TLDR Review: Apple II User's Guide
Verdict
*The New Apple II User's Guide* is a treasure trove for Apple II enthusiasts and newcomers alike, offering a clear, thorough, and well-organized overview of both hardware and software aspects of the classic system. It shines especially for those who want a deep dive into Apple II programming and practical system setup, plus historical context that enriches the experience. However, if you specifically own an Apple IIc or seek a focused guide on that model, you might want to look for a specialized alternative. For most users wanting to revive or explore the Apple II ecosystem, this guide is a must-have comprehensive resource.
- Top pro:
- Clearly explains Apple II basics without assuming prior computer knowledge, making it very accessible for beginners.
- Top con:
- Lacks sufficient coverage and detailed information for Apple IIc users, making it less useful for owners of that specific model.
Pros
- •Clearly explains Apple II basics without assuming prior computer knowledge, making it very accessible for beginners.
- •Balances beginner-friendly content with technical details, enabling users to explore more advanced programming and hardware topics.
- •Organizes material logically, starting from hardware fundamentals and moving through advanced BASIC programming and DOS usage.
- •Provides valuable historical context alongside modern perspectives, which is hard to find elsewhere online.
- •Offers a solid introduction to programming concepts such as variables, loops, conditionals, and arrays via Apple II BASIC.
- •Guides users on practical tasks like creating disk copies, managing disk images, and connecting the Apple II to the internet using third-party hardware.
- •Includes helpful instructions on setting up internal hard drives, SCSI drives, and transferring data from PCs to the Apple II with tools like ADT.
- •Serves as both a learning tool for new users and a reference for retro computing enthusiasts wanting to revive vintage Apple II systems.
- •Highly detailed with around 750 pages, providing comprehensive coverage suitable as a standard reference guide.
- •Recommended for anyone looking to get an old Apple II up and running smoothly, including adults revisiting it or introducing kids to coding.
Cons
- •Lacks sufficient coverage and detailed information for Apple IIc users, making it less useful for owners of that specific model.
- •Missing expanded details on Apple IIe-compatible clones, which might limit usefulness for some users with those variations.
- •While comprehensive, the content sometimes covers a wide range without deep dives into certain specialized topics.
- •Apple IIc owners might find more value in a concise, model-focused alternative rather than this broad manual.
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How we researched this
About this review: it summarizes the professional reviews and customer ratings ShopSavvy collected for this product, alongside prices from 1 retailer in ShopSavvy's price data, most recently seen Mar 31, 2026.
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