Simple Beep

After looking through all the files in the System Folder last episode, we couldn't help ourselves and had to open up some of them in ResEdit. We realized that a lot of classic "hacks" are now standard features…and we found a few Easter eggs along the way.

Links for this episode:

• IconDropper [WayBack]

• Lion's always-on zooming animation

This episode is all about the software that made the classic Mac tick. We take a full tour of the System Folder's contents and how they were meant to be manipulated by users…although maybe not with ResEdit.

• Susan Kare at Layers 2015

• removed in Mac OS 9

• Finder

• Font/DA Mover

• orignally Control Panel (singular!)

• RAM disk

• equirectangular projection

• ~ATM

• The Dalrymple Report #23: I Don’t Need Books on Here

We celebrate the 10th anniversary of the first Intel-based Macs, which were released in January of 2006. Always on the quest for more performance per watt, we contemplate Apple's big hardware and software transitions of the past, present, and even the future!

• Motorola 68000 series processors

• OS 9 funeral keynote

• Apple developer site [WayBack]

• One more thing: the MacBook Pro

• Boot Camp [WayBack]

• A and S series

It's a Boxing Day special all about when software came in boxes (or cans, sometimes). We cover everything from staid operating system packaging to odd un-stackable shapes to wild, fictional shareware box art.

• original for Apple II

• download from Macintosh Garden

• cf. Illustrator – Birth of Venus

• Sistine Chapel – Creation of Adam

• defunct iOS port

• actual Atari Boxes

We review some of the best software for kids on the Apple II and the Classic Mac, most of which we grew up with. Along the way we die of dysentery (not really), pursue a sticky-fingered filcher, and put "something on that I don't like!"

• Oregon Trail

• play online [Internet Archive]

• Number Munchers

• play online [Internet Archive]

• play online [Internet Archive]

• gameplay video

• Where in the World…?

• World Almanac and Book of Facts

• Lynn Thigpen (The Chief!)

• demo footage

• available on iOS, Steam

• Reader Rabbit Smart & Jump for iOS ★☆☆☆☆

• Midnight Rescue!

• Power Pete / Mighty Mike

In this episode we cover 20+ years of Mac and iPod advertising, from Big Brother's grey dystopia to Jony Ive's white room and beyond.

Links for this episode:

• Sony's current Bond tie-in

• Rob Siltanen's firsthand account

• "Simplicity Shootout"

• "No Step Three" (spoiler: it's EarthLink)

• Intel "bunny" ad

• "It eats Pentium notebooks for lunch"

• keynote introduction

• claim debunked

• copying controversy

• apple.com/switch [WayBack]

• supercut of all ads

• hobo names

• Numberwang

• "Virus"

• original ad concept

To celebrate our first anniversary, we're joined by Stephen Hackett of relay.fm and 512 Pixels. We talk about the different ways we came to the Mac, some of the weirder things in our Apple collections, and the importance of archiving technology for the future.

Also part of our anniversary celebrations, Simple Beep t-shirts are available!

• dongle

• our episode on ClarisWorks / AppleWorks

This episode is all about "the best-loved application for the Mac", ClarisWorks. We remember a simpler age of word processing, not understanding how the "New document" command or pixels worked, and some difficult transitions in our productivity workflows.

Links for this episode:

• HyperCard Player v2.1 ("magic" trick)

• PICT format

• Have a Day

our long national nightmare is over. pic.twitter.com/WOCgDvj3ZF

In this episode we go on a hunt for some of the hidden "features" of classic Macs. It's a menagerie of iguanas, gerbils, pigs, dogcows, tiny swords, and more!

• Silicon valley --> Clarus animation

• Breakout

• game / credits in System 7.5

• long PDF collection of Easter eggs

This episode we explore the emergence of whole industries to create accessories for the original iMac and early iPods, including everything from floppy drives to FM radio transmitters to really ugly blue plastic and other dumb ideas.

Links for this episode:

• Apple SuperDrives

• Apple Desktop Bus

• Epson Stylus 740i

• iSub and Soundsticks

• iTrip FM