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"New" Apple lle



Complete NOOB here when it comes to vintage computers, so I hope I don't sound too much like a complete pinhead.

I just became the new owner of an almost perfect condition Apple lle a friend of mine was able to purchase through a school district web site auction for me. We got it for the grand total of $12.50. It came with a working monochrome display, dual floppy bays, and all of the cables. The computer still works! I have done a bit of reading over the last few days, so I know a little bit about the Apple 2 series. I had access to one of these a long time ago and have some limited experience with it from that perspective too, but very limited. I don't even remember what revision I was using back then, but it did have a gray scale monochrome display and a DOS like feel. I even wrote some small programs on it for display purposes using BASIC code.

My friend still has the computer in his possession in Utah and will be bringing it to Vegas for delivery to me in a couple of weeks. During that time, I really hope he doesn't get too attached to it, because I really want this.

I also have some preconceptions I hope to get cleared up as well. Most of the information revolves with what I can do with this computer. Sorry for the number of questions. Like I said, I am a complete newbie.

BTW, I am also in the market for another vintage computer too. I am looking for an IBM dual floppy model that came with dual floppy drives and either the model F keyboard, a PS/2 or finally an IBM 286 computer that used the famous model M keyboard. If you know of a working example, compete with display, let me know.

Now, onto my questions about the Apple lle:

1. I know it doesn't have a GUI as far as operating systems go right now, but since it seems to have 640K of memory, I doubt it will support a newer OS, Am I wrong here? Can I upgrade the memory and install a newer operating system with graphical user interface?

2. I have also seen some of these using a mouse, so I am guessing that I can get an expansion card for a serial mouse.

3. The system comes with a monochrome display, but I have seen some Apple 2 computers with a color monitor. Is there an upgrade for that too? Can I swap the video card to get a higher resolution? Can I get a period specific color display?

4. I read a little about ADTpro. Can I use the audio jacks on my PC to connect to the tape jack on the Apple lle for file transfer and storage? In other words, when I download disk images, can I use ADTpro to both load programs onto the Apple and then save any work or documents and such back onto the PC? Can I use the standard line in and line out jacks on my sound board? Of course I'm also concerned that my sound board will feedback on itself if I have to use a splitter to use both input and output through to the Apple's tape jack.

5. Where can I find what hardware upgrades are available for the Apple lle and what will they do for me?

6. Can I install a network card and have access to my PC running Windows 7 for storage of programs and such?

7. Where can I purchase 5 1/4" floppy diskettes for it. From what I know, this computer will only read and write from a single side of the diskette, although I know it can be modified slightly to allow flipping the diskette to use the other side.

8. Is there anything else I should know about about getting it set up and running along side My PC???

Thanks for taking the time to read this. I hope to have the computer in my possession in the next week or so, so hopefully I'll have the answers I need to make this a happy union.

Thanks much.