Re: Other options for PR#1?

[Warren Ernst <wernst@gmail.com>]

On Jun 21, 8:13 pm, datajerk <dataj...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I am not a huge fan or printers or printing, before I invent anytime
> building a parallel cable for my parallel card in slot 1, is there a
> serial alternative?  (I can capture serial)  I already have an SSC in
> slot 2 that I would be using for other tasks and IIRC most software
> expects a printer in slot one.  Is there a preferred serial card for
> printers?  Can I have two SSC cards without any issues (e.g. ADTPro,
> it just automagically works, but will it work with two SSC cards, will
> it ask me, etc...).
>
> Thanks.

The preferred serial card for printers in an Apple //e and Plus is a
Super Serial Card in Slot 1. If you're using a GS, best to use the
built-in port, though you can also put an SSC in Slot 1 and set the GS
Control Panel's "Slot 1" to "Your Card" and it will work equally well
for software expecting an SSC.

Slot 1 was always the "standard" slot for a printer interface card, be
it serial or parallel.

Generally, (and of course there are always exceptions) if you were
printing via a Serial Port, you were generally using an all-Apple
printing solution of an SSC and an ImageWriter, and most contemporary
software was written for the combination. If you were printing via a
Parallel port, you were usually using a non-Apple printing solution,
and most software that supported parallel printing could support a
Grappler-style card and an Epson 9-pin printer, so if you had this
hardware combo (or hardware that emulated it) you were relatively
safe.

Not that you asked. ;-)

You can indeed have two SSCs without any issues, and in fact, most
well-stocked //e's back in the day that printed with a SSC also had an
SSC in Slot 2 for connecting to our 1200 baud external modems. (Boy
were those the days!). I would bet serious money if you had two
correctly configured SSCs in Slot 1 and 2, that ADT Pro would work
with the SSC in Slot 2 by default, but could be configured to use Slot
1's SSC instead if you wanted. In fact, I bet you could add an SSC to
any free slot except 3 and ADT could be made to work with it.

-Warr