Re: Unidentified IIe Card !!!

[seb <mo.cheez@wanadoo.fr>]

in article 3906d5dd.0@news.acay.com.au, Leslie Ayling at
layling@intercoast.com.au wrote on 26/04/00 13:42:

> 
> seb <mo.cheez@wanadoo.fr> wrote in message
> B52BF932.3D40%mo.cheez@wanadoo.fr">news:B52BF932.3D40%mo.cheez@wanadoo.fr...
>> in article 3905730a.0@news.acay.com.au, Leslie Ayling at
>> layling@intercoast.com.au wrote on 25/04/00 12:28:
>> 
>>> 
>>> seb <mo.cheez@wanadoo.fr> wrote in message
>>> B52AAE49.3BA0%mo.cheez@wanadoo.fr">news:B52AAE49.3BA0%mo.cheez@wanadoo.fr...
>>>> Bought a used IIe that came with several cards, but there's one that's
>>>> unidentified...
>>>> It's a long card (not that long) with nothing written on it except a
> grey
>>>> sticker that reads "DEC QC-OK". Then there are 16 little chips from
>>> various
>>>> makes, and one bigger from Nec that says "PIY386-147 D780C"
>>>> There are also a small set of 4 jumpers and a red led...
>>>> 
>>>> I have no idea of what that might be !
>>>> 
>>>> Any suggestions ?
>>>> 
>>>> Seb.
>>>> 
>>> From memory, D780C is NEC's version of the Z-80 processor.
>>> The 4 jumpers and the LED would perhaps suggest that it is a
>>> Microsoft Softcard Clone.
>>> 
>>> Leslie
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>> Yeah, that's what many other people seem to think...
>> Was that the early beginings of PC-compatibility on Apple computers ?
> 
> No!
> 
> The Z-80 card gave CP/M compatability to the Apple ][.
> Several other improved Z-80 cards followed the Microsoft Softcard,
> inlcuding(but not limited to) The "Star card", and the "Appli-Card"
> both had either/or faster clock speeds/more memory to allow
> CP/M V3.0 to run.
> 
> There was an 8088 card produced that allowed the Apple//e to run
> run MSDOS 3.3, one turned up on EBAY last week in fact. Who
> manufactured it, I don't recall.
> 
> There was also a 68000 card (I know, because I have one) that allowed
> you to run CP/M-86 aswell.
> 
> Leslie
> 
> 
> 
I must have been expensive at the time it was released, right ? I'm pretty
amazed that such compatibility already existed by then...