2016), who designed (among many other things) the Microsoft SoftCard III.
Don Burtis, who is probably most prominently associated, in the eyes of the Apple II and III enthusiasts, as the designer of the Microsoft SoftCard, a Z80 coprocessor card that enabled the Apple II series computers to run CP/M software. As Paul Allen indicated in his book “Idea Man,” this was strategically important for Microsoft early on, as VisiCalc was beginning to take off on the Apple II for businesses, as it would allow Microsoft’s existing software to run on the platform without the delay and investment of porting the software to the 6502. Microsoft had a run at the project internally but was having trouble with the design, and Don Burtis (of Burtronix) was called in to design the board. And later, the SoftCard III for the Apple III, as well as several other peripheral cards for the Apple III (including the Floppycard III, Protocard III, Printercard III).
If you’re here just for the conversation with Don Burtis, it starts at minute 52.
But before we talked with Don, we talked about several of the following things:
Apple III ProFile Sales Kit
Apple Orchard on yesterbits siteApple Orchard on archive.orgContact magazine on archive.orgFall 1980 v1n2: Apple III is here!Aug 1983 v4n5: Apple III, Wordstar, NoDOS 2Mar 1984 v5n3: Apple II and III trap mousesApple /// Guide for humans (Sep-Oct 1982 v3n4)Using SOS (Mar 1984 v5n3)A Look inside Apple /// (Fall 1980 v1n2)Apple /// Users unite (Summer 1981 v2n2)Apple /// Dabbling (Summer 1981 v2n2)Apple /// BASIC compare (Aug 1983 v4n5)Apple /// text file case converter (Sep 1983 v4n6)Burtronix/Rana FloppyCard III (Feb 1984 v5n2)Burtronix/Rana PrinterCard III (Jan 1984, v5n1)/// E-Z pieces review (Jun 1984 v5n5)Word Juggler review (Feb 1983 v4n1)Dvorak keyboard for Apple /// (Feb 1984 v5n2)Coming Full Circle (Aug 1983 v4n5)Unlocking Apple ///, part 1 (Mar-Apr 1982 v3n1)Unlocking Apple ///, part 2 (May-Jun 1982 v3n2) (invokable modules)Unlocking Apple ///, part 3 (Sep-Oct 1982 v3n4)Unlocking Apple ///, part 4 (Mar 1983 v4n2)Unlocking Apple ///, part 5 (Feb 1984 v5n2)Software developers and the Apple /// (Winter 1981-82 v2n4)Control your input (Nov-Dec 1982 v3n5)CP/M to SOS text mover (Sep 1983 v4n6)Apple /// clock install (Nov 1983 v4n8)Hot stuff for Apple /// (Jun 1984 v5n5)Driving your disk (Nov 1983 v4n8)Installing an Apple /// driver (Oct 1983 v4n7)Changing CP/M driver (Oct 1983 v4n7)The Apple nobody knows, part 1 (Fall 1981 v2n3)The Apple nobody knows, part 2 (Mar-Apr 1982 v3n1)///plus, development program (Mar 1984 v5n3)Apple National Account Program brochure (April 1982)
Universal PSU from ReactiveMicro
Apple /// (to /// plus) upgrade
Interlace upgradeClock upgrade kit on eBay (vintagemicros)Upgrade kit contained: Keyboard, cover, keyboard encoder ROM, logo replacementsVintageMicros on eBayvintagemicros.comDrop /// Inches episode 13Paul’s Axlon RAMDISK 320InfoWorld Nov 29 1982, RAMDISK 320 now CP/M compatibleA brief review from Softalk December 1982RAMdisk 320 adRAMdisk 320 review in Open Apple Gazette v2n2Connecting TRS-80 Model 100 to Apple /// (Open Apple Gazette v2n2)Gibson Light Pen system, manual scans
Rob Justice’s Apple3SAM project on githubRob’s Retrochallenge blogRetrochallengeChris Zuhars’ homebrew Apple ///
Blondihacks blog entriesQuinn’s Veronica talk for HackadayHantarex CT 2000 monitoreBay auctionCharles Mangin (Retroconnector) news:
Apple /// Raspberry Pi enclosure on Shapeways blogMaking the Apple /// case (time lapse video)Replacement floppy drive doorsModel M keyboard (that… does not type)A few Apple III images from Ian
Taylor Pohlman interviewed by Computer History Museum
Part 1Part 2And here, finally, are links to many of the things that came up in our conversation with Don Burtis:
Don Burtis on LinkedInPaul Allen’s book, “Idea Man”D-K research (LisaCalc to Lotus Jazz)Diversified I/O (SoftBackup)Z-80 SoftCard manuals (Don Burtis’ proofing copy)West Coast Computer Fair review in Open Apple Gazette v1n6 (May 1983)FloppyCard III (Apple Orchard Feb 1984, v5n2)Vern RaburnMicrocomputing Sep 1982Kilobaud Microcomputing, Oct 1981California Computer Systems (CCS)PrinterCard III (Apple Orchard Jan 1984, v5n1)Extender card, prototyping cardsBurtronix ProtoCard III mentioned in Open Apple Gazette v1n58086/2 “Rana box”: Infoworld April 30, 1984Goodwill industries auction siteDTACK Grounded 68K development board Apple II interfaceVista Computer Company ad (Byte, Oct 1982). TimeCard III, A800 Floppy Disk ControllerStory of phone.com at Unwired PlanetBerkeley NucleonicsDB-2Eclipse AviationVulcan VenturesCapstone TurbineEclipse 500Titan AerospaceGoogle