Re: What is Second Sight?

[casa@unm.edu (Jim Pittman)]

Re:

> Subject: Re: What is Second Sight?  Please inform.  18 Apr 1996 04:20
> From: spector@vax2.concordia.ca (Mitchell Spector)
> Organization: Concordia University

[ snip ]
> 	It is a video enhancement board for the Apple IIe and IIgs.
[ snip ]

> I must say I'm sorry to sound so negative and critical of the board,
> but I have to say after watching things from the sidelines, I'm
> rather disappointed of what could have been...
> 
> Mitchell Spector
> spector@vax2.concordia.ca 

I can't disagree with anything Mitch says, but I have bought two
Second Sight cards and may well buy another. Consider a comparison...

My Apple II Plus in April 1980 had only 40 columns and UPPER CASE,
but my dealer told me a "Sup-r-Term" card was soon to be available
and would give 80 columns and lower case; in the meantime he sold
me the "Dan Paymar chip" that provided lower case on the 40 column
screen. I used that with SuperText word processing for a while.
 
I didn't get the Sup-r-Term because I found out about the Videx
VideoTerm and it seemed better. Later I replaced the VideoTerm with
a Videx UltraTerm which provided MANY more functions.

I still use an Apple II Plus with VideoTerm at work and I still use
my Apple II Plus with UltraTerm at home. Since 1984 I have seen
exactly two programs that could take advantage of the UltraTerm's
capabilities: SOFTERM-2 and WRITE-AWAY. Anything else on the II Plus
that can do 80 columns just uses the VideoTerm functions.

Nevertheless I'm glad to have had the UltraTerm all these years.

When I got my first IIGS I was not happy with the display -- it was
just too "clunky" to be pleasant. The Second Sight card almost
totally fixes that. I use classic AppleWorks, GNO/ME and ProTERM
and the sharpness of the text screen with the SS card is wonderful.
The GS/OS desktop is sharper too. GraphicWriter III with Pointless
looks much better. I don't do much with graphics so the limitations
of the SS card don't bother me much. Platinum Paint works fine.
Those who want to do animations or 3200 stuff would definitely have
a problem, though.

I fear the Apple IIGS is pretty much at the peak of its development;
I don't expect to see any further significant upgrades to available
hardware or software. Still, if I use my IIGS for as many years as I
have used my II Plus machines (and they are still going strong) the
IIGSs may still be clicking along in the year 2009.

Mitch is right -- if the SS card were fully developed and fully
supported it would be terrific, and it's a real shame the IIGS
world is too small/fragmented/indifferent/whatever to make it so.

But I'm using and enjoying my Second Sight cards very much, thanks.

- Jim Pittman - University of New Mexico - casa@unm.edu