Re: Applesoft & ProDOS Basic

[Stephen Shaw <xstephenx@apple2.org.za>]

On Sun, 4 Nov 2001 15:44:49 +1300, David Empson wrote:

> Allen Bong <sfbong@tm.net.my> wrote:
>
>> What are the differences between Applesoft and the ProDOS BASIC V1.5 &
>> V.1.4.1?
>
> Apple published a technical note which described the differences between
> various versions of BASIC.SYSTEM.  I don't have the list handy so I
> can't look up the number or details (it was in the TN.PDOS series).
>
>> I used to format a 5.25 disk using Applesoft under DOS 3.3.  How
>> do I "init" a disk under ProDOS BASIC?
>
> In general, you don't.  The ProDOS-8 operating system does not contain
> any code to support initializing disks, so in order to do this you need
> to run a utility program of some kind (e.g. Apple II System Utilities,
> Copy II+, Prosel, ShrinkIt, Filer, etc.).

Not true! Most ProDOS _SYSTEM_ disks had a menu at startup that offered you the
option of formatting a disk.

>
> I imagine that someone could have created an add-on INIT command for
> BASIC.SYSTEM, which would have to be loaded as a patch, and would
> contain all the code required to initialize disks.  It would take up a
> fair amount of RAM (at least 1 KB, or 1.5 KB in order to support
> initializing disks which could be booted on an Apple ///), so even if it
> did exist, I wouldn't want it running all the time.  It is much easier
> to launch a separate application, initialize the disk, then launch
> BASIC.SYSTEM again.
>
>> How much RAM memory was used up by the GS/OS 6.0.1
>
> It depends on what optional features you have installed (INITs, FSTs,
> CDAs, NDAs, drivers, etc.) and how much memory is used by applications
> you need to run.
>
> The minimum RAM required to run System 6.0.1 is 1 MB.  If you have a lot
> of desk accessories, you might need more than this.  For some
> applications (notably Hypercard GS and AppleWorks GS) you need at least
> 1.5 MB of RAM, preferably more.  In general, installing a 4 MB RAM card
> should give you enough memory to run almost anything, without risking
> compatibility problems.
>
> I have a 4 MB card in my ROM 3 IIgs, for a total of 5.125 MB of RAM.
> Even with an 800KB RAM disk set up, the only time I ran out of memory
> was when I tried using one of the NDA fax programs, which used an
> obscene about of RAM.
>
>> and how much disk space it occupies on the HD when it is not in use?
>
> Pardon?  The operating system occupies space on the startup disk at all
> times, not just while it is "in use".
>
> A bare minimum installation of System 6.0.1 will fit on an 800K floppy.
> A reasonable minimum installation for use with a hard drive will fit
> within 1.4 MB.  If you were to install everything useful which is
> included with the system software, it would use somewhere between 3 and
> 4 MB of disk space (estimated from five nearly full 800K disks).

-- 
... [] <- Please write your complaint legibly in that box.