Re: Apple II pdf online somewhere ?

["Sean Fahey" <a2fan@hotmail.com>]

> > I also have to agree with Laine - most die-hard Apple II hobbyists have
> > shelves of books. I sure do.
>
> Beeing a "die-hard" hobbyist is, once more, nothing but elitism.
> "Me and my shelves". Make me laugth.
>
> You should FIGHT to spread the knowledge about Apple II computing, as this
> happen every day on thousands of modern computer science subjects.
> Because without that, one day, no more people will be able to code on it,
> and the paper will be dust.

I fail to see how buying an old technical book from a local bookstore or
rescuing it from a garage sale for fifty cents equates to elitism. From my
perspective, I saved a book I valued from the garbage bin. It sits on my
shelf because 1.) I think I might need to look through it some time, 2.) no
one has borrowed it from me.

I think I hear you saying "information should be free!" and to great extent,
I wholeheartedly agree - especially when it comes to vintage (old) equipment
such as the Apple II series, it would be a grand gesture if Apple Computer
Inc. would make all the technical manuals, software etc. relative to the II
freely available in lieu of no support, no development, nothing from them in
over a decade.

But, this is not the reality at hand. Many of the books represent
intellectual property, contain information that cost millions in dollars in
research and development and also may contain early technology concepts that
are found in the Macintosh platform - simply giving it away may not be
feasible. The people who wrote these books have rights (no matter how much I
disagree with copyright laws) and the people who still sell the original
APDA manuals made an investment so that they could continue offering them.
So, I don't mind spending a little here or there.

In France and Europe in general, the published information you seek might be
rarer than it is in the USA so it may only seem elitist to you in that you
aren't able to procure it as easily as we are. Perhaps in your socialist
culture, you are too accustomed to free handouts? So far, I've only seen you
say "gimme gimme" but where is your contribution to the Apple II community?

You don't have to tell me what I should do to spread the knowledge of the
Apple II. Like many people, I'm a Syndicomm subscriber, subscribe to
Juiced.GS, go to KFest and I donate Apple II computers and peripherals to
local non-profits that still make use of the Apple II. I've even been known
to open up my garage now and then to let other Apple II users pick through
the parts - mostly because thats what other Apple users did for me. Most are
generous people.

I "fight" for the Apple II plenty - but after reviewing your initial post,
and subsequent replies to others - I am not inclined to "fight" for you.