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Apple II FAQs MainHall-1 Start Here!
Apple II Frequently Asked Questions: Main Hall-1 ... Start Here!
Csa2 FAQs-on-Ground ref: Csa21MAIN.txt rev018 8/27/1999
The Csa2 (comp.sys.apple2) Usenet newsgroup Apple II FAQs
originate from the Ground Apple II archive, 1997-1999.
Ground Apple II Administrator: Steve Nelson
ftp://ground.ecn.uiowa.edu/apple2/Faqs/
http://ground.ecn.uiowa.edu/apple2/Faqs/
The Csa2 FAQs may be freely distributed.
Note: FAQs files in the main home site folder are pure Text files
which have no Font, Color, etc. formatting and no set line length.
This makes them ideal for printing out or for viewing via an ftp
client which places the content in a text viewer such as WordPad.
For best viewing on-line, set Word Wrap to ON and use a font such
as Roman 12cpi which maintains fixed character spacing.
Mirrors- Text on the ACN Florida and USA2WUG sites is
line-length formatted for on-line perusing via Netscape, etc. ...
ftp://24.96.48.134:6502/Cabi_Archives/FAQs.and.INFO/A2.Csa2.FAQs/
http://www.grin.net/~cturley/A2.FAQs.and.INFO/CSA2.FAQs/
Note: To correctly view tables and diagrams in Text files, use
a fixed spacing Font such as CoPilot or PCMononspaced (IIgs)
or Roman 12cpi (PC).
HTML web site versions of the FAQs are available on the II Computing
and Apple II Help Page sites ...
http://home.swbell.net/rubywand/A2FAQs1START.html
http://members.xoom.com/apple_II/faqs.html
____________________________
Csa2 Apple II FAQs Main Hall
Last updated: 27 August 1999
Welcome to the comp.sys.apple2 newsgroup Frequently Asked Questions!
This file is called "Main Hall" because it's your starting-off point for
accessing the Apple II FAQs.
You can peruse a listing of FAQs files along with lists of questions
answered; OR, you can check out some 'getting started' and 'what's where?'
Questions & Answers immediately below. Whenever you like, you can skip to the
FAQs Files & Contents area in Main Hall-2.
General Apple II and Getting Started Q&A
001- What is a FAQ?
002- What is comp.sys.apple2?
003- What software do I need to get started and how do I get it?
004- How and where do I download and upload Apple II files?
005- Where can I get Apple II software and information on the net?
006- What is an Apple II: The KIM
007- What is an Apple II: The Apple I
008- What is an Apple II: The Apple ][ and Apple ][+
009- What is an Apple II: The "Black Apple"
010- What is an Apple II: The Apple //e
011- What is an Apple II: The Apple //c and IIc+
012- What is an Apple II: The Laser 128EX and 'EX/2?
013- What is an Apple II: The Apple IIgs
014- What is an Apple II: The Apple ][e Emulation Card
015- Apple "][", "Apple II", "Apple //"-- which is correct?
016- What is "8 bit" and "16 bit"?
017- How can I tell what version my computer is?
018- Where can I find out about Applesoft BASIC programming?
019- Suppose I just want to start using my Apple II Now!?
020- Where do I find out about Apple II Users Groups?
021- How can I find out more about using my Apple II?
022- Where can I get Apple II computers, parts, boards, software?
023- Where can I get Apple II books and periodicals?
001- What is a FAQ?
A "FAQ" is a "Frequently Asked Question". The Csa2 FAQs is a collection
of topics files and resource files which seeks to supply answers to questions
about the Apple II series of computers and Apple II computing. --Rubywand
____________________________
002- What is comp.sys.apple2?
Comp.sys.apple2 (Csa2) is a USENET newsgroup. USENET posts originate
from your local newsreader and spread to hundreds of thousands of machines
throughout the Internet, FidoNet, ProLine BBS system, etc..
There are several newsgroups in the Csa2 family, all concerned with
Apple II series affairs. They provide a forum for users to compare notes, ask
questions, and share insights. The Csa2 groups include ...
comp.sys.apple2 (Csa2) - Discussion plus questions & answers
relating to all Apple II computers
comp.sys.apple2.comm - Communications and networking related
issues
comp.sys.apple2.gno - Discussion of GNO/ME, a UNIX-like
multi-tasking environment for IIgs
(see file gno.v...)
comp.sys.apple2.marketplace - Buying, selling, and promoting
Apple II and related products
comp.sys.apple2.programmer - Discussion relating to any aspect of
programming the Apple II
comp.sys.apple2.usergroups - Discussion relating to Apple II
usergroups
comp.emulators.apple2 - The unofficial 'Apple II games stuff'
newsgroup features discussions of
Apple II games as well as of Apple II
emulation on PC, Mac, and other
platforms.
comp.binaries.apple2 - Public Domain and Shareware Software
for all Apple II's in Text-encoded
(binscii) form.
--Dan DeMaggio, David Empson, Al Kalal, Rubywand
____________________________
003- What software do I need to get started and how do I get it?
If you bought an Apple II with no software at all, then, at the very
least, you will need to get diskettes which boot DOS 3.3 and ProDOS (which
pretty well means you need to have a disk drive). Here is a listing of basic
stuff to get ...
o- DOS 3.3: DOS 3.3 is an old but a good operating system for software on
5.25" diskette. There is a _lot_ of Apple II software on DOS 3.3 diskettes.
To write and save programs, etc. under DOS 3.3 you want a disk which boots
DOS 3.3 and lets you get to a BASIC prompt. Once in BASIC after booting DOS
you will be able to CATALOG the diskette, and LOAD, RUN, SAVE, ... programs.
DOS 3.3 commands are described in more detail in the Csa2DOSMM Q&A.
Commercial game disks often do not allow you to get to a BASIC prompt. Disks
with programs from other users, software from Apple user groups, and copies
of Apple's System Master disks will, usually, let you get to BASIC either by
exiting a program or by doing a Reset. (See Q&A 019 below for more about
this.)
Note: Diskettes used with an Apple II must be double-density (DD) diskettes.
High-density (HD) diskettes sold for PC's will not work in Apple II disk
drives.
o- ProDOS: Practically all of the above applies to ProDOS. ProDOS is the
newer Apple II DOS which allows having sub-directories. It works with 5.25"
and 3.5" diskettes as well as hard disks and other large media. (See
Csa2DOSMM Q&A for more about ProDOS.)
o- Copy II Plus: This is the standard general purpose disk/file management
utility. Good versions for working with both DOS 3.3 and ProDOS disks are
Version 7.1 and 7.2.
o- A telecom utility: an Apple II telecom utility (e.g. ZLink, ProTerm, ...)
together with a serial interface board (or built-in serial port) lets you
transfer the Apple II files you download on the net from your PC or Mac to
your Apple II.
o- ShrinkIt: Most Apple II files are maintained on the net as shrinked files
(.shk files) or on shrinked disks (.sdk files). ShrinkIt v3.4 is the standard
utility for unshrinking these files; it requires a 128k Apple IIe or later
Apple II. Earlier versions of ShrinkIt work on Apple II's with less than 128k
memory.
Aside from Apple II user friends, there are many places you can get the
above, as well as all sorts of other Apple II utility, game, etc. software:
1. Apple II Users' Groups maintain software libraries of utility and games
diskettes you can copy. (See Csa2USERGRP.txt.)
2. Some schools and universities have Apple II areas where you can copy
system and utility diskettes.
3. Many sellers of original and second-hand software advertise on the
comp.sys.apple2.marketplace newsgroup and/or maintain web sites you can
browse. Be sure to check the listing of vendors presented later on.
4. If requested via email, regular posters to Csa2 will often send one or
more 'getting started' diskettes which will boot DOS 3.3 and/or ProDOS and
which include some copy, telecom, etc. utilities plus games. (Expect to pay
mailing and materials costs.)
5. The Apple II archive sites listed below maintain large collections of
software which you can download via PC or Mac and transfer to your Apple II.
--Rubywand
____________________________
004- How and where do I download and upload Apple II files?
How: By far, the easiest and quickest way is to access software sites on
the net using a PC or Mac. Files can be moved to and from your Apple II via a
NULL-modem connection with the net computer. If you use a Mac, you may have
the option of transferring the files via a ProDOS or HFS diskette or an HFS
Zip disk. (For details on hardware, file transfes, downloading, and
uploading, see the Telecom-1 and Telecom-2 Q&A.)
Where: Today, most users upload software, info files, etc. to one or
more of the major Apple II ftp software archive sites. Other options include
comp.binaries.apple2 and BBS systems. The software archive sites are good
places from which to download software. In addition, some software vendors,
developers, and Apple Computer make software available for download at their
sites.
--Rubywand
____________________________
005- Where can I get Apple II software and information on the net?
Major Apple II Archives
Apple Cabi.net sites- #1 archive of IIgs game and system software;
game hints and cracks, emulators and emu support files, music
files, major collection of Apple II hardware info, and FAQs mirror
ACN Florida ftp://24.96.48.134:6502/
for FAQs ...
ftp://24.96.48.134:6502/Cabi_Archives/FAQs.and.INFO/A2.Csa2.FAQs/
ACN Tarnover ftp://tarnover.dyndns.org/cabi/ (down)
http://tarnover.dyndns.org/
for FAQs ... (down)
ftp://tarnover.dyndns.org/cabi/FAQs.and.INFO/A2.Csa2.FAQs/
Apple II Programmer's Archive- well-organized collection of
major Apple II language software
http://net-24-42.dhcp.mcw.edu/a2pa.html
Apple IIgs Gaming Memory Fairway- #1 archive of out-of-print
commercial IIgs games in emulator .2mg form (some also in
ShrinkIt form); includes info blurbs, pics, and hints
http://www.qflow.com.au/IIGS/
Apple2 Caltech- large collection of II/IIgs games and utilities
ftp://apple2.caltech.edu/pub/apple2/
Asimov- #1 archive of Apple II 8-bit games and utilities in
emulator DSK and file formats plus game docs, emulators,
and emu info, including the Emulator Resources Guide
ftp://ftp.apple.asimov.net/pub/apple_II/
Asimov Mirrors- sites which mirror Asimov
ACN Florida ftp://24.96.48.134:6502/Asimov_Archives/
Georgia Mirror ftp://mirror.apple.asimov.net/pub/apple_II/
Ground Apple2 U. Iowa- the largest Apple II archive and home site
of the Csa2 Apple II FAQs; maintains II/IIgs games, utilities,
HC/HS stacks, music files, ..., and information plus
separate collections including the famous AOL A2 archives
ftp://ground.ecn.uiowa.edu/apple2/
http://ground.ecn.uiowa.edu/apple2/
for AOL Collection
ftp://ground.ecn.uiowa.edu/apple2/Collections/AOL/
for FAQs ...
ftp://ground.ecn.uiowa.edu/apple2/Faqs/
GS WorldView 'zine- II/IIgs applications articles, games, utilities,
A2-2000 archive, and links; home site for 1WSW
http://www.grin.net/~cturley/gsezine/
Uni-kl.de Apple2 U. Kaiserslautern- II/IIgs games, utilities, and
emulator wares
ftp://ftp.uni-kl.de/pub/apple2/
USA2WUG- Apple II Help & FAQs Collective; Csa2 FAQs mirror
http://www.grin.net/~cturley/USA2WUG/
for FAQs ...
http://www.grin.net/~cturley/A2.FAQs.and.INFO/CSA2.FAQs/
XGS- XGS emu info; extensive archive of out-of-print commercial IIgs
software (mainly games) in emulator .2mg form; single-list
access with brief comments and file performance info.
http://www.inwards.com/xgs/
See also Csa2GAMES.txt for Game-specific software and info sites.
Other Important Apple II Sites
AOL Apple II Forum- Apple II discussions and software for AOL users
Keyword= aol://4344:1264.a2main.10029531.514525857
Apple Computer A2 Support- mainly, GS system software
ftp://ftp.apple.com/Apple_Support_Area/Apple.Software_Updates/US/
in Apple_II/ folder
Apple II Beginner's Guide- information for new Apple II users
http://www.concentric.net/~Togega/Apple2/
Apple II Emulation Page- Apple II emulator software and info
http://geta.life.uiuc.edu/~badger/apple2.html
Apple II Emulator Page- Apple II emulator software and info
http://www.saunalahti.fi/~profilon/net/emulators/apple2.html
Apple II Help Page- Info and links; Csa2 FAQs in HTML
http://members.xoom.com/apple_II/
for FAQs ...
http://members.xoom.com/apple_II/faqs.html
Apple II Lessons & Software- BASIC Lessons and A2 software
http://www.iglou.com/qwerty/kb/dlfiles.html
Apple II Textfiles- lots (and lots!) of basic Apple II information,
game hints/cheats, and more in text files
http://www.textfiles.com/apple/
Apple II WebRing- links for several user group, vendor,
and personal sites
http://www.webring.org/cgi-bin/webring?ring=apple2&list
Apple2 U. Kentucky- A2 archive
ftp://f.ms.uky.edu:/pub/appleII
Apple2 U. Michagan- A2 archive
http://www.umich.edu/~archive/apple2/
Apple2.org- Apple II projects; hosts old Csa2 FAQs
http://www.apple2.org/
Arrgh- information and software for several Apple II emulators
http://www.arrgh.co.uk/hardware/appleii/emulation.html
Delphi- on-line service which permits A2 net access
http://www.delphi.com/
"A2 (Apple II)" forum http://forums.delphi.com/apple2
"A2Pro" A2 Programmers forum http://forums.delphi.com/a2pro
"II Computing" forum http://forums.delphi.com/csa2
"WAUC" forum http://forums.delphi.com/wauc/start/
Douglas New Vision Center- developer of the New Vision IIgs system
with optional large-text and speech
http://www.retirement.org/rvm/newvision/newvision.htm
Emulation Net- information and software for several A2 emulators
http://www.emulation.net/apple2/index.html
Fadden's Junk: Apple II Files- A2 and related utils by Andy McFadden
http://www.fadden.com/dl-apple2/
Home of the Apple II- Apple II manual reprints, new user info,
links, and message board; hosts old Csa2 FAQs
http://www.educate.net.au/~apple2/
II Computing- Home site for Usenet Csa2 Apple II FAQs in html
http://home.swbell.net/rubywand
Interactive Fiction Archive- Infocom and other games, game
authoring/interpreter software, hints and solutions
ftp://ftp.gmd.de/if-archive/
International Apple II BBS List- A2 BBS sites and phone numbers
http://home.earthlink.net/~gabesanchez/bbs.txt
KansasFest Web Page- KansasFest information
http://www.kfest.org
KulaSoft- Stocks Eamon Adventures, A2 software, Index
http://www.angelfire.com/hi/kulasoft
L.J. Silicon's Treasure Chest- Apple II software by Rudy Guy,
links, Hyper wares, GS Technotes, news, and reviews
http://members.aol.com/ljsilicon/index.html
Moro's Emulator Page- XGS .2MG utils, Sys6, games, and links
http://www.dgweb.com/~moro/
Niel Parker's Home Page- Apple IIgs Progamming information
http://axis.llx.com/~nparker/a2/
Ninja Force Downloads- Apple IIgs utilities
http://www.igd.fhg.de/~girschik/nfc/anthology.html
Nova Scotia Apple Users Group Page- II/IIgs utilities
http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Services/PDA/appleII.html
Odessa Entertainment- on-line entertainment 'zines
http://www.fortunecity.com/victorian/rembrandt/2/comp.html
Penguin Software Archive- Penguin/Polarware games and history
http://www.inil.com/users/maxfunn/Polarware/polarware.htm
Phoenyx's Apple II Applications- utilities and games by Phoenix
http://phoenyx.home.texas.net/
Russell Nielson Website- games and other Apple II software
http://mh005.infi.net/~russell/software.html
SheppyWare Downloads- Apple II/IIgs games and utilities
ftp://ftp.sheppyware.net/pub/apple_iigs/
SonkPage- IIgs utilities by S�nke Behrens; Orca/C 2.1 bug list
http://www.arrowweb.com/sbehrens/
SoWhat Software- Apple IIgs programming software
http://www.sowhatsoftware.com/home.html
Terence J. Boldt's Apple II Page- ProDOS bootable ROM drive,
EPROM programmer, and other A2 hardware projects
http://www.cgocable.net/~apple2/
Texas II- Appleworks products, Y2k patches, and information;
home site for the Apple II Mail Group (A2MG)
http://members.aol.com/A2MG/
The Giant List- major listing of games and authors
http://www.dadgum.com/giantlist/list.html
The Machine Room- extensive vintage computer data base
http://www.tardis.ed.ac.uk/~alexios/MACHINE-ROOM/
The Vault- archive of Apple II games in emulator disk image form
http://www.classicgaming.com/vault/appleiiroms-AM.shtml
Treasure Chest Project- Apple II software reclassified as freeware
or shareware; includes downloading for most items
http://www.tals.dis.qut.edu.au/staff/willie/treasurechest/
Trenco Archive- II/IIgs utilities and games
ftp://ftp.gno.org/pub/apple2/
Unofficial, Unauthorized, Apple Online Museum- Apple II machine
history, anecdotes, and pictures
http://www.hughes.net/~gcifu/applemuseum/index.html
Upgrade the GS Project- Home page for input and discussion
relating to IIgs upgrades
http://members.wbs.net/homepages/m/y/n/mynameisme712/g.htm
Vintage Computer Festival- festival and VCF archive information
http://www.siconic.com/vcf/
Washington Apple Pi- Apple II and Apple III information
http://www.wap.org/info/
____________________________
006- What is an Apple II: The KIM
My Ex bought a KIM in ... had to be 1976, 'cause that's the year we
split. He played Hunt the Wumpus on it. I couldn't see the point of
messing with those red LEDs at the time.
Nancy Crawford, Csa2 post on 27 December, 1995
KIM (for "Keyboard Input Monitor") was a 6502 'development system'
release in 1976 by MOS Technology. A single board with six 7-segment LED
displays, it soon had a wide following of avid experimenters who wrote
programs like Jim Butterfield's "Lunar Lander" and Stan Ockers's "Hunt the
Wumpus" and published numerous articles in magazines like Byte and KiloBaud
describing hardware add-ons. For many, KIM was the introduction to 6502
computing which would, in a few years, lead to becoming an Apple II user.
--Rubywand
____________________________
007- What is an Apple II: The Apple I
The original Apple was not much more than a board. You had to supply
your own keyboard, monitor and case. It sold for $666.66, but now they are
worth much more as a collector's item.
For pics and more information about the Apple I see GS WorldView at
http://www.grin.net/~cturley/gsezine/GS.WorldView/*APPLE.HISTORY/.
--Dan DeMaggio, Charles T. Turley
____________________________
008- What is an Apple II: The Apple ][ and Apple ][+
The II and II+ are the computers that launched the Apple II line. They
have the 6502 microprocessor, ability to do Hi-res and Lo-res color graphics,
sound, joystick input, and casette tape I/O. They have a total of eight
expansion Slots for adding peripherials such as the Disk ][ controller,
MockingBoard, serial I/O, and printer interface. Clock speed is 1MHz and,
with Apple's Language Card installed, standard memory size is 64kB.
The distinction between the ][ and ][+ is the installed ROMs. The ][
starts you in the Monitor program and includes in-ROM Integer BASIC. The ][+
has the AutoStart ROM which tries to locate and boot a diskette upon startup
and defaults to Applesoft BASIC which is included in-ROM. Many ][ owners
upgraded to the ][+ ROMs.
Apple ][ and ][+ computers can run thousands of games, utilities, and
other programs created to run under Apple DOS-- chiefly, DOS 3.3. Both
machines can, also, run under ProDOS through v1.9 so long as the software
does not require features of an "enhanced" 128k IIe. For instance, you can
run Appleworks if you have more than 128K RAM installed and a program called
PlusWorks. However, the ][ can not run BASIC programs under ProDOS since
Applesoft must be in ROM.
Recommended configuration: 16K "language card" (in Slot 0), an 80-column
video card (not the same as a //e Extended 80-column card), shift key
modification (a wire running from shift key to game port), modified character
ROMs to display lower case, composite color monitor, Disk ][ controller card,
two 5.25" Disk ][ or compatible drives, parallel printer interface card, and
parallell-interface printer. You can add memory beyond 64k in various ways,
but many programs that "require 128K" probably will not work, no matter how
much RAM you have. You can also add accelerators like the SpeeDemon or
Rocket/Zip. --Dan DeMaggio, David Empson, Rubywand
____________________________
009- What is an Apple II: The "Black Apple"
Bell & Howell marketed the "Black Apple" made by Apple. It is an Apple
II+ done in black with some extra audio/video connections to fit with
projectors, etc. made by B&H-- mainly for use in the classroom. A nice
feature is the "handle" attached to the back. It contains a few power
outlets, allowing the CPU, Monitor, etc., to be controlled with one switch.
Evidently, 5000-10,000 units were produced. --Coaxial, Mike McGovern,
Rubywand
____________________________
010- What is an Apple II: The Apple //e
The //e comes in two flavors: Enhanced and unenhanced. When you start
your computer, the unenhanced IIe displays "Apple ][" at the top of screen;
the Enhanced IIe displays "Apple //e". Apple made an Enhancement kit to
upgrade an unenhanced to Enhanced by replacing 4 chips (CPU [65C02], Video
ROM [MouseText], and new Monitor/Applesoft ROMs). Apple Resource Center sells
a IIe Enhancement kit for $20.00.
The current IIe operating system is ProDOS-8. (The IIe can also run DOS
3.3, earlier DOS's, and Pascal.) A lot of ProDOS software requires an
Enhanced //e, and sometimes 128K, too.
A IIe Enhancement Kit does not include any extra RAM. You can expand a
64k IIe to the standard 128k required for a fully Enhanced IIe via an
Extended 80-column card. It plugs into the Aux Connector on the motherboard.
Alltech ($19.00), MC Price Breakers ($14.95), and Sequential Systems ($19.95)
sell such cards.
Except for being able to type and display lower-case characters, the
unenhanced IIe is very similar to the II+. A 128k Enhanced IIe adds a number
of features including 80-column firmware and 16-color double-lores and double
hires display capability.
The Apple //e remains useful for four major reasons:
1) It runs AppleWorks, a simple to use, yet sophisticated Spreadsheet/Word
Processor/Database.
2) It can run many games and other entertainment software products.
3) There are many Apples in schools-- an example is Louis Cornelio's room at
Clairemont High School ( http://www.n2.net/clairemont/ )-- so there is a ton
of Apple II educational software.
4) It is was and will always be a _Personal_ computer. You can learn as
little or as much as you want, and nothing stops you from learning about
every nook and cranny in it. Ask any big name programmer in MS/DOS or Mac
where they learned to program. Most of them taught themselves on a good ol'
Apple II.
Recommended configuration: Extended 80 Column card (gives you 128K) or
RamWorks (512K to 1MB RAM), Enhancement kit (for unenhanced IIe), and a
composite color monitor which can display decent 80-colume text, Super Serial
card, Disk ][ controller card, two 5.25" Disk ][ or compatible drives,
parallel printer interface card, and parallell-interface printer. A Hard
Drive is recommended if you use a lot of different programs. Heavy Appleworks
users should add the hard disk, extra RAM, and a 4MHz or better accelerator
(like the Rocket Chip, Zip Chip or TransWarp). --Dan DeMaggio, Rubywand
____________________________
011- What is an Apple II: The Apple //c and IIc+
The //c and IIc+ are compact 'luggable' versions of an Enhanced //e,
with many built-in 'cards'. Included are 2 serial ports, a mouse port, a disk
port and 128K of RAM. Support for the original Apple casette tape I/O is
gone. The //c has a built-in 5.25" drive while the IIc+ has a built-in 3.5"
drive.
The IIc+ has a built-in accelerator that runs at 4 MHz (vs. the //c's
1MHz) making it the fastest Apple II as well as faster than any of the A2
clones. (To boot your IIc+ at 'regular', 1MHz, speed, include the Escape key
in the usual boot keypresses-- i.e. OpenApple-CTRL-ESC-RESET.) The IIc+,
which was introduced after the IIgs, also allows daisey chaining the GS Apple
3.5" drive along with 5.25" drives.
The //c and IIc+ run just about all of the DOS 3.3, ProDOS, "128k"
software, etc. that an Enhanced //e runs plus the few //c-only software
releases. However, the use of certain locations for storing system variables
and ROM differences means that //c series machines will not run a number of
old games designed for the ][ and ][+ which the IIe and IIgs will run.
Even though //c machines don't have slots, you can still add extra
memory (there's room under the keyboard) and a hard drive (through the disk
port--a bit slow by ordinary standards, but usable. Hard to find though..
Was made by Chinook). There is also a for-//c "D" version of MockingBoard you
can plug in to get much improved sound and music from software supporting the
board, and a module you can attach to convert output to RF for using a TV as
a monitor.
Recommended configuration: A composite color monitor which can display decent
80-colume text, 1 MB RAM, and, maybe, a hard drive. For the //c, add a second
5.25" drive; for the IIc+, add a second 3.5" drive and two 5.25" drives.
--Dan DeMaggio, Rubywand
____________________________
012- What is an Apple II: The Laser 128EX and 'EX/2
While not made by Apple, these Lasers can run just about anything that
an Enhanced //e can run. They are as luggable as a //c and include built-in
'cards'. They are also fast; the entire motherboard runs at 3.6Mhz. If you
want to use a card in the single expansion Slot, you may have to disable the
internal UDC (for 3.5" drives) or the internal 1MB memory expansion.
Unlike the EX model, which supports one additional disk drive, the EX/2
supports as many daisychained drives as a IIgs and has a built in BRAM
control panel for saving settings. The EX/2 also has a built in 3.5" disk
drive, a MIDI port, and a video port which can support analog RGB and digital
CGA monitors as well as an LCD display. --Supertimer, Dan DeMaggio
____________________________
Related FAQs Resources: R024GSSPECS.txt (text file)
Related FAQs Resources: R002WOZGS.GIF (gif picture file)
013- What is an Apple II: The Apple IIgs
The IIgs (or "GS") represents a giant leap in the Apple II line. It's
65C816 microprocessor can switch to 6502-emulation mode for running 8-bit
Apple II software favorites, while, in native mode, it runs 16-bit GS
applications. GS delivers new super-hires graphics modes, a toolbox in ROM,
a 32-oscillator Ensoniq sound chip, and a max base speed of 2.8MHz. Base RAM
memory is 256kB (ROM-01) or 1MB (ROM 3) expandable up to 8MB.
GS built-ins include modem and printer serial ports good for up to 56k
baud, Disk Port supporting two 5.25" and two 3.5" (800k) drives, RGB and
composite video outputs, enhanced and 'old Apple' sound, ADB bus for keyboard
and mouse, game port supporting two two-button joysticks, clock/calendar, and
battery RAM to retain user settings accessible via the Control Panel. (To get
to the Control Panel press OpenApple-Control-Escape and select "Control
Panel".) There is more about Apple IIgs specifications in the FAQs resource
file R024GSSPECS.txt.
The IIgs can run DOS 3.3, ProDOS, Pascal, and any other OS the earlier
8-bit models can run. Like the //c series, it does not support the original
Apple casette tape I/O. GS is the only A2 machine which can run GS/OS. GS/OS
and Toolbox routines make it possible for the System Finder program to
deliver a sophisticated 'mouse and windows' environment which looks very much
like PC's Windows. The current version of System is System 6.0.1.
The first GS's were released in the Fall of 1986. The batches produced
until mid-late 1987 became known as "ROM 00" machines after release of the
"ROM 01" models. When you boot a ROM-01 GS, the startup screen shows "ROM
Version 01"; when you boot a ROM-00 GS the startup screen says nothing about
ROM version.
The original GS's came in cases marked "Limited Edition" with
SteveWozniak's signature. Often, these are referred to as "Woz GS's". (See
FAQs resource file R002WOZGS.GIF for a picture.) A relatively small number of
users chose Apple's option to upgrade their IIe's with a motherboard swap.
The swap included "IIgs" labels users could substitute for "//e" in the case
insert.
At the time of the ROM-01 change-over, Apple supplied a ROM-00-to-ROM-01
upgrade service free. It consists of swapping in a new ROM and a new Video
Graphics Controller ("VGC") IC. ROM-00 machines which have not had the
upgrade can not run modern GS software-- the ROM must be upgraded. Alltech
(760-724-2404; http://allelec.com ) sells a ROM-01 'upgrade kit' consisting
of the 01 ROM for $29.00.
The VGC upgrade is not required for software compatibility, and is not
needed for all machines anyway. It is supposed to fix cosmetic problems in
monochrome double-hires graphics mode (pink flickering or fringing on what is
supposed to be a black and white screen). On some machines the VGC swap also
fixes some color combination problems in 80-column text mode.
Whether via the upgrade or original purchase of a newer GS, by late 1987
nearly all GS users were 'on the same page'. That is, we had the ROM-01
platform with its base 256kB RAM plus the official Apple 1MB Expansion Memory
Board plugged into the Memory Expansion Slot for a total of 1.25MB of
fully-accessible system RAM. For the next couple of years, practically all GS
software was designed to launch from 3.5" diskette under "ProDOS-16" and to
fit within the 1.25MB of RAM everyone was assumed to have installed.
In 1989 Apple introduced the "ROM 3" GS-- the startup screen shows "ROM
Version 3". (No ROM-02 GS was ever released). The only major improvement over
ROM-01 is more base RAM-- you get 1MB instead of 256kB. This is a very nice
benefit. It means that a ROM 3 with a 4MB Mem Exp Board will have 5MB of
fully accessible RAM whereas a ROM-01 can have 4.25MB of fully-accessible
RAM. In effect, the ROM 3 owner gets a 'free' 800kB RAM disk. As Mitch
Spector notes in his listing of ROM 3 features (in the "Hardware Hacking"
FAQs), the newer GS offers a number of other nice pluses with the only
significant minus being incompatibility with a few older GS programs.
Chiefly, ROM 3 is a 1989 re-do of ROM-01 featuring more streamlined
hardware and more built-in firmware. (Upon booting, the current system
software applies in-RAM patches matched to each ROM version to achieve nearly
identical operation.) Very few ROM-01 owners felt any urge to move to ROM 3.
Even today, the vast majority of installed GS's are ROM-01 machines.
The 1990's have seen wide adoption of four major GS enhancements:
OS- After years of foot-dragging, Apple finally produced a decent 16-bit GS
operating system with release of System 5.0. Within a few years this evolved
into today's System 6 (System 6.0.1). System 6 has won wide acceptance as a
relatively stable OS which, at last, allows GS users to access many of the
features of GS computing promised back in 1986. Whereas earlier OS's can
'fit' on a GS with 1MB of Expansion memory, System 6 really requires
something like 2.5MB RAM to be worth installing.
Memory- Driven, in part, by the need for more memory to run System 6, 4MB
became the standard size of installed Memory Expansions. Except for school
GS's and GS's taken out of circulation and tucked away in closets, the old
Apple 1MB Expansion Boards have long ago been replaced with 4MB boards.
Hard Disk- As with memory, the size of newer versions of System supplied a
strong push toward adding a hard disk. Software was becoming larger, too, and
there was so much of it that making everything work from diskette became
impossibly cumbersome. Lower HD prices, attractive SCSI interfaces such as
RamFAST, and low-cost, easy single-card IDE solutions such as the Focus "Hard
Card" have helped make the hard disk a standard, expected peripheral on
today's GS.
Acceleration- Few commercial software offerings actually sought to push GS
users to higher speeds; and, as a result, users went for years feeling no
great need for Applied Engineering's expensive Transwarp accelerator. The
arrival of Zip Technology's lower-cost ZipGS board together with a clear need
for more speed to handle System 6 sparked a nearly overnight 'acceleration
revolution'. Today, an accelerator running at 8MHz or better is considered,
very nearly, to be a necessary IIgs enhancement.
Recommended configuration: ROM-01 or ROM 3 with 4MB or 8MB Memory Expansion
board-- i.e. at least 4.25MB (ROM-01) or 5MB (ROM 3) of total system RAM,
RamFAST SCSI + 120MB or larger SCSI hard disk OR 120MB or larger HD-on-a-card
IDE drive (e.g. Alltech's Focus Hard Card or SHH's Turbo IDE series) with
System 6.0.1 installed, 8MHz/32k TransWarp or 9MHz/32k ZipGS or better
accelerator board, Stereo Card, Imagewriter II printer, two 3.5" and two
5.25" diskette drives.
A minimum GS system that will run many older wares and still deliver a decent
operating system is a ROM-01 GS with the Apple 1MB Memory Expansion board,
two 3.5" drives, at least one 5.25" drive, and Imagewriter II printer, which
boots System 5.0.4 from 3.5" diskette. --Dan DeMaggio, Rubywand, David
Empson, Supertimer, Randy Shackelford
____________________________
014- What is an Apple II: The Apple IIe Emulation Card
This is a 'IIe on a card' plug-in that fits into Mac LC and some
subsequent machines that have the LC Processor Direct Slot (PDS). This
includes 020, 030, and 040 machines. The card is not compatible with the Mac
Quadra. It lets one run Apple //e software.
Many of these cards are sold today without documentation. In case you've
just plugged one into your Mac Color Classic, etc., it will help to know that
pressing Command-Control-Escape gets you to the Preferences panel.
The Apple IIe Emulation Card is actually more like a //c because the
card is not an expandable machine like a //e. There is a place on the back of
the card to plug in a UniDisk 5.25" and a joystick. Because the graphics are
handled by the Mac, animation may be slow if you don't have a decent Mac.
--Dan DeMaggio, David Empson, Owen Aaland, Edward Floden, Liam Busey
____________________________
015- Apple "][", "Apple II", "Apple //"-- which is correct?
"][", "II", and "//" tend to be used pretty much interchangably for any
model of Apple II computer, although, practically speaking, there are a few
usages which may provoke a correction.
"][" is the original Apple II symbol. It appears on all early II's and
II+'s as well as on the Disk ][ drive. It is, easily, the most attractive and
distinctive II symbol; but, it is also associated with _old_ Apple II 's. The
"//" usage is generally associated with the c and newer e models.
About the only situation where naming is likely to produce confusion is
when an old model (non-enhanced) e is called a "//e". "Apple //e" is widely
taken as referring to an enhanced 128k e model. An "Apple IIe" may be an
older e or an enhanced model. There is no widely accepted designation for
referring exclusively to the older e model.
The plain "II" symbol is the one most widely accepted as 'okay', for
all Apple II models.
The, generally, preferred designations are ...
Apple ][ or Apple II for pre-II+ models
Apple ][+ or Apple II+
Apple IIe for non-enhanced IIe computers
Apple //e for 128k enhanced //e computers
Apple //c
Apple IIc+
Apple IIgs or GS or best (if you have the fonts for a small "GS") IIGS
Just "A2" is fairly common when referring to series-wide products or
concerns as in "Old, out-of-print A2 wares should be preserved and archived
for easy access by every user".
____________________________
016- What is "8 bit" and "16 bit"?
Number of bits usually indicates how big a chunk of data a computer's
main microprocessor can manipulate. The Apple IIgs is based on the 65C816
microprocessor and is considered to be a 16-bit machine. Previous Apple ]['s
are based upon pure 8-bit microprocessors such as the 6502 and 65C02. These
are considered to be 8-bit machines. Sometimes II+ or IIe or IIc software is
called "8-bit software".
The 65C816 is a member of the 6502 family which includes expanded
registers and adds many new commands while retaining the ability to go into
8-bit mode. So; the GS can run most 8-bit wares designed for older Apple II
machines as well as newer 16-bit wares. Meanwhile, 8-bit machines are pretty
well limited to 8-bit wares. --Rubywand
____________________________
017- How can I tell what version my computer is?
Apple II
Upon Reset, the Apple II starts you in the system monitor looking at the
"*" prompt. It allows step execution of machine code and has Integer BASIC in
ROM. The major division between kinds of Apple II is Revision 0 and Revision
1. The Revision 1 motherboard adds a number of features including a few which
are easily observed:
Power-On Reset: The computer automatically does a Reset when turned On.
More hires colors: To the Black, White, Violet, and Green available on a Rev0
machine, Rev1 adds Blue and Orange.
Color Killer added: Full-text displays are black&white without the color
fringing and tinting you see on Rev0 machines.
Apple II+
All Apple II+ machines have the Revision 1 or higher motherboard and the
Autostart ROM. On power-up the Apple II+ does a Reset and displays "APPLE ]["
at the top of the screen. If a disk drive is connected, the II+ will try to
boot a diskette. The Apple II+ loses some monitor features (like instruction
stepping) and Integer BASIC found in the earlier Apple II; but, it gains the
more powerful Applesoft BASIC in ROM. A II+ Reset leaves you in BASIC looking
at the "]" Applesoft BASIC prompt.
Apple IIe
The major division is between the Enhanced and unenhanced IIe models.
Look at your computer while re-booting. If it says "Apple ][", it is not
enhanced. The enhanced computers will say "Apple //e". You can upgrade it
yourself by getting the Apple IIe Enhancement kit. (It contains 4 chips to
replace on your motherboard.)
Many newer programs will not work unless you have an Enhanced IIe. (If
you have a //c or GS, or a Laser 128, you have Enhanced IIe compatibility.)
There are also some older 128k IIe's that are not capable of double-hires.
Check the serial number on the motherboard (in the back, by the power-on
led). If it is 820-0064-A, you must change the motherboard to upgrade (unless
you have the PAL version). Serial #s like 820-0064-B or 820-0087-A are the
plain IIe, and the version with the grey case comes pre-Enhanced.
week 26 1983:
820-0073-A (c) 1982 Colour killer switch soldered to open
B-607-0664 oscillator position on PCB.
week 38 1983:
820-0073-B (c) 1982 Colour killer switch near RHS of PCB.
B-607-0264 All chips socketed.
week 7 1985:
820-0073 (c) 1984 PCB marked for enhanced ROMs & 65c02
B-607-0264 (mine had old ROMs and 6502). RAM &
some TTL soldered in.
All three work with double res graphics. (Apart from the revision letter
vanishing, most chips being soldered in and the silkscreened ROM numbers, I
can see no difference between the last two PCBs mentioned.)
Apple //c and Apple IIc+
Go into Basic and type "PRINT PEEK (64447)" and press return. If it
says 255, you have a very old //c. See your dealer about getting an upgrade
(tell them that the Apple authorization number is ODL660). If it says 0, you
can do 3.5" drives, but you don't have the memory expansion connector. If it
says 3 You have the memory expansion. If it says 4, you have the latest
model of the //c. If it says 5, you have an Apple IIc+.
Apple IIgs
There are 3 major versions of the GS: Check the initial power-up screen.
It will probably say ROM-01 or ROM 3. If it does not say either, you have a
ROM-00 model. You must upgrade a ROM-00 machine in order to run current
system software. The ROM-01 has 256K on the motherboard, while the ROM 3 has
1 MB on the motherboard. Most of the enhancements of the ROM 3 are added to
the ROM-01 simply by booting up with current system software. --Dan DeMaggio,
David Empson, Jeff Blakeney, Rubywand
____________________________
018- Where can I find out about Applesoft BASIC programming on my Apple?
All Apple II's come with some version of BASIC installed in-ROM on the
motherboard. The original Apple II's have Integer BASIC. Starting with the
II+ model, all Apple II's have floating-point Applesoft in-ROM. Owners of
early Apple II's can load in Applesoft or plug in a card with Applesoft ROMs.
There are several good places to find out about Applesoft programming:
Apple Cabi.net- Tarnover
ftp://24.96.48.134:6502/Cabi_Archives/FAQs.and.INFO/LanguagesAndProgramming/
ftp://24.96.48.134:6502/Cabi_Archives/Languages.Programming/
Apple II Lessons & Software
http://www.iglou.com/qwerty/kb/dlfiles.html
Apple II Programmer's Archive
http://net-24-42.dhcp.mcw.edu/a2pa.html
Ground
ftp://ground.ecn.uiowa.edu/2/apple2/MiscInfo/Applesoft/
ftp://ground.ecn.uiowa.edu/apple2/MiscInfo/Programming/
ftp://ground.ecn.uiowa.edu/2/apple2/apple8/Beagle.Oldies/
Home of the Apple II
http://www.educate.net.au/~apple2/
http://www.xs4all.nl/~fjkraan/comp/apple2faq/
SoWhat Software
http://www.sowhatsoftware.com/home.html
The comp.sys.apple2 Usenet newsgroup
The comp.sys.apple2.programmer Usenet newsgroup
Be sure to keep a look out for Apple II books on programming, DOS, and
ProDOS when you visit used book stores, swap meets, school sales, ..., or
peruse comp.sys.apple2 marketplace.
Of course, the #1 Applesoft information source is the Basic Programming
Reference Manual from Apple. Here are some other good materials to look for
...
Apple II User's Guide by Poole, Martin, and Cook
Apple II Reference Manual from Apple
Beagle Bros "Peeks, Pokes, and Pointers" (poster) by Beagle Bros
ProDOS Inside and Out by Doms and Weishaar
The DOS Manual from Apple
One of the best ways to learn BASIC programming is to find some old game
you like written in BASIC and experiment with customizing it.
Finally, if your Apple II is an enhanced //e or later machine, be sure
to get Program Writer. It's a vintage program editing utility from Beagle
which makes writing and debugging BASIC programs much easier. --Rubywand,
Terence J. Boldt
____________________________
019- Suppose I just want to start using my Apple II Now!?
Okay; suppose you have zilch info, do not feel like looking through the
FAQs, and want to start Now. The following _may_ be all you need to get going
with some game or utility from diskette:
o The Disk Controller Card for Apple ][, ][+, and IIe goes into Slot 6 (next
to last Slot on the right when viewed from the front). Drive 1 plugs into the
top connector with the ribbon side of the cable plug facing out. Plug in the
cable(s) before plugging in the card so that you are sure the connector and
plug line up correctly.
o On the IIgs, the 3.5" drive(s) plug in first, then, the 5.25" drive(s).
o Unless a hard disk is installed, most Apple II's try to boot a diskette and
start DOS 3.3, ProDOS, or GS/OS when turned ON. (On the old Apple ][ you can
type in 6 Control-P RETURN to boot from the Monitor, assuming your Controller
Card is in Slot 6. To press Control-P, press and hold Control, then P, then
release both keys.)
o Most, but not all, diskettes are bootable. If one diskette doesn't boot,
try another. If no diskettes boot, use a Radio Shack Head Cleaner diskette to
clean the drive head(s).
o If the prompt you see is ], you are in Applesoft BASIC; > indicates Integer
BASIC; and * indicates the Monitor. If both Integer BASIC and Applesoft are
in memory, you can enter FP to switch from Integer to Applesoft and INT to
switch from Applesoft to Integer. To go from either BASIC to the Monitor,
enter CALL-151. To start the current BASIC from the Monitor, enter Control-B.
To go back to BASIC with program and variables in tact from the Monitor,
enter Control-C.
o Except for the ][ and most ][+'s, you must press Control-RESET to do a
Reset.
o To boot a diskette when viewing a BASIC prompt, you can enter PR#6 to boot
a drive associated with Slot 6-- usually a 5.25" drive-- and PR#5 to boot a
drive associated with Slot 5-- usually a 3.5" drive. --Rubywand, David Empson
____________________________
020- Where do I find out about Apple II Users' Groups?
See Csa2USERGRP.txt
____________________________
021- How can I find out more about using my Apple II?
You can peruse the newsgroup FAQs Q&A and check out the Apple II net
sites listed earlier. Here are a few good starting places:
Charles 'Dr. Tom' Turley's huge collection of Apple II info on the
Apple Cabi.net archives at
Florida- ftp://24.96.48.134:6502/Cabi_Archives/FAQs.and.INFO/
Tarnover- ftp://tarnover.dyndns.org/cabi/FAQs.and.INFO/
Gabriel Morales's Apple II Beginner's Guide at
http://www.concentric.net/~Togega/Apple2/
Charles Hartleys's Apple II Lessons & Software at
http://www.iglou.com/qwerty/kb/dlfiles.html
Terry Allen's Home of the Apple II at
http://www.educate.net.au/~apple2/
Still, there is really no substitute for having the technical manual for
your particular Apple II or clone. The manual for the ][ and ][+ is the Apple
][ Reference Manual. For the IIe and IIc you want Apple's Technical Reference
Manual for your machine. For the IIgs you will want, at least, the IIgs
Hardware Reference and IIgs Firmware Reference.
Naturally, you will want to get manuals and materials covering DOS,
ProDOS, BASIC, and many other areas relating to your Apple II. Below is a
decent 'getting started' sampling:
Applesoft BASIC and Assembly Language
Assembly Lines: The Book by Wagner
BASIC Programming Reference Manual from Apple
Programming the 65816 Including the 6502, 65C02, and 65802
by David Eyes and Ron Lichty
65816/65802 Assembly Language Programming by Fischer
DOS, ProDOS, and GS/OS
Apple IIgs GS/OS Technical Reference (Apple/ Addison-Wesley)
Beneath Apple DOS by Worth & Lechner
Beneath Apple ProDOS by Worth & Lechner
Exploring Apple GS/OS and ProDOS 8 by Little
ProDOS Inside and Out by Doms and Weishaar
ProDOS Technical Reference Manual (Apple/ Addison-Wesley)
The DOS Manual from Apple
General Apple II
Apple II Reference Manual from Apple
Apple II User's Guide by Poole, Martin, and Cook
Beagle Bros "Peeks, Pokes, and Pointers" (poster) by Beagle Bros
The Apple II Circuit Description by Winston D. Gayler
Understanding the Apple ][ by Jim Sather
What's Where in the Apple II? by William F. Luebbert
Some technical manuals and other materials can be obtained in original
or reprint form from Byte Works (http://www.byteworks.org/) and Kula Soft
(http://www.angelfire.com/hi/kulasoft/). Major book sellers, such as Amazon
(http://www.amazon.com) list many Apple II books. Though most are out of
print, the sellers will search for and, with luck, locate the book you want.
Apple II manuals and other books also turn up for sale on Csa2
newsgroups like comp.sys.apple2.marketplace, at used book shops, and at local
Users Group swap meets; and, some manuals are now available on-line at Terry
Allen's Home of the Apple II at http://www.educate.net.au/~apple2/. A few
items, such as Reference Cards and posters, can be downloaded in Text or HTML
form from Apple II archives.
You may be able to find a local Apple II users' group or a group on-line
that you like. Besides knowledgeable users, you will often find a software
library stocked with useful software. (See Csa2USERGRP.txt.)
Another good resource is a subscription to an Apple II newsletter or
magazine; and, don't overlook collections of major Apple II magazines
published through the 1980's (e.g. inCider, Nibble, Computist, etc.). They
are virtual encyclopedias covering many areas of II computing. For current
publishers and net sites which offer on-line copies of back issues see the
Apple II Publishers listing.
Often, the easiest, quickest way to an answer for some Apple II question
is to 'just ask it' on comp.sys.apple2 and/or another Csa2 family newsgroup.
There are no Csa2 rules about posting to just a newsgroup which deals with a
particular topic or making sure your question is hard enough or reading the
FAQs first. Supplying information is the main purpose of the newsgroups.
--Rubywand, David Wilson
____________________________
022- Where can I get Apple II computers, parts, boards, and software?
All Electronics (800-826-5432; http://www.allcorp.com ) major surplus and new
parts seller- switches, LCD panels, connectors, transformers, caps, IIgs-type
lithium batteries, etc.
Alltech (760-724-2404; http://allelec.com accepts on-line orders) sells all
kinds of replacement parts for Apple II's as well as the Focus Hard Card
drives, CD-ROM drives, cables, memory boards & IC's, diskettes, ... .
Apple Resource Center "The ARC" (800-753-0114; http://www.thearc.com ) sells
Apple II computers and peripherals.
Auction sites which handle Apple II items on the internet
http://www.ebay.com http://www.cityauction.com http://www.boxlot.com
http://www.haggle.com
AV Systems ( http://members.xoom.com/AV_Systems/ email:
73170.3546@compuserve.com) game, education, utility software for Apple II
computers
B&R Computer Services (619-225-8281; http://members.aol.com/rrbp/Home.html )
sells Apple II computers, peripherals, and software.
Stephen Buggie (505-863-2390) sells the famous Buggie Power Supplies, Buggie
Drives, and does disk drive conversions.
Byte Works (505-898-8183; http://www.byteworks.org/ email: mikew50@aol.com)
sells the respected Orca series of Apple II languages and support software
including the new GS BASIC.
Catweasel ( http://members.tripod.com/~apd2/catweasl.htm ) makes and sells a
disk drive controller intended for reading A2 diskettes on non-A2 drives.
Charlie's AppleSeeds (619-566-0387; 9081 Hadley Place, San Diego CA
92126-1523; http://hometown.aol.com/chucknewby/index.html email:
chucknewby@aol.com) sells Apple II hard disks and controllers, floppy drives,
... and ProSel, ProSel-16 documentation.
Comp.sys.apple2.marketplace is the Csa2 newsgroup for buying and selling
Apple II hardware and software.
Creative Solutions (937-429-5759; http://members.aol.com/CreatSltn/index.html
) Apple II hardware, software, and repairs
Digi-Key (800-344-4539; http://www.digikey.com) IC's and general parts
supplier
DigiSoft Innovations ( http://www.hypermall.com/digisoft/digisoft/ email:
Jim Maricondo at digisoft@hypermall.com) continues to sell the Golden Orchard
CD and is working on GO-II.
Dirt-Cheap Drives (800-786-1160; http://www.dirtcheapdrives.com ) 2.5" IDE
drives
Emerald City Sales (870-743-3872; http://www.ahhz.com/ ) sells TrackStar
boards and other A2 hardware.
F. E. Systems ( http://www.magnet.ch/emutech/index.html ) sells Bernie' IIgs
emulator for Macs.
Gene Ehrich's On-Line Computer Garage Sale (email: gene@ehrich.com;
http://www.voicenet.com/~generic/ ) sells Apple II (C-64, PC, etc.) hardware,
software, manuals, and other items.
Grw Systems ( http://www.wilde.org/grwsystems/ ) offers Utility Works and
Utility Launch shareware for IIgs.
Halted Specialties (800-442-5833; http://www.halted.com ) sells electronic
parts- sockets, cables, plugs, caps, Parallax BASIC stamp, SCSI cables, ...
good prices for 74xxx, 65xx, etc. IC's
Hudson's Hobby Games (P.O. Box 121503, Arlington, Texas, 76012; 817-461-0126;
email: HudsonGame@aol.com) sells Old Apple II games in original boxes
InTrec Software (888-PROTERM; http://www.intrec.com ) sells ProTerm A2 and
high-speed GS modem cable; the "InTrec Store" sells used II/IIgs computers,
peripheral hardware, and software at good prices
Jameco (800-831-4242; http://www.jameco.com ) Apple II and general parts
supplier
JDR Microdevices (800-538-5000; http://www.jdr.com ) Apple II and general
parts supplier
Kitchen Sink Software (614-891-2111; http://www.kitchen-sink.com ) sells
Awks-to-RichText software for Mac and Apple II software
KulaSoft (808-595-8131; http://www.angelfire.com/hi/kulasoft ) Eamon
Adventures, Apple II magazine Indexes, software collections, tutorials, and
books
Steven Lichter (Apple Elite II BBS 909-359-5338; email: stevenl@pe.net)
offers GBBS/LLUCE support and software.
Lynxmotion (104 Partridge Road, Pekin, IL 61554-1403; 309-382-1816
http://www.lynxmotion.com ) sells Robot kits, Robot arms, servos,
controllers, ... for PC but adaptable for Apple II
MC Price Breakers (360-837-3042; http://www.mcpb.com ) sells memory boards,
high-speed GS modem cables, and other Apple II hardware
MECI (800-344-6324; http://www.meci.com ) surplus electronic parts- fans,
tubes, solenoids, IC sockets, 50-25 SCSI cables and adaptors, ...
Mouser Electronics (800-346-6873; http://www.mouser.com ) major IC and
general parts supplier
MPJA/ Marlin P. Jones (800-652-6733; http://www.mpja.com/ ) many power
supplies, NULL modem, Parallax BASIC stamp, misc kits, LED displays, LCD
panels, ...
Newark Electronics (800-463-9275; http://www.newark.com ) major electronic
parts supplier
Ninjaforce Entertainment ( http://www.igd.fhg.de/~girschik/nfc/ ) Ninjaforce
software for IIgs
Pre-Owned Electronics (800-274-5343) sells a variety of peripherals and
accessories.
Scantron Quality Computers (800-777-3642 http://www.sqc.com ) Appleworks,
Appleworks-GS vendor.
Sequential Systems (303-666-4549; http://www.sequential.com email:
inquiries@sequential.com) sells 4-8MB GS memory boards, RAMfast SCSI
interface, and other peripheral boards.
Seven Hills Software (850-575-0566; http://www.sevenhills.com/applesoftware )
develops and sells IIgs software.
Shareware Solutions II ( http://www.crl.com/~joko/ email: joko@crl.com)
sells Convert 3200 plus games, boxed Old game originals, the Golden Orchard
CD-ROM, and other wares.
SheppyWare ( http://www.sheppyware.net/ ) software by Eric Shepherd
SHH Systeme, Germany ( http://users.ids.net/~kerwood/shh.html ) sells Turbo
IDE and other HD controller cards, Blue Disk, TWGS Accelerator upgrades, and
repairs.
Shreve Systems (800-227-3971; http://www.shrevesystems.com ) sells II
computers, peripherals, parts and accessories.
Software and More (916-725-0228; http://members.aol.com/SWMoreTP/AP.html )
sells Apple II hardware and software.
Sun Remarketing (800-821-3221; http://www.sunrem.com accepts on-line orders)
sells Apple II parts and peripherals.
Terence J. Boldt's Apple II Projects (email: apple2@cgocable.net;
http://www.cgocable.net/~apple2/romdrive.html ) sells bootable ROM Drive.
Texas II/Kingwood Micro Software (2503 Sherbrooke Lane, McKinney, TX 75070;
972-562-6335; http://members.aol.com/A2MG/ ) develops and sells classic
Appleworks v3.0-v5.1 support software.
ThinkStuff ( http://www.thinkstuff.com/main.htm ) sells Mac/IIgs hi-speed
modem and NULL modem cables.
Vernier Software (503-297-5317; http://www.vernier.com ) sells project books
and components.
Wayne's Computer (315-689-7899;
http://www.waynes.com/Business/WaynesComputer/default.htm ) sells Apple II
computers, peripherals, and software.
Western Design Center (602-962-4545; http://www.wdesignc.com ) makes and
sells 65C816 microprocessor used in IIgs and for accelerator upgrades.
William K. Bradford Co. (800-421-2009; http://www.wkbradford.com ) Apple II
educational software
--Rubywand
____________________________
023- Where can I get Apple II books and periodicals?
A2 2000 back issues in .sdk and .shk form (
ftp://24.96.48.134:6502/Cabi_Archives/Monthly.Disks.Collections/A2.2000/ )
Apple Assembly Line back issues in .bxy form collected by Scott Alfter (
http://people.delphi.com/salfter/aal/index.html )
Apple II Magazine Indexes- available from KulaSoft
( http://www.angelfire.com/hi/kulasoft )
Apple II Manuals on-line in html form-- ref Terry Allen's Manual Project (
http://www.educate.net.au/~apple2/manuals/index.html )
Apple Blossom is a bi-montly mini-magazine edited by Steve Cavenaugh. (Apple
Blossom Publishing, P.O. Box 120434, Boston, MA 02112-0434;
http://people.delphi.com/appleblossom/ email: appleblossom@delphi.com)
The Applebyter newsletter (Applebyters Computer Club, P.O. Box 2092,
Davenport, IA 52809 http://helios.augustana.edu/~sbeattie/applebyters/ ) is
a vintage monthly newsletter edited by Shawn Beattie.
Byte Works (505-898-8183; http://www.byteworks.org/ ) major source for Apple
II series manuals, other Apple books, and Orca languages, manuals, and
support. (mikew50@aol.com)
Composition is an on-line 'zine devoted to GS MIDIsynth and synthLAB music (
http://www.fortunecity.com/victorian/rembrandt/2/comp.html ) published by
Gregory Heald.
Computist magazine index and Library Disks plus back issues in text and
(mainly) scanned .jpg form-- ref Celt's (celt@chisp.net) Computist Project (
ftp://24.96.48.134:6502/Cabi_Archives/Monthly.Disks.Collections/Computist/ )
Dark Castle (Wolborgenmate 72, 7006 DK Doetinchem, The Netherlands;
+31-314-365145) is a quarterly mini-magazine edited by Doede Boomsma.
(dboomsma@sci.kun.nl) Info and back issues in .shk form are available at
ftp://ground.ecn.uiowa.edu/2/apple2/Collections/DarkCastle/.
Eamon Adventurer's Guild newsletter (7625 Hawkhaven Dr., Clemmons, NC 27012;
910-766-7490) is the quarterly journal for the famous adventuring series
edited by Thomas Zuchowski. (email: tzuchow@ibm.net)
GEnie Lamp back issues in binscii files (
ftp://ground.ecn.uiowa.edu/2/apple2/Collections/Gelamp/ ) and in Text files (
http://www.textfiles.com/apple/GENIELAMP/ )
GS+ back issues in .shk form (
ftp://24.96.48.134:6502/Cabi_Archives/Monthly.Disks.Collections/GS.PLUS/ )
GS WorldView ( http://www.grin.net/~cturley/gsezine/ ) is an Apple II/IIgs
web 'zine edited by Charles Turley
Juiced GS (2217 Lakeview Dr., Sullivan, IN 47882) is a quarterly
mini-magazine edited by Max Jones. ( http://www.wbwip.com/juiced.gs/ ; email:
juicedgs@delphi.com)
The Lamp back issues in html form ( http://lamp.sheppyware.net/backissues/ )
Nibble magazine back issues-- Nov 1988 - Feb 1992-- in .shk form (
ftp://24.96.48.134:6502/Cabi_Archives/Monthly.Disks.Collections/NIBBLE/ and
ftp://ftp.apple.asimov.net/pub/apple_II/images/utility/misc/nibble_magazine/
)
Nuts & Volts Magazine (800-783-4624; http://www.nutsvolts.com ) not A2
specific, but good info on robot making and other interesting projects; also,
a good source for surplus electronic parts ads
Road Apples back issues in html form (
ftp://24.96.48.134:6502/Cabi_Archives/Monthly.Disks.Collections/ROAD.APPLES/
)
Shareware Solutions II (166 Alpine Street, San Rafael, CA 94901 (
http://www.crl.com/~joko/ email: joko@crl.com) is a bi-monthly mini-magazine
edited by Joe Kohn
Texas II (2503 Sherbrooke Lane, McKinney, TX 75070; 972-562-6335;
http://members.aol.com/A2MG/ ) is an Appleworks newsletter published by
Beverly Cadieux (a2mg@aol.com).
--Rubywand