Re: apple IIGS

[spec@vax2.concordia.ca (Mitchell Spector)]

In article supertimer@aol.com (Supertimer) writes...

>spec@vax2.concordia.ca (Mitchell Spector) wrote:
>
>>>2.  Another question what kind of modems can the GS handle.  (i.e. what
>>>is the fastest)
>>
>>    The built-in serial port handles up to 57600, which is perfect
>>for 14.4K modems. It is possible to use 28.8K modems and faster,
>>but you can't take full advantage of their data compression (you'd
>>want to set your port speed to 115200 to get optimal performance
>>out of a 28.8K or 33.6K modem for example, and the GS cannot).
>
>The problem with looking at it this way is that only text
>files are going to get those sorts of mega compressions.
>For compressed files, 33.6k is hardly a waste and you
>hardly need a 115200 port.  No and in fact your transfer
>speed will go around the 33.6k.  Compression does not
>help compressed files.

    Where did I say 33.6K was a waste? I simply stated the fact that
you cannot take full advantage of its data compression with the IIgs
port speed limit. The keys words here are "partial" and "full".

>Compression does not help compressed files.

    That is true of ZIP files which are compressed to the fullest,
but what about SHK files that can still be compressed much further
than they already are (try ZIP compressing a SHK file and notice
how much smaller it gets).

>When I was fooling around with 14.4 modems, the
>average compression was about 19200.  Yup, in
>the usual mix of text and compressed file transfers,
>the vaunted compressions don't do much at all.

    If your loading in web pages with lots of text information it
helps a great deal I'd imagine (Spectrum Internet Suite is a text
only web browser as you probably know).

>>    Also note, if you use a modem above 14.4K, your going to want
>>an accelerator card to keep from dropping characters on screen.
>
>That's absolutely wrong.  Shift boot Mitch and test
>again with ProTERM 3.1.  You get NO dropping
>characters.  In fact, even a stock IIe can easily handle
>14.4 without dropping characters (but you need to
>change the 6551 serial chip on the Super Serial Card
>with a non-buggy version).  Yes, I tested this when I
>still used a IIe.  Only interrupt eating GS/OS additions
>cause problems.  That's why shift boot for ProTERM.

    You don't pay close attention to what I write, do you? I said if
you use a modem *ABOVE* 14.4K your going to want an accelerator card.
In otherwords, I wouldn't recommend using a 28.8K or faster modem on
a stock 2.6 MHz system, unless you don't mind characters dropping and
other associated problems.

>>program has been discontinued and support dropped (not that it
>>makes a difference since no one was able to properly get the
>>source code to compile).
>
>Burger Bill got it to compile.  The story about "shit source
>code" was an out and out lie by Quality to cover their butts!

    I often take what BurgerBill claims with a grain of salt.
Not in a demeaning way, I just find he sometimes tends to
exaggerate a bit on his progress in programming (for example
he claims 80% of SimCity GS was written, yet others who've 
seen it claim only 20% has been done).

>However, Apple still remembers the program and they
>might be willing to reclassify it as System Software, like
>HyperCard.

    That certainly would be nice, but I don't see it happening.
Most likely because they don't want a program with the name
"AppleWorks" roaming around as freeware, when it happens to
have the same name as a current Macintosh program. If someone
can get it reclassified though, then ignore my pessimism. ;)

>>    It is safe to say 99.9% of software for the IIgs will run
>>with a 4 MB card installed (in fact, with 1.25 MB present you
>>should be able to at least boot 99% of all existing software).
>>There is about 1% of software that refuses to boot unless it
>>finds 2-4 MB present.
>
>You know, that's true but MANY productivity programs
>have trouble with 2MB.  They boot, but then they go
>kind of wacko when they run out of memory.  I've had
>this happen to HyperCard for the Apple IIGS and AWGS
>when trying to print via Harmonie to an ink jet printer.
>This is with System 6.0.  It may not be the case with
>System 5.0.4, but really if you are going 2MB, why not
>make it at least 4MB?  It will save headaches and
>a IIGS user really NEEDS System 6.0.1 to appreciate
>the IIGS.

    Well I've always said, if you just want an Apple IIgs to play
games and tinker with in a non-serious manner, 1.25 MB of memory
is suitable. If you want to do anything serious with it, then you
should really install a 4 MB card.

    I do use my IIgs's seriously (well at least my ROM 3 at the
moment, the ROM 01 is still in the process of being upgraded) so
I installed a 4 MB card in both.

Mitchell Spector
spec@vax2.concordia.ca