Re: Q:> Apple IIe, or IIc+ !!

[Matt Jenkins <mdj@bilby.cs.rmit.edu.au>]

cms <cms@macisp.net> wrote:
> I am little confused, between, IIe, and the IIc+
> which one offers, more features, and expansion for hardware, and software,
> and speed.

This is actually a very interesting question, and the answer is different
depending on the type of expansion you need.

First off, the IIe is technically the most expandable since it's equipped
with expansion slots. However, it has basically no hardware built in, so
cards must be added for disk drives, serial ports, etc.

The IIc+ has no expansion slots, but already contains most of the devices
that are added to the //e (serial cards (2), disk controllers, mouse card).
It also offers a faster processor.

Really the answer is dependant on what you want from the machine. The IIc+
has two features I desire in any Apple II: Accellerated CPU and 3.5" disk
drive, both of which are hard to find items to add to a //e these days. On
the other hand, adding a hard disk to the IIc+ might be pretty much
impossible without designing your own controller, since the hard disks sold
for the IIc's are very very rare. If you want a mouse, just plug it into
the IIc+, for the IIe you have to find a mouse controller. OTOH, the memory
card for the IIc+ will be a lot harder to find than any of the plethora
of ram cards for the IIe.

You'll need to be specific about what you want to get a definitive
recommendation :)

In the end, I prefer the IIe, since you can add to it any hardware feature
the IIc+ supports, plus a stack of extra things that are pretty hard to add
the the IIc+. But if you're not planning to build up the ultimate 8 bit
Apple II, the IIc+ probably already has almost everything you want.

I always found it interesting that the original IIc (not the IIc+) could be
expanded to hold every nifty add on I desired in a IIe, with the exception
of localtalk networking. For a machine that was intended as a sealed,
unexpandable box, it was pretty darned expandable, and in fact, I've seen
working IIc setups that make my fairly well expanded platinum IIe look
rather mediocre. Please can someone sell me a SCSI card for a non insane
price ? :)

Cheers,

Matt

-- 
              Matt(hew) Jenkins. Computer Science (RMIT Bundoora)
                           email: mdj@cs.rmit.edu.au
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