Re: A question about 80 columns card

[mjmahon@aol.com (Michael J. Mahon)]

Michael Black wrote:

>The IIe "80 column card" is just a bit of memory.  It plugs into
>a special slot in the computer.  The IIe has the rest of the circuitry
>for 80 columns, and when the extra memory is added, there is enough
>room for the 80 column screen, and it all works.
>
>I can't remember, or the articles at the time never said, why they
>didn't just put the extra memory on the motherboard.

The only apparent motivation was additional profit from selling
the 80-column capability for a lot more than the cost of memory.
The slot did allow the easy addition of an RGB video card.

By the time of the Platinum //e, the game was up, and the card
was included (though, ironically, the original "optional" design
required a higher-cost approach--AUX connector and separate
card--instead of simply putting two more 4x64K chips on the
main board).

For users, it turned out to be a blessing, since the AUX slot
was a natural for larger memory expansion cards that were
produced by third parties.  Many more //e's were expanded
with AUX slot memory cards than ever used an RGB card.

-michael

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