What do you do with your Apple 2?

[billdeg]

I try hard to find actual uses for the computers, but most times it's hard to find anything other than typing text and playing games. (except my Amiga 500, which I used for everything up until 2009)

What happened in 2009?

 

[Mr.Amiga500]

What happened in 2009?

In 2009, I moved, dumped my lousy ISP and decided to finally go broadband. Unfortunately, my none of my Amigas have ethernet cards. So I'm using BeOS on a cheap PC now.

I still occasionally use a free dialup to get my A500 on the internet, but more and more sites have become incompatible, so there's not much point. There are still lots of other (non-internet) things I like to do on the Amiga, which are much faster and easier than on a PC. (easier than BeOS, Linux, Windows or OSX)

 

[arfink]

You should look into getting dialup with the SDF, they are arguably the best bang for your buck over a landline.

 

[trulore]

I host Web Services on my Apple II. (Original Apple II, not a II+)

I wanted to see if I could make modern REST Web Services using only (or mostly) pre-1980 technologies. I'm using the serial port for communications instead of an Apple II Ethernet adapter, because I'm trying to use as much standard and authentic old Apple hardware as possible.

I have an additional embedded computer (Pico-ITX running Linux) that actually handles the HTTP and translates that into simple messages sent over the serial port.

I wrote the Apple II software in assembly. It supports the PUT, GET, DELETE, and CATALOG methods for objects that live as files on the 5.25" drives. (It uses DOS 3.3)

I use the Apple II Web Services to store all my phone numbers, passwords, contacts, todo list, schedule, personal records, favorite bookmarks, lists of things, etc. And I can access this data from any browser or from a phone browser. (It's password protected). I press a button on the browser an miles away a floppy drive kicks on. The Apple II has been running 24/7 for over a year now without fail.

Currently, the embedded computer is handling automated backups, caching, and cleaning up files on the drives (by sending commands to the Apple II), but I want to move that function into the Apple II as well. (by adding more drives)

It's all old-school....and yet serves a very important modern function!

 

[Mr.Amiga500]

That is totally friggin awesome. That is one of the most fascinating stories of vintage computer usage I've ever heard. Well done!

Hmmm... this smiley here seems appropriate: :bigparty:

I'd like to see pictures of your setup. :cool4:

 

[Luzur]

my Apple IIe sits out in the storage along with my other computers waiting for space so i can set them up.