Re: much needed software/ AppleIII

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

In article John Martin Johnson <kamikazebear@gn.apc.org> writes...

>I am on a "C" programming course and I was wondering
>if you could recommend a development package for the
>Apple IIe or IIGS.

    There is Orca/C available from ByteWorks for the Apple IIgs,
though if you want opinions on the package (or existence of any
other 'C' packages, assuming there are) you would be better off
asking on comp.sys.apple2.programmer.

>I have just about managed to hook up a "smartish"
>amstrad hayes-compatible MoDem to the Apple IIe
>via a SuperSerial Card and have been trying to use
>HomeConnections software (I thought it was fairly
>friendly but I seem to be getting nowhere fast!)
>Can you brilliant people suggest anything suitable?

    First I'd suggest a better telecommunications program, ProTERM
is by far the best. You can also try ZLink (?) which I've heard is
a decent shareware program.

    As for getting it operational, did you set the jumper and DIP
switches correctly on your Super Serial Card? What kind of serial
cable are you using, is it pinned as straight-through?

>I have manahed to clean up the DDrives on my III
>but nothing seems to boot: just the constant "retry"
>message and the system-check routine with the occasional
>i/o problem message. What else could be wrong with the
>semi-comatose Apple III beast??

    A functional Apple III, upon powering it up, should just
automatically check the internal 5.25 drive for an SOS/BOS3
disk and boot it (if none is found it will report "Retry?"
or similar on screen). You can get it to try again hitting
'Return' or the 'Reset' key pressed alone.

    If it goes through a RAM diagnostic, that usually means the
keyboard lamp (power indicator) is burned out. In that case you
will need to replace it to get the machine to start up normally.
A common LED will do as a temporary replacement if you cut the
pins. If you keep a burned out lamp in there it will continously
go through a diagnostic routine, in an endless loop. You might
want to try reseating the chips and memory daugtherboard inside
too (although it was recommended for the original III, I still
find picking up and dropping my revision III a few inches off
the desk helps reseat loose chips ;).

Mitchell Spector
spec@vax2.concordia.ca