Welcome! This is a community project to preserve type-in programs from Atari 8-bit books and magazines. The goal is to make these programs runnable again and easy to access.
This project is still in its early days. I recently came across other sites that already host some Atari type-in content, and I’d like to bring that material together here before opening things up further. In the meantime, things may look a bit sparse. I really appreciate your patience while I prepare a more complete starting point.
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Choose a Program: Each program comes from a printed source such as a magazine or book. A link to the scan or OCR text will be provided on the GitHub Projects page (link coming soon). Contributors select a program to work on from this list.
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Type or Correct the Program: If an OCR version exists, it should be corrected; if only a scan is available, type the program in from scratch.
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Test the Program: Run the program in an emulator (e.g., Altirra for Windows, Atari800 for Linux/macOS) or on a real Atari 8-bit computer. Default emulator settings should suffice.
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Fix Errors and Verify: Continue correcting until the program runs as intended, which is considered "Verified." A column will be available on the Projects page to identify this status.
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Submit Your Program: Send the completed executable or source file to the project maintainer via a secure method (e.g., cloud upload link or email). To keep submissions organized, place each program in its own folder named after the source (e.g., magazine and issue or book title), and include the main program file inside (e.g.,
.BASfor BASIC programs). Only working programs should be submitted. -
Add to Repository: The maintainer adds the verified program to the repository and links it in the table on the Projects page.
To keep things simple and safe for everyone, contributors should follow this workflow:
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Pick a Program: Select a program to work on from the GitHub Projects board (link coming soon). Mark it as "In Progress" if possible to avoid duplicate work.
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Work Locally: Download the scan or OCR version to your computer. Type in or correct the program and test it in an emulator or on real Atari hardware.
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Send Your Completed Program: Share the working program with the project maintainer (e.g., cloud upload link or email).
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Verification & Linking: The maintainer will check that the program runs correctly, add it to the repository, and link it in the table on the Projects board.
This workflow keeps contributions organized, ensures only working programs are added, and lets you participate without needing advanced GitHub knowledge.
This table provides an example of how type-in programs are tracked, their sources, and contribution status. The source columns indicate where the OCRed content can be found. There can be multiple sources: an Archive.org identifier, a direct link, or any other link.
| Program Name | Source (Book/Magazine) | Page(s) | Status | Contributor | Original Author | Archive.org Identifier | Other Link | File Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yars | ANTIC Magazine, May 1984 | 12-14 | In Progress | @username1 | HSW | antic-1984-05 | https://example.com/antic-1984 | N/A |
| Pong | ANALOG Magazine, Dec 1982 | 5-7 | Done | @username2 | Al Alcorn | analog-1982-12 | N/A | repo/Pong.bas |
| Breakout | ANTIC Magazine, Mar 1983 | 8-10 | Not Started | @username3 | Wozniak | antic-1983-03 | https://another-source.com | N/A |