Re: Apple IIgs upgrade points to ponder

[tws <adoyson@nccn.net>]

Hi,

#1) The upgrade site is for ideas.  Thats all they are.

#2) There are IDE cards for the Apple II.  Just check:
http://users.ids.net/~kerwood/shh.html



Jason Whorton wrote:

> Hello.  I looked at tws's page after reading the "know someone who will make
> cards" part and came up with a few points that I hope will spur further
> thought.
>
> 1.  Applied Engineering had the ability to make a PC Transporter for an
> Apple II.  The Diamond Trackstar card for PC's is as best I can remember, is
> a card that plugged into an ISA slot and allowed the use of Apple II
> programs somehow.  From what I remember reading about the Apple IIgs, the
> 8-bit Apple II part was put on two chips that are on IIgs motherboards.  It
> is now over 10 years later and the technology part of making hardware
> advancements for the IIgs should be pretty much readily available.   This
> does not take into account anything other than the technology question (i.e.
> Is the technology out there to make a new IIgs hardware item?)
>
> 2.  A new hardware item such as tws is proposing would be pretty much a
> replacemnet for whatever motherboard you had now.  I think that it would be
> harder to create, manufacture, market, and sale a replacement instead of an
> add-on.  I am a daily reader of the Atari 8-bit, Commodore, Texas
> Instruments, and Tandy newsgroups.  The Commodore, Tandy, and TI groups have
> new hardware items discussed often.  For example, I was on the TI list
> server and several people stated they would be glad to pay $200 for an
> 80-column card for their machine.  I don't see that level of support in the
> posts in comp.sys.apple2.
>
> 3.  I would like to see more information available to newbies as to what all
> their Apple II computer can do.  Maybe a web site with a couple of screen
> shots and a brief explanantion of some of the more widely used programs
> would help.
>
> 4.  The person that posted about making more IIgs accelerators hit the nail
> on the head.  I hope someone makes some accelerator cards.  I think they
> would sell well.  With word of mouth and a little advertising on the
> Internet or newsletters, I think it wouldn't be too hard to sell 100 IIgs
> accelerator cards.  Dr. Buggie has sold 182 or so of his BUGG-POWER power
> supplies.  Surely one must think 100 accelerator cards would sell for what
> $100??? a pop?  Perhaps those of you with accelerator cards can provide some
> information on which major programs it helps out on and how much.  Go ahead,
> create some interest for a potential future builder.
>
> 5.  Name three enhancmenets you would like to see for the IIgs.
>
> Myself, I would like to see an IDE card for hard disk drives.  I don't
> recall anyone saying for sure whether or not the Focus hard drive is
> basically an IDE card or not.  If a PC can have a 2 serial port, 1 parallel
> port, 1 game port, and IDE support card for $15, surely we can have one with
> regular old IDE support for hard drives.
>
> I think an accelerator would come after a hard drive, but would be useful
> from what I have read.
>
> If more people had a system with a hard drive, 4MB RAM card, and
> accelerator, more focus would be placed on making priograms to take
> advantage of them.
>
> These are some points that I cam e up with after reading recent posts on
> IIgs upgrades.  Please feel free to e-mail me and/or post a message here
> about your thoughts.  I think it would be helpful to the whole Apple II
> community.
>
> Sincerely,
> Jason Whorton