Quest for Apple II Red Book

From: /mpm <celt_at_chisp.net>
Date: Fri Feb 9 10:18:36 2001

Eric Smith wrote:

> /mpm <celt_at_chisp.net> writes:
>
>> The Red Book was an "internal" document, (at the time) available only
>> to Apple engineers and a few select dealers. IIRC, it was written by
>> Woz as a reference for Apple's engineering dept. Someone (Dr. Tom of
>> comp.sys.apple2 fame (or infamy, depending on your POV)) recently
>> scanned the entire thing and posted it on his website. If you're
>> interested, I'll see if I can dig up the URL and post it here.
>
>
> There was a "user manual" for the Apple ][ published in January 1978.
> It was 8.5x11, had a red cover, and was shipped with every Apple ][
> until the newer manuals appeared. This was referred to as the
> "Red Book". It was in no way an "internal document".
>
> There may well have been some *other* document called a Red Book, but
> I don't think that's what this thread is about.

Seems I was mistaken:

"The original manual for the Apple II was sparse. It consisted of thirty
photocopied pages, including some handwritten notes from Woz. The cover
stated, "simplicity is the ultimate sophistication: introducing Apple
][, the personal computer." In early 1978 these original photocopied
manuals were replaced with the new "Apple II Technical Reference Manual"
(also known as the "Red Book"), and copies were mailed to previous
customers. Steve Jobs realized that people often viewed the quality of a
product by the quality of its documentation, and so he took pains to get
manuals that were easy to read and had a professional appearance."

http://www.hypermall.com/History/ah04.html#RedBook
Received on Fri Feb 09 2001 - 10:18:36 GMT

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