UPDATE: As if I wasn’t crazy enough, I’m taking on another project - and I need your help!
My entry for RetroChallenge 2021/10 has four five parts:
- europlus Refurbapalooza Resurrection – my Apple ][ europlus refurbishment project has edged along since my last Retrochallenge entries, but I’ve started to kick up the pace. Can I get all my boards tested by the end of Retrochallenge 2021/10?!
- Lockdown WOzFests – to celebrate Retrochallenge 2021/10, I will schedule the next two WOzFests for 2 October and 30 October. Retrochallengers from around the globe should connect in to detail their plans at WOzFest 21, then describe the pain of how they went all awry at WOzFest 22! If we’re out of lockdown, I’ll have attendees! Share the love, pain, frustration, triumphs!
- Pirated software manual scans – I have a 13cm pile of photocopied Apple ][ software manuals from WOzFest attendee Neville to scan and upload to the Internet Archive.
- Applesaucing – Similarly, I have a metric buttload of disks to image with my Applesauce, gotta just get back to it.
- [NEW] Citizen Science – Floppy disks vs Magnets: I’ve seen discussion of magnets affecting disks, I’ve done it myself, and I jokingly place bad disks on WOzFest HQ’s fridge with HD magnets. But magnets are all around us, now, and those into software preservation have to be careful. Join me as I test the effects of the various common (and maybe not so common) magnets in our modern lives on the media we’re here to preserve. If you have equipment to flux image a disk, and some magnets laying around, add your data to the pool so we can spread the warning far and wide – disks and magnets are not BFFs!
Yes, four five projects is a crazy an extra-crazy load to take on, but I’m crazy! Aim for the stars and you’ll blow up on the launchpad, I always say!
Good luck with your entries, can’t wait to see what everyone gets up to!