Re: Is there a driver that will........

[Slick <PAYSlick_RCBD@hotmail.com>]

and several programs won't run on a ROM 3.

Mitchell Spector wrote:
> 
> In article shack@onyx.southwind.net (Randy Shackelford) writes...
> 
> >tws (adoyson@nccn.net) wrote:
> >: Is there a driver or other type of program that will allow me to use the
> >: Keyboard as a mouse?
> >
> >Well if you're talking a IIgs, sticky keys and keyboard mouse are built
> >into the hardware on the ROM 3. If you have a ROM 01, there's the easy access
> >extension but it doesn't work so hot. Given today's prices, there's no reason
> >not to upgrade to ROM 3. They have many improvements and new features missing
> >on ROM 01s.
> 
>     I agree, if your serious about the Apple IIgs, the ROM 3 offers
> many minor enhancements which make the machine more functional and
> pleasant to use. A couple of good examples:
> 
> - You get a machine that is about 5-10% faster for GUI, floppy disk
> loading and RAM Disk operations (due to updated smartport firmware
> and System 5 tools being in ROM).
> 
> - A machine that is more flexible when working with AppleTalk and
> slots (you don't have to give up an extra slot and you can stick a
> card in slot 4 and still use the mouse in GS/OS).
> 
> - A nicer text Control Panel that lets you resize RAM Disk with a
> warm-boot and a cleaner way to size it too (no min/max size junk).
> Also a 'Mouse' menu and other existing things cleaned up and made
> better.
> 
> - A just over 1 megabyte of RAM built-in to start off with, and a
> bonus since you can have 5 MB of DMA compatible memory in total.
> 
> - The MB0 signal provided in slots 1 through 6, so you can stick
> in a Video Overlay Card _and_ Second Sight in together, and not
> worry about having to reserve slot 3.
> 
> - Hardware shadowing of text page 2 with Alternative Display Mode
> (no slowing down your system to a crawl when you see a screen full
> of 2's running 8-bit software).
> 
> - A newer ADB keyboard microcontroller with (as Randy mentions above)
> built-in sticky keys, keyboard mouse and compatibility with the LEDs
> on extended keyboards (Caps-lock; maybe Num and Scroll lock too).
> 
> - A removable Lithum battery (in a snap case. Just pop the old one
> out when your clock and Control Panel settings stop working).
> 
> - Less power consumption and electrical noise from the motherboard,
> meaning _gone_ is that annoying buzzing/hissing from the Ensoniq
> (plus cleaner sound in/out) and a good one--the chance you can use
> high speed accelerators, like the 15 MHz one running in my ROM 3
> right now (ROM 01's tend to be okay up until about 9-10 MHz).
> 
> - A set of pins (location 'S1') on the motherboard to make the text
> Control Panel disappear, making your GS settings tamper proof where
> young children are around (it'd make a nice security feature too
> come to think of it. You'd set the startup device to ROM Disk, lock
> it in and no one can tamper with your machine while your not there.
> Kind of like the "Keyboard lock" on PC's).
> 
>     There are even a couple of more goodies, like the Step/Trace
> commands in Monitor or the improved disassembler. Even if your not
> a programmer, they're handy for peeking at SHR graphics still in
> memory (from Monitor hit 'S' and then the return key).
> 
>     Things like sticky keys and mouse keyboard come in handy too,
> like if you eating or drinking with one hand, you can still reset
> the computer using the other. The mouse keyboard is nice if you
> want to have the button locked down at times (like when scrolling
> through a long list of fonts, searching for the right one).
> 
>     The down side are a couple of really old games and demos won't
> run, but that is only a small handful and most of the worthwhile
> ones have been patched. Beatbox is the only useful program I can
> think of that was never patched (I just use Shellplay, or rather
> Deskplay instead these days. Well, when I listen to MODs, which
> isn't that often ;)
> 
> Mitchell Spector
> spec@vax2.concordia.ca

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