Re: Apple Computer, What Are You Up To?

[dempson@actrix.gen.nz (David Empson)]

Randy Shackelford <shack@onyx.southwind.net> wrote:

> Forrest <bctimes@hotmail.com> wrote:
> 
> : Pretty big difference between IIc and IIc+.
> 
> The //c and //c plus have less of a gap in capability than that between a
> ROM 01 and a ROM 3 IIgs. There is nothing a //c plus can do that a //c
> cannot.

Use an Apple 3.5 Drive, though this is mainly a speed issue as the
UniDisk 3.5 can be used with the IIc (possibly requiring a firmware
upgrade).

I don't know if  any software which accesses the Apple 3.5 directly
(such as Copy II+ Bit Copy 3.5) will work on a IIc+, since there are
likely to be hardware behavioural differences compared to the IIgs (or
IIe with Universal Disk Controller).

The IIc might need a motherboard upgrade to use Apple's memory expansion
card, but you can use the AE one on older models (which has some
tradeoffs in functionality and compatibility).

The IIc+ loses the ability to run off a car battery, unless you use an
inverter.

Otherwise, I agree with you.

> But there are several features on a ROM 3 which can't be duplicated
> on a ROM 01. The ability to put Appletalk in slots other than 7 is worth
> the trouble of upgrading alone.

In that it lets you use slot 7 for Your Card?  This doesn't save a slot,
but does make things slightly more convenient, since you can use slot 7
as part of your boot chain.

I have my SCSI card in slot 4, and nothing bootable in 7; this means I
can boot from 5.25" or 3.5" disks simply by inserting them, otherwise
the SCSI card is booted.  To do this on a ROM 1, you would have to put
the SCSI card in slot 1 or 2, unless you have a IIe mouse card or no
need for a mouse.

> Then there's the boot from Appletalk option,

The ROM 1 can boot from AppleTalk.  With AppleTalk enabled on slot 7,
set the startup slot to 7.  (Scan doesn't work.)

ROM 3 just has an explicit option to boot from AppleTalk.

> the ability to put a VOC in any slot

A minor hardware mod to the motherboard can do this on a ROM 1.

> resizing the RAM disk without power cycling

You don't need to cycle the power on a ROM 1 - just invoke the self test
then reboot.  (It is much easier on the ROM 3, of course.)

> full support for extended keyboards

The Caps Lock light?  I wrote an INIT to do this on a ROM 1, but it does
have speed penalties.

> easy access built in

That is definitely significant.  The software implementation causes
problems.

> more DMA friendly memory

Yep.

> slightly faster floppy controller

No - just faster firmware under ProDOS-8 (track caching on read).  There
is no speed benefit under GS/OS, or if you use one of the third-party
floppy access accelerators.

> and more toolsets in ROM.

Which gives a noticeable speed benefit.

I'd also like to add the major improvements in the monitor firmware
(e.g. L command auto-tracking register size changes, and being able to
dump over bank boundaries), which make it much more convenient to use.

Also the much cleaner sound output.

-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz
Snail mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand