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.

Welcome to Ron’s Metal Roundtable Apple Assembly Lock, the annual “megapodcast” from KansasFest 2024, hosted IRL and on StreamYard. Participants: Ken Gagne (Open Apple, Polygamer & Transporter Lock) Kate Szknotnicki (RetroMetal) Chris Torrence (Assembly Lines) Ron McAdams (Ron’s Computer Videos & Retro Repair Roundtable) Paul Hagstrom (Retro Computing Roundtable & Drop /// Inches) The post Open Apple #84 (July 2024): KansasFest 2024 Megapodcast first appeared on Open Apple.

Welcome to the annual “megapodcast” from KansasFest 2023, hosted IRL and on Zoom. Participants: Paul Hagstrom (Retrocomputing Roundtable & Drop /// Inches) Ron McAdams (Ron’s Computer Videos) Kate Szknotnicki (LadyAiluros) (Retro Metal) Javier Rivera (Retro Repair Roundtable) Chris Torrence (Assembly Lines) Josh Malone (48KRAM) Ken Gagne (Juiced.GS, A2Central.com & Open Apple) The post Open Apple #83 (July 2023): KansasFest 2023 Megapodcast first appeared on Open Apple.

Welcome to Open Retro Chicken Drop Retro Adventure Table Lines Roundup, the annual “megapodcast” from KansasFest, hosted IRL and on Zoom. Participants: Ken Gagne (Open Apple, Polygamer & Transporter Lock) Charles Mangin (Chicken Missile) Chris Torrence (Assembly Lines) Javier Rivera (Adventures in Retro Computing & Retro Repair Roundtable) Ron McAdams (Ron’s Computer Videos & Retro Repair Roundtable) Jeremy Mehrle (Jeremy’s Retro Bar) Paul Hagstrom (Retro Computing Roundtable, Drop /// Inches) The post Open Apple #82 (July 2022): KansasFest 2022 Megapodcast first appeared on Open Apple.

For decades, Tony Diaz held the record of the only person to have attended every KansasFest. Whether at that convention, on the comp.sys.apple2 Usenet newsgroup, or on his livestreams, he would share his comprehensive knowledge of Apple II hardware and demo the rare prototypes in his vast collection. When KansasFest lost its home at Avila University, Tony, then the head of the KansasFest committee, helped find the event its new home at Rockhurst. And as a member of the Juiced.GS staff, he would respond to reader queries about how to restore their vintage equipment. In memory of Tony, who passed away in October 2021, Open Apple‘s original co-hosts, Em Maginnis and Ken Gagne, reunite to remember their friend and his passions, accomplishments, quirks, and foibles. If you or someone you know needs help, please call the crisis hotline at 1-800-273-8255. Tony’s websitesApple2.orgApple II wikiFlyingThingz16Sector.comSyndicommResetVectorLinkedInTwitterTony’s planeWIRED: “The Geeks Who Saved Prince of Persia’s Source Code From Digital Death“Jason Scott’s Facebook tributeJuiced.GS staff photo coversAlltech ElectronicsOpen Apple #48 (June 2015) : Tony Diaz, KansasFest Memories, Prototypes, and 8-bit DNSThe post Open Apple #81: Remembering Tony Diaz first appeared on Open Apple.

Welcome to Poly Retro Assembly Cast Chicken Missile Drop Grue Museum, the annual “megapodcast” from KansasFest, hosted again via Zoom. Participants: Charles Mangin (Chicken Missile)Carrington Vanston (Retro Computing Roundtable & Eaten by a Grue)Chris Torrence (Assembly Lines)Joe Strosnider (Joe’s Computer Museum)John Leake (RetroMacCast)Kate the Cat (Chicken Missile & RetroMetal)Ken Gagne (Polygamer & Transporter Lock)Kay Savetz (ANTIC & Eaten by a Grue)Mark Pilgrim (Chicken Missile)Michael Mulhern (Retro Computing Roundtable)Paul Hagstrom (Retro Computing Roundtable & Chicken Missile)Quinn Dunki (Retro Computing Roundtable) The original video edition was livestreamed to YouTube: A longer audio edition is available from the Chicken Missile podcast.The post Open Apple #80 (July 2021): KansasFest 2021 Megapodcast first appeared on Open Apple.