Re: Upgrading to DOS 3.3

[Steven Weyhrich <a2history@gmail.com>]

On Thursday, March 7, 2013 2:16:11 AM UTC-6, Tom Greene wrote:
> On Mar 1, 9:22 am, Steven Weyhrich <a2hist...@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> > Okay, another question for the old-timers in the crowd.
> 
> >
> 
> > The Language System was released in August 1979, and cost $495. For that high price, you got a 16K RAM card to plug into slot 0, the Apple Pascal language, several fat manuals to teach how to use Pascal, and the chips to upgrade the disk controller card to handle 16-sector disks.
> 
> >
> 
> > A year later, in August of 1980, DOS 3.3 was released. It did not require the 16K RAM card or more fat manuals, but it did require the same upgraded ROMs for the disk controller card for 16-sector access.
> 
> >
> 
> > A simple DOS upgrade would have been either free or minimal cost, at your local authorized Apple dealer. But the chips certainly were not free.
> 
> >
> 
> > Does anyone out there remember how much it cost to upgrade to DOS 3.3, if you had not already purchased the Language System a year earlier?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Came across this today, while looking at Jordan Mechner's "Making of
> 
> Karateka" book on Amazon. On page 5 is a journal entry which begins:
> 
> 
> 
> "February 22, 1982 - This morning I bought the DOS 3.3 upgrade ($60)
> 
> and upgraded my system. It is now a 3.3 system."
> 
> 
> 
> The first 30 pages of the book are available as a free PDF:
> 
> http://jordanmechner.com/wp-content/uploads/resources/Karateka_sample.pdf
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I found a couple of references online which seem to confirm the $60
> 
> price. In the "Apple In Depth" catalog/brochure from late 1980 there
> 
> is a listing for the DOS 3.3 kit at the bottom of page 72 (see
> 
> ftp://ftp.apple.asimov.net/pub/apple_II/documentation/advertisements/misc/Apple_in_Depth_1980-part%202.pdf)
> 
> 
> 
> "The DOS 3.3 Kit Package Order No. A2D0023
> 
> 
> 
> With your order for the OS 3.3 Kit, you will receive:
> 
> - Two (2) 16 sector PROMs (P5A and P6A)
> 
> - IC puller;
> 
> - DOS 3.3 System Master diskette, including utility programs;
> 
> - DOS Version 3.3 Instructional and Reference Manual;
> 
> - BASICS diskette (for diskettes written under earlier versions of
> 
> DOS);
> 
> 
> 
> *If you are using the Apple Language System (which already contains
> 
> these PROMs), the PROMs supplied with the DOS 3.3 Kit will be
> 
> spares."
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And the Apple price list from March 1981 lists an item "DOS 3.3 (16)
> 
> sector" model #A2D0023 with a price $60:
> 
> http://www.thecomputerarchive.com/archive/Catalogs%20and%20Price%20Lists/Retail/Apple%20Retail%20Price%20List%20March%201%201981.pdf
> 
> 
> 
> Tom

Thanks for the info!