Re: Happy 13th Birthday to the Apple IIgs

[supertimer@aol.com (Supertimer)]

dempson@actrix.gen.nz (David Empson) wrote:

>Bryan Villados <news001@macgeek.org> wrote:
>
>> On the other side, I can make an argument that a IIc is QUITE different
>> from a IIc+. For starters, the IIc+ can run an Apple 3.5 Drive, is much
>> faster, and has extended features like ADB.
>
>Since when did the IIc+ have ADB?  :-)
>
>The only real differences between a IIc+ and earlier IIc models are:
>
>- Built-in 3.5" drive instead of 5.25", and support for an external
>Apple 3.5 Drive.
>
>- Accelerator (basically a 4 MHz ZIP chip expanded out into separate
>components instead of being bonded into a single module).
>
>- Full power supply in the machine instead of power converter and
>external brick.
>
>- Mini-DIN-8 serial port connectors instead of DIN-5 (no internal
>changes in the serial port hardware, however).
>
>- Loss of headphone socket and volume knob.

The volume knob was replaced with a volume slider, I think.

>I can't think of any others.
>
>This really isn't much more significant than earlier upgrades (adding
>support for the UniDisk 3.5, memory expansion slot).
>
>Another factor which limits the significance of the IIc+ is that it was
>only sold in the USA (and Canada?)  All other models were sold
>internationally.

I would agree that geographical limitation diminishes the
significance of the IIc+.  However, I would argue that the
features added clearly surpasses the ROM 01 to ROM 3
IIGS upgrade.  The IIGS upgrade resembles the earlier
incarnations of upgrades within the IIc model itself in
significance.  If giving a new drive and a faster processor
to Mac models justifies new Mac model names, the IIc
Plus is indeed a distinct model.

>Having said that, I would agree that the IIc+ is a more significant
>upgrade than the ROM 3 IIgs.
>
>Having said _that_, however, I'd still say that the "Apple IIgs with 1MB
>of memory" (aka ROM 3) is the last model of the Apple II line, since it
>was distinguished by Apple as a different model.

But Apple still called it "Apple IIGS."  The ROM 3 model,
it seems, did not justify a new name from Apple.  No
"Apple IIGS Plus."