Re: Another Find and another request- Versawriter

[apple2pd@garp3.icaen.uiowa.edu (ground.ecn AppleII Librarian)]

In article <K6tz7.486$2v4.299574@news.uswest.net>,
Bart <abuse@yourisp.org> wrote:
...
>  I have a Versawriter.  It looks to be a rather cool writing board or 
>draftsman tool that plugs into the motherboard joystick port (or to the Paddle 
>Adapple I have on this IIe)
...
>Does anyone out there know of a Versawriter and of the software that ran this 
>beast?  and where could I obtain same...?
>Thank'ee
>-Bart
>-- 

Yes, I still have mine sitting in my basement.  I bought mine when they
were first introduced ~1980 or 81.  $450.00 user group discount IIRC.
Original software disks are DOS 3.2 (13-sector), but are compatiple with
DOS3.3.  I suspect that they could be ProDOS compatible too.

Byte magazine ran an article in early 80's about how to build a similar
device, and the math theory behind it's design.  Very clever, simple
device.  Yes, it used the paddle inputs (two paddles), but used a refined
paddle read routine to get more precision than 8 bits.  (0-255 per paddle
just doesn't cut it :-) )  I think is used closer to 12-bit precision.

I remember using the Byte article to write paddle read routines for Apple
(USCD) Pascal so I could use the Versawriter for work projects.  I
digitized a lot of strip chart recordings by tracing them with the
Versawriter.

So I do have the original software disks, but I do not know if they are
readable (if I can remember how to read/convert DOS3.2 -> DOS3.3).  I
don't recall if there was a manual with the Versawriter or not.  I do
recall tracing drawings from coloring books and printing them out for my
children to re-color.  As they say, "Those were the days ..."

Nice find.  Good luck!

  --Steve

-- 

 --Steve  (apple2pd@ground.ecn.uiowa.edu)