Re: Apple IIgs enthusiast wannabe

[wbdesnoy@acs2.acs.ucalgary.ca (Byron Desnoyers Winmill)]

Supertimer (supertimer@aol.com) wrote:

: >jrteague@my-deja.com wrote:
: >: ten years ago, I learned the BASIC language on an
: >: Apple ][+ and was anxious to try it again on the
: >: IIgs.  I was happy for the time being, always
: >: knowing in the back of my mind of the tons of
: >: software titles that I would be able to download
: >: off the net for it.  Here I am now, a little
: >: disappointed.  You see, the only other computer I
: >: own I a pentium clone.  I am devastated to know
: >: that right now my IIgs is nothing other than a
: >: paperweight without any software.  You see, my
: >: ultimate goal is to use a classic computer for
: >: everyday purposes, fulfilling its intended
: >: purpose, if you will.  A web browser would be

Well, as it stands, you can use it for BASIC programming right now.  Simply
insert a system diskette and boot it.  ProDOS or DOS3.3 will work.  ProDOS
is probably the best for AppleSoft BASIC, while DOS3.3 is the only way to
program in Integer BASIC.

If you don't have a system diskette, simply press <CTRL><RESET> when you
see the scrolling apple error message.  The problem with the IIgs though
is that there is no way to save your programs without some form of DOS.
After all, there isn't a cassette port.  :-(

To actually get software on your computer is another issue.  Here you
really have two choices: if you have a 3.5" floppy (really useful, even
if you are just using the box as a glorified IIe), find a friend with a
Macintosh and Internet access.  From Apple's FTP site you will need a
program called Disk Copy (your friend may already have that), and a
system diskette.  These will be in the Apple II section of the Apple
Software Updates directory, under the Apple Support Area.  Use US or
North American English, if possible, since much of the software is not
available in other languages.  There will be two directories with these
diskettes, one containing "System 3.2" and the other containing GSOS
6.0.1.  If you don't have a hard drive (or AppleTalk network) and at
least 1Mb of RAM, don't bother with 6.0.1.  With time and experience,
you may get away with slightly less memory and without a hard drive,
but you will not when you are raw.  The so called "System 3.2" seems
to be a recent version of ProDOS 8.  It also includes the Apple II
System Utilities software.  This will be a very useful diskette.

On the otherhand, if you are stuck with the 5.25" drive, you will
need to DOS3.3 or some terminal software.  These are available from
several people on this newsgroup and on the web (by mail, of course).
My suggestion is to get DOS3.3 if you do not have it, because it gives
you access to a program called ADT.  My understanding is that there is
now a version of ADT available for the IIgs.  Perhaps somebody out
there can comment upon it's availability.  (Rubywand?)

After that, you can copy disk images onto your Apple II.  My first
suggestion is a communications program called Kermit.  (Available at
ftp://isaac.asimo.net/.)  It is a free terminal emulator/file transfer
protocol for the Apple II line of computers.  Properly configured it
will get you onto the Internet, browsing the web, checking your e-mail,
etc..  You can also use it to transfer other software onto you Apple
IIgs, including many useful shareware/freeware and public domain titles.
FrEd Writer, I believe I mentioned, is an excellent text editor/word
processor (it was harder to distiguish these things back then ;-).


: ... for 8-bit IIe software run on the IIGS under IIe emulation
: mode, 1MB is a HUGE amount of memory.  Thanks for
: metioning that, Byron.  I guess I saw "web browser, games,
: music software for musicians" and automatically thought of
: running IIGS side software which requires more MBs of
: memory and mass storage.

Hi Supertimer,

It is getting to that point over here as well.  But then I remembered
those days not so long ago (what was it, two or three weeks), when I
was resisting the urge to spend too much money on such an old machine.

Then I remembered how frustrating it was to be told that I was going
to have to dump a fortune here and a fortune there, simply to hear the
one thing that I wanted to hear: the IIgs play music.  (BTW - I have
tried that kennygntgs tune, *nice*.  Though I'm more into HyperCard at
this point.  :-)

Yes, it was frustrating.  Gradually I discovered the middle path by
myself.

: Hmm...rereading the user's post, I think he wants to know
: how to transfer software downloaded from ftp sites from his
: PC to his IIGS without the IIGS first having a terminal
: program.  I'm pretty sure there is a way to do this, but I'm
: not familiar with it.

Done.

--
Stopped (SIGTTOU)         byron.
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