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The Internet Archive has a large collection[1] (3,500+) of HyperCard stacks that can be run directly in the browser (using in-browser emulation of an old Mac Pl

The Internet Archive has a large collection[1] (3,500+) of HyperCard stacks that can be run directly in the browser (using in-browser emulation of an old Mac Plus). I've been "maintaining" this collection of stacks for around three years - keeping the uploader[2] running (yes, you can add your own stacks!), checking the stacks for bugs / errors in the emulation, etc... and the range and breadth of what was created in HyperCard is just amazing. You've got silly little animations[3], sound samplers[4], choose-your-own adventure stories[5], reference guides[6] and teaching materials[7] (that last one was added to the collection with the very kind help of someone at the USGS who mailed me a CD-ROM so I could add it). I thoroughly recommend that those unfamiliar with HyperCard have a browse of the collection and see what was made possible by this groundbreaking 1980s tool. [1] https://archive.org/details/hypercardstacks https://archive.org/details/hypercardstacks [2] http://hypercardonline.tk/ http://hypercardonline.tk/ [3] https://archive.org/details/hypercard_computer_sind_doof https://archive.org/details/hypercard_computer_sind_doof [4] https://archive.org/details/hypercard_cheapsequencersit https://archive.org/details/hypercard_cheapsequencersit [5] https://archive.org/details/hypercard_inigo_gets_out https://archive.org/details/hypercard_inigo_gets_out [6] https://archive.org/details/hypercard_macprinters-11 https://archive.org/details/hypercard_macprinters-11 [7] https://archive.org/details/hypercard_usgs---teaching-earth-science https://archive.org/details/hypercard_usgs---teaching-earth-...

jcun4128 6y ago
Wow... I don't really understand to what extent the canvas emulator works [1] but I was in an old dotty Mac OS interface and was clicking through the file system inside. Crazy... K's of unused memory storage ha. Tried to open a read me file but I guess it didn't work.
- betamaxthetape 6y ago
  It is a real, functioning emulator of the Macintosh Plus from 1986. See the webpage[1] of the James Friend, who ported the emulator to JavaScript, as well has his posts[2][3] explaining more detail behind the project. [1] https://jamesfriend.com.au/pce-js/ https://jamesfriend.com.au/pce-js/ [2] https://jamesfriend.com.au/why-port-emulators-browser https://jamesfriend.com.au/why-port-emulators-browser [3] https://jamesfriend.com.au/porting-pce-emulator-browser https://jamesfriend.com.au/porting-pce-emulator-browser (As an aside, the Readme file probably didn't work because no text editor was installed - the items in the HyperCard stacks collection typically only include the OS, HyperCard and the stack itself. If you try opening the stack it should work just fine.)
  - jcun4128 6y ago
    Yeah it's impressive and also sad in a way, greatest thing now is later obsolete, that's life I guess. I remember seeing a video of someone loading Google with an old Macintosh(tan tube type) it took a while, but it eventually loaded, felt like time traveling or something.
SllX 6y ago
Found a gem browsing around the Internet Archive: The Meeting Watcher[1] calculates the ongoing cost of a meeting. No doubt for use by responsible managers and disgruntled employees alike. [1] https://archive.org/details/hypercard_the-meeting-watcher https://archive.org/details/hypercard_the-meeting-watcher
- rubyfan 6y ago
  that’s fantastic. i used to manually do this whenever i’d show up to a meeting with 40+ people. it puts things into perspective.
  - hownottowrite 6y ago
    Especially when you ask how the outcome of the meeting translates to $X in revenue to cover the cost.
- ReactiveJelly 6y ago
  One of these is on F-Droid somewhere, too. I wonder if the author of the Android version was aware of the HyperCard version
acomjean 6y ago
Nice/ This is an apple emulator with hypercard boot disk. To you run the stacks (you have to double click the 2nd disk icons) once the machine boots. If I clicked on the ? on the top right of the menu bar I could drop into hypercard and see how it worked, which was kinda amazing (though I couldn't figure out how to inspect the existing stack..) amazing what browsers can do. Although I couldn't get the sound working
- betamaxthetape 6y ago
  To inspect stacks you need to be in a "privileged" user-mode. Often stacks set the usermode to unprivileged upon startup to prevent accidental / nefarious edits. To change this, and be able to inspect the stack: 1.) Open the stack. 2.) Type Alt-M to open the message box. 3.) Type "set the usermode to 5" and press enter. (This sets the usermode to the highest level). 4.) If the menubar isn't showing, type "show menubar" into the message box and press enter. Voilla! Full access to edit and inspect the stack. (Note that all changes are lost when you close the tab - the emulator does not yet have persistent storage).
  - acomjean 6y ago
    Cool. Thanks.
mambodog 6y ago
If you want to try out the HyperCard application for yourself (for example, to see its editing tools) you can do so in the browser here: https://jamesfriend.com.au/projects/tryhypercard/ https://jamesfriend.com.au/projects/tryhypercard/ For Mac users, you can also easily run it on your local machine: https://jamesfriend.com.au/running-hypercard-stack-2014 https://jamesfriend.com.au/running-hypercard-stack-2014 Also, if you're taken by the HyperCard aesthetic, you be interested in this interactive artwork created in HyperCard (which I contributed technical assistance to): https://www.upprojects.com/projects/commissions/formality/ https://www.upprojects.com/projects/commissions/formality/
indrax 6y ago
fyi [7] gave me a ? and floppy disk at first and I had to reload it.

jcun4128 6y ago

Wow... I don't really understand to what extent the canvas emulator works [1] but I was in an old dotty Mac OS interface and was clicking through the file system inside. Crazy... K's of unused memory storage ha. Tried to open a read me file but I guess it didn't work.

betamaxthetape 6y ago
It is a real, functioning emulator of the Macintosh Plus from 1986. See the webpage[1] of the James Friend, who ported the emulator to JavaScript, as well has his posts[2][3] explaining more detail behind the project. [1] https://jamesfriend.com.au/pce-js/ https://jamesfriend.com.au/pce-js/ [2] https://jamesfriend.com.au/why-port-emulators-browser https://jamesfriend.com.au/why-port-emulators-browser [3] https://jamesfriend.com.au/porting-pce-emulator-browser https://jamesfriend.com.au/porting-pce-emulator-browser (As an aside, the Readme file probably didn't work because no text editor was installed - the items in the HyperCard stacks collection typically only include the OS, HyperCard and the stack itself. If you try opening the stack it should work just fine.)
- jcun4128 6y ago
  Yeah it's impressive and also sad in a way, greatest thing now is later obsolete, that's life I guess. I remember seeing a video of someone loading Google with an old Macintosh(tan tube type) it took a while, but it eventually loaded, felt like time traveling or something.

SllX 6y ago

Found a gem browsing around the Internet Archive: The Meeting Watcher[1] calculates the ongoing cost of a meeting. No doubt for use by responsible managers and disgruntled employees alike. [1] https://archive.org/details/hypercard_the-meeting-watcher https://archive.org/details/hypercard_the-meeting-watcher

rubyfan 6y ago
that’s fantastic. i used to manually do this whenever i’d show up to a meeting with 40+ people. it puts things into perspective.
- hownottowrite 6y ago
  Especially when you ask how the outcome of the meeting translates to $X in revenue to cover the cost.
ReactiveJelly 6y ago
One of these is on F-Droid somewhere, too. I wonder if the author of the Android version was aware of the HyperCard version

acomjean 6y ago

Nice/ This is an apple emulator with hypercard boot disk. To you run the stacks (you have to double click the 2nd disk icons) once the machine boots. If I clicked on the ? on the top right of the menu bar I could drop into hypercard and see how it worked, which was kinda amazing (though I couldn't figure out how to inspect the existing stack..) amazing what browsers can do. Although I couldn't get the sound working

betamaxthetape 6y ago
To inspect stacks you need to be in a "privileged" user-mode. Often stacks set the usermode to unprivileged upon startup to prevent accidental / nefarious edits. To change this, and be able to inspect the stack: 1.) Open the stack. 2.) Type Alt-M to open the message box. 3.) Type "set the usermode to 5" and press enter. (This sets the usermode to the highest level). 4.) If the menubar isn't showing, type "show menubar" into the message box and press enter. Voilla! Full access to edit and inspect the stack. (Note that all changes are lost when you close the tab - the emulator does not yet have persistent storage).
- acomjean 6y ago
  Cool. Thanks.

mambodog 6y ago

If you want to try out the HyperCard application for yourself (for example, to see its editing tools) you can do so in the browser here: https://jamesfriend.com.au/projects/tryhypercard/ https://jamesfriend.com.au/projects/tryhypercard/ For Mac users, you can also easily run it on your local machine: https://jamesfriend.com.au/running-hypercard-stack-2014 https://jamesfriend.com.au/running-hypercard-stack-2014 Also, if you're taken by the HyperCard aesthetic, you be interested in this interactive artwork created in HyperCard (which I contributed technical assistance to): https://www.upprojects.com/projects/commissions/formality/ https://www.upprojects.com/projects/commissions/formality/

indrax 6y ago

fyi [7] gave me a ? and floppy disk at first and I had to reload it.