Re: KFest 2010 Report

[Kirk Mitchell <kirkmitchell@gmail.com>]

Thursday is the first day with a full morning/afternoon schedule of
sessions, so it was very busy!

After breakfast, Peter Neubauer presented an overview of the Macrosoft
program language that rests on Nibble Magazine's MindCraft Assembler.
It allows the programmer to write using an Applesoft-like syntax, when
then assembles to machine language code for extra speed.  Back in the
late '80s, the package sold for $100, but Peter will be offering it at
the vendor fair for $23.95 for both the macro package and assembler,
useable from DOS 3.3 and ProDos.

He wrote a short program that demonstrated it's features, and I'd say
the program was 5x faster then its Applesoft equivalent. I'll be
leaving KFest with a copy.  Excellent session!

Eric Shepherd, aka "Sheppy" was unable to make it to KFest this year,
but was still with us in spirit and streaming when he used iChat to
present a session on iPad programming.  He demonstrated how easy it
was to take the project he'd shown last year for the iPhone, and port
it to the iPad.  I'm not very acquainted with the Xcode development
system, but it was interesting, and I listened intently for the last
15 minutes... B-P

Sheppy's session was followed by a panel discussion over the subject
"Apple's Growing Divide Between Users and Programmers" which featured
Ken Gagne as moderator, and Panelists Ivan Drucker, Martin Haye, and
Mike Maginnis.  The brain power there caused the room to tilt a bit!
Excellent points about how Apple's market shifted from the hobbyist/
programmer of the Apple II days, to the far less open, but probably
unavoidable closed systems of the iPad and iPhones in today's market.

After Lunch, Martin Haye introduced his latest project, NakedOS, a new
Disk II operating system usable on all Apple II's.  It's a very
tightly coded option for those who need to squeeze 4-5 KB more memory
to use for their 8-bit programs, and additional diskette space as
well.  A very detailed session that covered the many details one would
have to consider in using this totally free operating system.  Still,
it looks like a winner for those who would want to take advantage it!

Dagen Brock's session was on "Off-platform Apple II development", and
stressed using the strengths of the many Linux/Mac OS/Windows
development tools available, to enhance Apple II programs.  He could
have used much more time to cover all that's available.

Mike Maginnis presented an overview of the Apple /// , the //e's
failure of a brother, complete with a brief look at it's history, and
how it almost caused the death of Apple.  He was well researched on
its trivia and the resources still available to those who still love
this stinker.  B-)  Tony Diaz then brought out a prototype ///+ for
all to examine.

After dinner, Ken Gagne showed an hour clip of Jason Scott's two DVD
documentary, "Get Lamp".  It took me back to my college days when I'd
be in the university computer lab, consuming vast quantities of fan
fold paper playing "Adventure" on the teletypes.  Interviews with the
luminaries from Infocom, Scott Adams, and various gamers of text
adventures and interactive fiction certainly struck a cord with me!

And to top it off, Jason Scott blew our minds when Ken told us that he
was offering all KFest participants a free copy! A $40 value!  All the
DVD's come with numbered collectable dual tone coins expressing the
high points of text adventuring.  The DVD's aren't shipping yet, but
we DID get the coins... I got #1003.  B-)

As I type, Tony and Ken are on the run to Krispy Kreme that Ryan
Suenaga and I used to do.  Ryan couldn't make it this year, but he's
still sponsoring our dose of donuts and milk.  Thanks, Ryan!

Now it's time for me to wander the halls and push myself into the room
with the most laughing Geeks.  Wish you were here!