The GEM (Generous Efforts of Many) Project is a compilation of software for the Apple // and IIGS computers on one CD that was produced for the 5th National Apple User Group Conference in April, 1990. It contains nearly 200 MB of freeware, shareware, and demo software, as well as graphics, music, fonts, text files, and more.
The GEM CD is organized as 6 32MB ProDos volumes on one CD, named GEM.CD.A through GEM.CD.F. GS/OS is installed on the GEM.CD.A volume, and that volume may be booted. The other 5 volumes are non-bootable. The 6 volumes have been extracted and saved as ProDOS-ordered disk image files for use with Apple II emulators or for transfer to a hard drive or Compact Flash card for use with real Apple IIs. Scans of the covers, liner notes, and CD are included.
On this disk you will find a few megabytes of Apple II and IIgs software, much of it collected over the past year from the public domain libraries of various user groups and from the online services of America Online, CompuServe, and GEnie.
Our intention is to provide user groups with a "starter collection" of software for their libraries, and, not coincidentally, provide demonstration versions of some of the best Apple II applications available today.
We've organized these programs into general categories: Games, Communications, Development, Graphics, Fonts, Disk Utilities, and several IIgs-specific categories such as NDAs and CDAs. Most of the software is for the IIgs, but that's because most of the newer programs are written for that computer. We haven't slighted the owners of earlier Apple II models, though: you will also find files that run on those computers.
Our descriptions of the software contained herein are meager. We would have liked to include fuller descriptions, particularly for programs that did include "read me" or documentation files, but we did not have enough time for that task. If a documentation file accompanies an application, please read it first. If a program's purpose isn't readily apparent, list the program (if it's written in Applesoft), or just run it. Of course, be careful if you're running a disk or file utility program, as they can make permanent changes to other files.
Shareware
Some of the programs on this CD are classified as "shareware": in other words, the author of the software wishes to be compensated for his efforts, and is offering to you a "free trial period" to use his product. If you use a shareware program and you like it, please send the requested fee to the author to encourage further work and reward him for what he's done. Author information may usually be found within the program itself.
Viruses
Apple II viruses are very rare, and you won't find any in the software on this CD, as far as we can tell. Every program has been tested for the known forms of Apple II viruses, and all have found to be clean. But in case you're still worried, look in the Disk Utilities section for a few virus detection and elimination programs.
Feature Attractions
What do we actually have on this CD? Lots. To start, there's the latest demonstration version of HyperStudio, by Roger Wagner Publishing, plus lots of stacks; classic Beagle Bros software, from Alpha Plot to Silicon Salad; the demonstration version of Stone Edge Technology's DB Master, a relational database; and public domain and shareware applications that we've gathered from all over.
For a complete list, see the files in the "Contents" directory. There are two versions of these files: ASCII text files (for those of you without AppleWorks) and AppleWorks word processor files.
Copying Files
To use any of the programs on the GEM-CD, just copy the files from the CD onto another ProDOS disk. Application files which are related are kept in the same directory as (or in a subdirectory of) the main program. Copy all of the files, or you may not have every file that is necessary to run a program.
Unpacking Archived Programs
Several files on this disk are not in a "ready to run" state once copied, but have been stored in compressed-form archives with Andy Nicholas' ShrinkIt program. These files may be identified by their file type of $E0, with an auxtype of $8002, or by the suffixes of ".SHK" or ".SDK" on the file name. To unpack these programs, run ShrinkIt and select the "Unshrink" option. The ShrinkIt documentation is included, with the ShrinkIt application, in the "ShrinkIt" directory which is listed in the root directory of this disk.
Some ShrinkIt archives, such as the Beagle Bros software, do not contain merely individual files, but are actually archives of entire disks, either 5.25-inch or 3.5-inch. These files must be unpacked to blank disks, as the unpacking will erase any files which already exist on the destination disk.
ShrinkIt 3.0, the latest version, may be found in the "ShrinkIt" directory on /GEM.CD.A/.
How to Run the Programs
If you don't have the latest versions of ProDOS 8, Basic.System, or the IIgs System Software, you should be using them. If you don't have them, you're in luck: Apple Computer has given us permission to include the latest system software (see the file "Legal.Stuff").
The latest versions are: ProDOS 8 version 1.8; Basic.System version 1.4; and IIgs System Software version 5.0.2. We suggest using ProDOS version 1.8 when reading this disk, as many of the file names contain lowercase letters, a situation which previous versions of ProDOS could not handle. (The lowercase letters are only displayed when using GS/OS; ProDOS 8 users will still see only uppercase letters.)
Many of the programs are type SYS or S16, which may be launched from any program selector. Most SYS files may also be launched from Applesoft BASIC, using the "smart run" command: for example, "-pinball" or "-volcano.system". However, not all SYS files can be launched from BASIC, and these files must be launched using a program selector. BAS files (Applesoft BASIC) are always launchable from the BASIC prompt. BIN type files are often data files for other programs, but many are also runnable programs; use the "smart run" command to launch them, or "BRUN <filename>".
What's on this CD? Here's a general overview of the contents:
Featured Items
In the "Beagle" directory, there are twenty-five ShrinkIt archives of classic Beagle Bros software from the Good Old Days of Apple II computing. Some disks are ProDOS format, others are DOS 3.3. In either case, unshrink these archives to 5.25-inch disks.
In "DBMaster", you'll find the demonstration version of DB Master Professional, a relational database published by Stone Edge Technologies. (Note: there's a nice tutorial manual that goes along with the demo, but we were unable to include it on this disk. If you really need the manual (and you probably do), you can order the complete demonstration set from *****. You'll receive a disk of the program, and a copy of the manual.
In "Follett" is the demonstration version of Circulation Plus, a program designed for the circulation of library books. The full text of the demonstration version is included. This is version 6.2 of Circulation Plus, while the current version is 8.0 (now being shipped).
"Nifty": IIgs development utilities by Dave Lyons -- NiftyList, a CDA debugging aid; DicEd, an icon editor; and
"CoffeeMug": Making The Grade from Coffee Mug Software, a grading utility for teachers.
"TimeOut": no, these are not TimeOut applications from Beagle Bros, but several TimeOut utilities written by Eduard de Kam.
"TIC": the demonstration version of Don Elton's powerful script-driven communications program for the Apple II.
"Just Add Water": the complete text of Apple's guide to starting a user group.
"Technical Notes": The complete collection of Apple II Technical Notes, from November 1988 To January 1990.
Music
Music files for Music Studio, Diversi-Tune, and Music Construction Set. Also some utilities for fixing Music Construction Set files that are downloaded from bulletin boards and information services.
Graphics
Super High Resolution, Double High Resolution, and High Resolution pictures of all sorts, plus clip art for Print Shop and IIgs paint programs. Also CheapPaint, a shareware paint application, animation files, and programs for viewing IIgs graphics files.
You'll also find a large collection of MacPaint graphics, still in their unconverted Macintosh format. To view these graphics, use SHRconvert (also in the MacPaint directory) to first change the file type to either BIN or TXT (the files are $00, which means "no file type"), then convert the files from Macintosh format to IIgs format.
Fonts
What else? Fonts. Lots of Fonts. These will work with TimeOut SuperFonts, any IIgs Desktop program that uses them, and even Print Shop GS (if you change the filetype).
Sound
Digitized sound files of voices and sound effects. Applications include Sound Studio, for playing recorded sounds; and QuickSound, an NDA that lets you play sounds from the desktop.
Disk.Utilities
File type changers, text file splitters, copy utilities, and disk utilities.
Selectors
Program selectors, of course. Bird's Better Bye, Squirt, JumpStart, and others.
Communications
Communications applications and utilities. Bulletin board software: Warp 6 BBS, AMS v3.1. Information on the ProLine networking software.
NDA
New Desk Accessories. NDAs to play digitized sounds and background music, view super-high-resolution pictures, keep an appointment calendar, and more.
CDA
Classic Desk Accessories. CDAs that control your ImageWriter's configuration, capture graphics screens, convert hexidecimal to decimal numbers, and others.
Games
Games for the II and IIgs, from simple BASIC programs to IIgs arcade games.
Development
Programming utilities and documents. Very eclectic.
Education
Demonstration versions of Talking, Reading, and Me; Talking, Math, and Me; World Geography; and MathBlaster Plus.
Productivity
Templates for AppleWorks and AppleWorks GS, a demonstration version of BeagleWrite GS and Medley 2.0, and a shareware CAD program for the Apple II.
Miscellaneous
Late arrivals that we didn't have time to classify.
