Re: Help for school needed

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

> Chris Husted writes ...
> 
> Our severely retarded teacher ( her class, not her) wants to copy some
> apple II programs. I think she is going to need something like locksmith or
> copy 2 but she wants to try using prodos. How does she go about formatting
> and copying a disk with an apple 2.

     Neither ProDOS nor DOS 3.3 includes a built-in Disk Copy command. So, the
teacher is going to need to use some kind of copy utility. The ProDOS standard
utilities disk includes a Disk Copy option. The DOS 3.3 System Master disk
includes a Disk Copy program named "COPYA".

     The above options are okay for copying regular 35-track, 16-sector
diskettes which are not copy protected. The newer version of the ProDOS
Utilities may be adequate for copying many 3.5" diskettes, too.

     Your suggestion of using Copy II Plus makes better sense than the above
options. It can copy unprotected disks fairly quickly and, using built-in
parms, it can make copies of many copy protected disks. Version 5.5 is the last
DOS 3.3-only version and is a bit better for use with DOS 3.3 disks. Versions
7.2 through 8.3 are good for both DOS 3.3 and ProDOS disks including 3.5"
diskettes.

     The best copy-only utility for most non copy protected 5.25" (DOS 3.3,
ProDOS, ...) diskettes is Disk Muncher. It is fast; and, the current version
will try to copy 36 tracks (used on some diskettes) and includes verification
checks. A good fast-copy utility for 3.5" diskettes is Diversi-Copy.

     You can find Disk Muncher, Copy II Plus, and other utilities mentioned
above on several archives as separate files, on disks in ShrinkIt whole-disk
(.sdk) form, and on emulator disk images (.dsk files).  For instance, see the
Disks folder in Ground's Useful Stuff folder at ...

 ftp://ground.ecn.uiowa.edu/apple2/useful.stuff/Disks/ .


     If a lot of the software you need to copy is from MECC, a good try is to
get an MECC copy program by John Kielkopf named "meccopy". It makes deprotected
copies of many MECC diskettes. You can find it as meccopy.sdk on Ground at ...

 ftp://ground.ecn.uiowa.edu/2/apple2/apple8/Utils/ .


     You can use the utilities mentioned above on a IIgs just as you would on
an 8-bit Apple II. However, for copying 3.5" disks, the easiest way is to use
the simple 'drag and drop' capabilities available via the usual Finder desktop.


> Also we are looking for educational apple II programs and 5 1/4 floppies.
> We can pay postage but not very much more. This isn't being paid for by the
> school.
> It is coming out of our pockets.
 ....

     You can find quite a bit of educational software on the Asimov archive at 
ftp://ftp.apple.asimov.net/pub/apple_II/images/educational/ . It is in disk
image form, which can be conveted to diskette for use on an Apple II.

     Another good place to look for educational software is Ground. Check out
ftp://ground.ecn.uiowa.edu/apple2/apple8/Edu/ .

     For info on downloading, transferring, and using Apple II files see ...

http://home.swbell.net/rubywand/Csa2T2TCOM.html
http://home.swbell.net/rubywand/Csa2T1TCOM.html
http://home.swbell.net/rubywand/Csa2FLUTILS.html .


     A few vendors sell educational software at low prices. For contact
information see the Apple II FAQs Vendors listing at ...

http://home.swbell.net/rubywand/A2FAQs3VENDORS.html .


     Alltech (760-724-2404) may still sell the DD (double density) diskettes
needed for use with an Apple II. Or, you can try some of the diskette sellers
with ads in Computer Shopper. Another place to look is thrift shops; they
sometimes have bags of used diskettes for sale at low prices. Some stores, like
Radio Shack, may sell DD diskettes, too; but, prices are likely to be
relatively high. Wherever you go, make sure you are getting 'old' DD diskettes,
_not_ the newer HD diskettes.



Rubywand