Re: Apple ][e - Getting started

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

dante writes ...
> 
> A friend of mine rescued an Apple ][e from the dumpster the other day (Yes,
> the dumpster - blasphemy!) Anyhow, he dried it out and got it cleaned up,
> and it seems to work. When we turn it on, all we see is "Apple ][" at the
> top of the screen, and "Check disk drive" at the bottom. We've got no disks
> or anything, so I'm hoping this is what we're supposed to see. Yes/No?
>

     Yes. If you press CTRL-Reset-- press and hold Control, then, press
and release Reset, then, release Control-- you should get the the BASIC
prompt (a "]") and a flashing cursor. You can try typing in and running
a short BASIC program.

10 TEXT: HOME: PRINT "HELLO APPLEVILLE!".
20 END
 
 
> Do I need a boot disk here?

     Yes.


> What kind of disks does it use? I can see it's
> a 5 1/2 inch floppy, but what size/format are we talking about?

     140k double-sided, double-density (DS/DD)-- _not_ High Density
(HD)-- 5.25" diskettes. The Apple II 5.25" drive has one head; it is on
the bottom side. The standard didkette format is 35 tracks per side with
16 sectors per track.


> What OS
> does it use?

     Mainly, either DOS 3.3 or ProDOS. Many original game disks use
changed DOS's as a means to prevent copying.


> (Not that it would help, but I'm curious). Is it possible at
> all for me to use my PC to access the software and write it to a disk?
>

     You would need a PC plug-in board (like a TrackStar-E) which allows
writing to Apple II drives. PC drive interfaces cannot read or write in
Apple II 5.25" format.
 
 
> If and when we get it running, how does one go about programming it?

     You can use the built in Applesoft BASIC. You can do a CALL -151 to
get to the Monitor (like PC's "System") and write in 6502 machine code.
You can, also, boot many languages (like Logo and Pascal) from diskette. 


> I
> recall from my younger days with my VIC-20 that I could just sit down and
> start bashing out BASIC right at the prompt. Is the Apple][ similar, or
> would I need to find more disks for this as well?
>

     It is very similar to your VIC-20 when it comes to programming.

 
> I have absolutely no experience with these machines at all, and haven't
> been able to find any FAQ's/WWW sites with this kind of information.
> Anything that could help get me started would be greatly appreciated.
>

     You can find the Csa-2 (comp.sys.apple2) FAQs on several sites ...

for Viewing via an FTP program or for downloading ...
 ftp://ground.ecn.uiowa.edu/apple2/Faqs/

for on-line perusing via Netscape, etc. ...
 http://www.grin.net/~cturley/A2.FAQs.and.INFO/CSA2.FAQs/
 ftp://apple.cabi.net/pub/applegs/FAQs.and.INFO/A2.Csa2.FAQs/


A good place to start is the "Main Hall" file-- it will usually show up
as the first file in the list of FAQs files.


     As to obtaining boot disks with some getting started utilities,
here is a snip from the FAQs
 ...

>>

003- What software do I need to get started and how do I get it?

     If you bought an Apple II with no software at all, then, at the
very least, you will need to get diskettes which boot DOS 3.3 and ProDOS
and which include copy utilities (e.g. Copy II Plus). Probably, too, you
will need a utility named "ShrinkIt" to unShrink compressed Apple II
files you download and an Apple II telecom utility (e.g. ZLink, ProTerm,
...) to handle file transfers from your PC or Mac to your Apple II. 

     Aside from Apple II user friends, there are many places you can get
the above, as well as all sorts of other Apple II utility, game, etc.
software:

1. Apple II Users Groups maintain software libraries of utility and
games diskettes you can copy.

2. Some schools and universities have Apple II areas where you can copy
system and utility diskettes.

3. Many sellers of original and second-hand software advertise on the
comp.sys.apple2.marketplace newsgroup and/or maintain web sites you can
browse. Be sure to check the listing of vendors presented later on.

4. If requested via email, regular posters to Csa2 will often send one
or more 'getting started' diskettes which will boot DOS 3.3 and/or
ProDOS and which include some copy, telecom, etc. utilities plus games.
(Expect to pay mailing and materials costs.)

5. The Apple II archive sites listed below maintain large collections of
software which you can download via PC or Mac and transfer to your Apple
II.

<<



Rubywand