The Computer History Museum and the DigiBarn Computer Museum today released the 1978 Apple II DOS source code for non-commercial use after obtaining permission from Apple.
The Apple II DOS source code was developed by Paul Laughton, a contract programmer from Shepardson Microsystems, who wrote DOS on punch cards over the span of seven weeks after Apple paid $13,000 for his services.
With thanks to Paul Laughton, in collaboration with Dr. Bruce Damer, founder and curator of the DigiBarn Computer Museum, and with the permission of Apple Inc., we are pleased to make available the 1978 source code of Apple II DOS for non-commercial use. This material is Copyright © 1978 Apple Inc., and may not be reproduced without permission from Apple.The Apple II, which first began shipping in 1977, came as a ready-to-use computer equipped with a keyboard, compatible with any display monitor. Priced at $1,298, it also featured color, graphics, expansion slots, game paddles, and had the BASIC programming language built-in.
The Apple II DOS source code was developed by Paul Laughton, a contract programmer from Shepardson Microsystems, who wrote DOS on punch cards over the span of seven weeks after Apple paid $13,000 for his services.
"DOS was written on punch cards. I would actually hand-write the code on 80-column punch card sheets. A guy at Shepardson named Mike Peters would take those sheets and punch the cards. The punch cards would then be read into a National Semiconductor IMP–16 and assembled, and a paper tape produced.The source code is downloadable directly from the Computer History Museum website, and comes with meeting minutes between Apple and Shepardson Microsystem, plus contracts and scanned lineprinter listings from 1978. The Computer History Museum also has a detailed history of the creation of Apple II DOS, which is well worth a read.
The paper tape was read into the Apple II by a plug-in card made by Wozniak, and I would proceed to debug it. As the project got further along and the code was all written, and it was debugging and updating, I would mark up a listing and give it to Mike Peters who would then change whatever was necessary and deliver me a paper tape and I'd start again."
46 comments
Apple has shared three new Close Your Rings ads on its YouTube channel in Australia, highlighting the Activity app on Apple Watch.
The fast-paced, 15-second videos each feature a different...
Last month, Apple initiated a Keyboard Service Program for MacBook and MacBook Pro, after determining that a "small percentage" of the keyboards in 2015-2017 MacBook and 2016-2017 MacBook Pro...
2018 MacBook Pro models feature the biggest yearly CPU performance gains since 2011, according to Geekbench founder John Poole.
Geekbench 4 scores indicate the latest 15-inch models have a 12...
Apple retail stores in the United States have received supplies of the new 2018 MacBook Pro models, which means stock configurations are available for in-store pickup and walk-in purchase as of...
Apple has outlined repair options and parts availability for the new 2018 MacBook Pro in an internal document distributed to Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers on Friday and obtained...
The keys of the new 2018 MacBook Pro, which uses a third-generation butterfly keyboard, appear to be cocooned in a "thin, silicone barrier" according to a teardown that's underway over at...
The 2018 MacBook Pros just went on sale yesterday, but Apple was quick about shipping them out and some customers already have the new machines in hand.
Laptop Mag was able to get one of the new...
