Re: Which Apple II?

["Paul Grammens" <grammens@svn.net>]

"Roger Johnstone" <rojaws@es.co.nz> wrote
>
> If you're not just getting it to collect it or for nostalgic reasons,
> the best Apple II is the Apple IIgs. The IIgs has a 16-bit 65816
> processor which is backwards compatible with the 6502 used in the
> earlier models. It runs at 2.5MHz instead of 1MHz and has a minimum of
> 256KB of RAM, but more often 1MB. It has slots like the IIe, but also
> has built-in ports like the IIc so you can plug in 5.25" and 3.5" disk
> drives, an RGB monitor, a mouse, LocalTalk networking and serial devices,
> all without having to add extra cards. The IIgs also has a very nice
> sound chip and greatly improved graphics over the 8-bit models. You can
> run the old Apple DOS and ProDOS software as well as GS/OS, a native
> IIgs operating system with a Macintosh interface.
>
> These very occasionally come up on TradeMe.co.nz, but not as ofter as
> the IIe.
>

That's a very good summary of the reasons to have a IIgs compared with the
other Apple II's.
At least in the US, they are also among the easiest to find and cheapest to
aquire.

They are very handy for doing chores such as transferring files, accessing
them/storing them, and working with archives.  The faster CPU, native 800K
3.5" drive access,  and the ability to use ShrinkitGS instead of Shrinkit
(handles forked files) are big selling points.

I find I use the IIgs a lot to make floppies for my other Apple II's.

A IIc with a UniDisk or a IIc+ is also nice.    An 800K floppy feels like a
hard disk compared with the 160K on a 5.25" disk. The compactness and
elegance of the IIc/IIc+ makes them attractive, lack of slots is a downside.
-Paul