RASKIN, Jef. Apple II Basic Programming Manual. 1978

Cupertino, California: Apple Computer Inc., 1978. Quarto. Original illustrated wrappers with the characteristic early Apple rainbow motif. pp. 130. Original wrappers with light handling wear and minor marks; school ownership sticker to front cover; internally clean and complete.

An early and influential programming manual issued for the pioneering Apple II, written by interface designer and Apple employee Jef Raskin. Published during the formative years of personal computing, the manual was designed to introduce users—many of them students and hobbyists—to programming using the Apple II’s built-in BASIC language.

The work provides step-by-step instruction in writing programs, handling input and output, controlling graphics, and managing data within the Apple II environment. Early chapters guide the user through connecting the machine to a television set, operating cassette storage, and loading software, reflecting the practical realities of home computing in the late 1970s. Later sections explore programming logic, commands, and examples that enabled users to create their own games and applications. The contents even reference the Apple II’s famous built-in game Breakout, originally designed by Steve Wozniak after a concept by Steve Jobs.

Manuals of this type accompanied early Apple computers and were heavily used by owners learning to program. Consequently, well-preserved copies are increasingly desirable among collectors of early computing history and Apple ephemera from the company’s formative years.

[WR Tech]