Re: comp.sys.apple2 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Part 2/4

[Digiker Martin <jolyxy@hotmail.com>]

Nathan Mates wrote:
kdj	asjdfhive-name: apple2/faq/part2
> Posting-Frequency: monthly
> Last-modified: January 13 1998
> Version: 5.1.34
> URL: http://www.visi.com/~nathan/a2/faq/csa2.html
> 
> The next section is the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) posting of
> the comp.sys.apple2 newsgroup. Copyright (c) 1997 by Nathan Mates
> (email: nathan@visi.com), all rights reserved. This document can be
> freely copied so long as 1) it is not sold, 2) any sections reposted
> elsewhere from it are credited back to this FAQ with the FAQ's
> copyright info and official WWW location
> (http://www.visi.com/~nathan/a2/faq/csa2.html) left in place.
> 
> This FAQ is posted on the WWW for 24 hour a day (barring system and/or
> internet malfunctions) availability from
> http://www.visi.com/~nathan/a2/faq/csa2.html. Please do NOT make a
> copy of this FAQ and post it on the web; I'm continually updating and
> fixing sections of it. A html link is fine.
> 
> --- Begin part 2 of 4
> 
> Adding Hardware:
> 
>    6/13/97 4.1 What cards should go in which slots in my Apple II?
> 
>    A:This depends on what the card is, and what model your Apple II is.
>    Apple IIs traded the 'IRQ' hassles of IBM PCs for more specific
>    functions as to which functions should go in each slot.
> 
>    Slot 0 (only available on the Apple ][ and ][+) is pretty much
>    reserved for 'Language Card' 16K RAM upgrades and ROM code for
>    Integer/Applesoft Basic.
> 
>    Slot 1 tends to be used for printers in pre-GS machines, and either a
>    printer or used for Appletalk in GSs, though most software supports
>    printers in any slot. The printer port in a //c, IIc+, and GS
>    (optional-- see the control panel) are all bound to slot 1. On a ROM
>    00/01 GS with Appletalk on, one of slots 1 & 2 must be set to 'Your
>    card'-- whichever card that is will have its associated port used for
>    the Appletalk connection. In an appletalked ROM 00/01 GS, you may want
>    to place your Hard Drive's card in slot 1 and boot off that. In the
>    ROM 3, you can set slot 1 or 2 to Appletalk directly and use its
>    associated port.
> 
>    Slot 2 tends to be used for modems and other serial comm devices,
>    though most software supports modems in any slot. The modem port in a
>    //c, IIc+, and GS (optional-- see the control panel) are all bound to
>    slot 2. On the GS, it can also be used for Appletalk; see slot 1
>    above.
> 
>    Slot 3 is pretty much reserved for 80-column cards, as almost every
>    piece of software under the sun that wants 80 columns assumes that
>    they'll find such a card there. The //e has an extra 'auxillary' slot
>    that provides an alternate slot 3 with extra functionality for
>    RAM/video upgrades. With an 80-column card in the auxillary slot on a
>    //e, a regular card should not be placed in the 'regular' slot 3
>    unless otherwise noted here. The GS's memory expansion slot does not
>    affect slot 3, but programs wanting to use 80 columns want slot 3 set
>    to that function.
> 
>    The few exceptions to this use of slot 3 for 80 columns are cards that
>    only take power from the slot, but don't need to communicate to the
>    system, such as Accelerator boards, the 'Swyftcard' for the //e (mini
>    word-processor and other tools in ROM), and certain video boards like
>    Apple's Video Overlay Card (VOC) and Sequential System's Second Sight
>    (SS). The accelerator boards on a GS require a short cable to the CPU
>    socket on the motherboard, so they're limited by distance; slot 3 is a
>    good place to park them. If you find that slot 3 is unavailable with a
>    Zip GS, you can move the Zip to slots 1 or 2 by flipping the cable to
>    the CPU socket on both ends. On a ROM 00/01, slot 3 provides extra
>    video signals required by the VOC or SS, so those boards must go
>    there. ROM 3 GSs provide those signals to slots 1-6, reducing the
>    crowding for that slot.
> 
>    Slot 4 is the most open of the slots. It tends to be used for mouse
>    controller cards (//e, some //cs, emulated on GS), CP/M cards, or
>    other things.
> 
>    Slot 5 tends to be used by Smartport and other 3.5" controller cards,
>    or more 5.25" disks. If you don't have such a drive, other cards can
>    be placed in them.
> 
>    Slot 6 is almost always used for 5.25" drive controller cards. Any
>    software using Apple's UCSD Pascal OS on a 5.25" disk must boot from a
>    5.25" disk mapped to slot 6. If you don't use such programs or don't
>    use 5.25" disks anymore, this slot may be used for some other
>    functionality.
> 
>    Slot 7 doesn't have as much of a defined role, but is useful for
>    placing Hard Drive controllers in; Appletalk support in a ROM 00/01 GS
>    and //es with the workstation card require that Slot 7 be set over to
>    Appletalk. [With a GS, move the HD controller to a different slot, and
>    set it to boot off there.]
> 
>    Before the GS, Apple IIs were set to boot off the disk controller (any
>    type, matching a few identification bytes) in the highest numbered
>    slot. Depending on the type of device, if the disk is not ready, it'll
>    either wait forever for a valid disk (such as the original Disk ][
>    controller), or give up and let the next highest slot boot. GSs can be
>    set via the text control panel to either 'Scan' the slots in the same
>    order, or boot directly off any slot.
> 
>    If you occasionally want to boot off a different disk than your
>    default (e.g. HD controller in slot 7, but want to play copy protected
>    games on a 5.25" disk in slot 6), there are some utilities to let you
>    cancel booting off the current drive and boot another. Eric Shepherd's
>    'ProBoot' program is a good utility to do just that:
>    ftp://apple2.caltech.edu/pub/apple2/addons/patches/proboot52.shk
> 
>    4.2 Can I add more memory to my Apple II?
> 
>    A: Yes. The hard part is getting machines before the GS to recognize
>    all of it. The Apple ][ and ][+ have a practical limit of about 64K,
>    which is accomplished by the 16K language card in slot 0. [Some
>    accelerators provided 128K, as well as some very old ram cards, but I
>    don't have any real info on that.]
> 
>    The //e had the widest variety of memory expansion options. The AUX
>    slot used for 80-column cards could also handle memory expansion--
>    Apple's own Extended 80-column card provided an extra 64K of memory.
>    Other cards in that slot could reportedly add several megs of memory.
>    There were also RAM cards for slots 1-7, the so-called 'slinky' cards,
>    also capable of adding a meg or more. Most of these cards are only
>    available used, but Sequential Systems is still making and selling a
>    1MB //e RAM card.
> 
>    Later models of the Apple //c had an internal memory expansion port,
>    which RAM 'cards' could be added internally-- see the section on Apple
>    //cs for how to determine if a //c could have RAM added. Such RAM
>    cards are only available used; Sequential used to make one, but it's
>    not listed anymore on their WWW page.
> 
>    The problem with adding extra RAM to Apple IIs (before the GS) is that
>    not much software would take advantage of it at all. Only a few
>    programs like Appleworks had any form of support-- versions 1.x or 2.x
>    needed to be patched to recognize more memory, 3.0 and up could use an
>    externally supplied file. [To get the patch or the file, see the disks
>    that came with the RAM card.] Applesoft and Integer Basic, most games,
>    and the like don't care about any RAM beyond the 48-128K they require
>    to run.
> 
>    The GS, due to its processor design, can directly address up to 16MB
>    of memory (about 2MB is reserved in the GS's design for ROM), though
>    RAM cards only go up to 8MB in a ROM 01 and 7MB in a ROM 3. [The 1MB
>    on the ROM 3's motherboard reduces the RAM card's range] Sequential
>    Systems and Alltech Electronics still sell 2-8MB RAM boards for the
>    GS; there were also lots of other manufacturers. Alltech's Sirius
>    board takes 1MB 30-pin SIMMs, so if you have a cheap source of them,
>    you may find it cheaper to buy an empty board and populate it
>    yourself.
> 
>    Going to 7 or 8 MB of RAM on a GS is not always recommended. A number
>    of devices, especially Apple's Hi-speed SCSI board, cannot handle DMA
>    (Direct Memory Access, used to speed Hard Drive cards and
>    accelerators) past the first 4MB of RAM, so you may take a performance
>    hit, or the board may not work at all. The RamFAST SCSI board appears
>    to be better about supporting past 4MB RAM, but there are still
>    reports of problems.
> 
>    The GS can also have //e 'slinky' cards plugged in, but aside from
>    Appleworks and ramdisk support, the memory on these boards is NOT
>    available to GS programs. This is because they are accessed via slots
>    1-7 manually, one byte at a time in sequential order, while the 65816
>    wants program RAM to be directly accessible in random order. It would
>    require rewriting a program to address slinky cards from a GS, and as
>    the numbers of those are extremely limited, no real support for them
>    was ever widespread.
> 
>    4.3 Can I accelerate my Apple II?
> 
>    A: Yes. Over the years, many accelerators were produced for the varios
>    models in the Apple II series. Most of these were slot-based cards,
>    though the ZipChip (4 and 8 Mhz models) and RocketChip (5 and 10 Mhz
>    models) were drop-in processor replacements. For the GS, the Transwarp
>    GS and the Zip GS were the only options; Ego Systems still sells 8Mhz
>    Zip GSs. [I don't know of anyplace selling non-GS accelerators new;
>    you'll probably have to look for one used.] A separate FAQ for
>    upgrading ZIP GS or TransWarp GS accelerators is available at
>    http://www.visi.com/~nathan/a2/faq/zip.html.
> 
>    For only a few dollars, you can buy a faster 65C02/65816 from an
>    electronics parts catalog. However, this most likely won't do you a
>    bit of good without an ungradeable accelerator card. This is because
>    the Apple II's system bus runs at 1Mhz, and provides a 1Mhz signal to
>    the processor socket. The processor derives its timing off that
>    signal; running it at a speed under what it's rated at is perfectly
>    safe and legal. Accelerator cards or chips provide their own
>    oscillator at a faster speed, plus the logic necessary for a chip to
>    interface with the slower 1Mhz bus.
> 
>    4.4 Can I hook up a modem to my Apple II?
> 
>    A: Yes, most external serial modems should work great with an Apple
>    II. Models such as the //c, IIc+ and IIGS have a serial port built in;
>    the ][, ][+ and //e do not and will need to have one added.
> 
>    An Apple ][, ][+ or //e with Apple's Super Serial Card and an external
>    modem that's fast enough can connect at 9600 baud fine; 19200 may be
>    iffy. (Past 19200 pretty much requires an accelerated Apple II). There
>    is an addon to the Super Serial Card called the Turbo ASP that has a
>    theoretical maximum of 230,400; see the entry for Lightning Systems in
>    the dealer's section of this FAQ.
> 
>    The very first revision of the //c motherboard had a faulty serial
>    setup that prevented most machines from reliable serial communications
>    faster than 2400 baud. See the section on the //c in this FAQ for
>    information on how to determine if a system is likely to be affected.
>    Various companies sell cables for the Apple //c's more oddball 5-pin
>    serial ports; check out Atlaz Computer Supply (516-239-1854) or LYBEN
>    Computer Systems at (800) 493-5777.
> 
>    The GS (and probably the IIc+) and the appropriate software (such as
>    ProTERM, Spectrum or ANSITerm) can connect at up to 57600 baud. (Once
>    again, an accelerator is recommended for the higher speeds).
> 
>    For any Apple II, speeds past 9600 pretty much require you to get a
>    'Hardware Handshaking' modem cable. This is a cable with connections
>    between the handshaking pins (cheapo cables may only have the 3 wires
>    necessary to do simple serial) and thus allows the computer to tell
>    the modem that it is temporarily too busy to receive data, so the
>    modem doesn't send more data until the computer's ready.
> 
>    Internal modems for Apple IIs only seem to have gone up to 2400 baud,
>    which was fast for the time the boards were made, but is now fairly
>    outdated. You cannot use internal PC modems in Apple IIs.
> 
>    4.5 Can I hook up a LaserWriter, DeskJet, etc to my Apple //e?
> 
>    A: A number of them. The best bet is probably the HP DeskJet series.
> 
>    Most supported printers have either regular serial or parallel
>    connections. The tricky part is getting the software to do what you
>    want. The DeskJet, for example will print very nice-looking text with
>    regular old "PR#1". But if you want to change the font or print
>    graphics, you may have to purchase some software. One excellent
>    program for these types of printers is PublishIt 4.
> 
>    For AppleWorks fans, there is the program called SuperPatch. Among
>    it's patches is a cool DeskJet 500 (most DeskJet 6xx printers should
>    be compatible, but check the documentation) printer driver. You can
>    print sideways, and change fonts with normal AppleWorks commands. The
>    DeskJet driver is built in to AW 4.0 and later.
> 
>    The Apple Stylewriter family is not supported by any //e program to my
>    knowledge.
> 
>    4.6 Can I hook up a Laser printer, ink jet, or bubble jet printer to
>    my Apple IIGS?
> 
>    A:In short: a number of them, but not all. Please look through the
>    following list to check if a particular model you're looking at is
>    supported. Also, the following applies to all programs which support
>    the GS system toolbox methods for talking to printers through drivers.
>    Most GS programs support this; Print Shop GS is an exception-- it'll
>    pretty much only work with the printers listed in the program, and
>    then only at its printing resolutions.
> 
>    On the GS, you can hook up most LaserWriters made by Apple via
>    AppleTalk-- if it supports Postscript and Appletalk, it should work.
>    [Apple's Quickdraw printers are not usable.] A GS program can
>    typically print to a LaserWriter if it's connected to the GS via
>    AppleTalk; just install the LaserWriter drivers from the System 6
>    disks. Note that some LaserWriters from Apple may be 'Quickdraw,' not
>    true Postscript printers, so they won't work from the GS. The
>    Laserwriter, Laserwriter II, LW IINT, LW IINTX are all known to work
>    fine.
> 
>    Of the Apple Stylewriter family, ONLY the original Stylewriter will
>    work on the GS, and then only from GS/OS with the System 6 drivers. As
>    Apple has not written drivers or released the specifications so that
>    drivers could be written by third parties, none of the rest of the
>    Stylewriter models works when connected to a GS.
> 
>    The HP DeskWriter family is mostly only for Macintoshes; the DeskJet
>    3xx, 5xx or 6xx (xx= any 2 numbers, plus some optional letters)
>    printer families is much more friendly to all models of the Apple II.
>    If you get a DeskJet, or PaintJet, etc, you can hook them up via a
>    parallel printer card or serial cable depending on what ports the
>    printer has. The exceptions to this are HP's recent 'Windows Only'
>    printers, such as the HP DJ 820C models, which don't work at all with
>    Apple IIs.
> 
>    But, in order to use pretty much any inkjet or bubblejet printer that
>    the GS can talk to effectively, you will need Harmonie (originally
>    published by Vitesse; now taken over by Joe Kohn's Shareware Solutions
>    II (better-- supports color printing on HP inkjets that have such
>    support built in) or Independence (cheaper, but only black & white
>    printing) from Seven Hills. They are new printer drivers for GS/OS
>    programs only. These two programs extend the ranges of printers
>    supported by the GS. If you want to print from an 8-bit program, see
>    the previous question.
> 
>    Harmonie's drivers also support a number of printer modes that other
>    printers can handle. Apparently the Canon BJ-200e works well with
>    Harmonie 2.1's Epson LQ or Epson LQ 4000 drivers.
> 
>    As provided by Richard Der, here is a list of printers and such
>    supported by Harmonie; there may be other printers that are compaible
>    with such models listed here, but are not listed. Nobody's gotten a
>    list of printers supported by Independence to me yet, unfortunately.
> 
> Printers supported by Harmonie:
> --Canon Dot Matrix--
> Canon 1080
> 
> --HP DeskJet (or DeskWriter) Ink-Jet--
> DeskJet        (Manual states all DeskJet and DeskJet 5xx drivers
> DeskJet 500C    work with DeskWriter series of the same number
> DeskJet 520     using the high speed Printer 57.6 serial port
> DeskJet 550C    driver included with on the disk)
> DeskJet 560C *560C driver is compatible with DJ/DW 600C and 660C
>               printers. The DJ 400 is like th DJ 600C. The DJ 560C
>               driver is listed as a 600x300dpi one whereas all the
>               rest are 300x300dpi. [Other models like the 680C/682C
>               should work also.]
> 
> --Epson LQ 24-pin Dot Matrix (or Canon Ink-Jet)--
> Epson LQ        (Epson LQ drivers work with Canon BJ models for
> Epson LQ 4000    hi-res 360dpi printing. Some older models have
> Epson LQ 800     dip switches that must be set to enable automatic
>                  Epson emulation -> for example, the BJ-200e
>                  requires DIP switch 12 to be set to ON. The printer
>                  manual should say what to do for the specific model.
>                  BJ-10e, BJ 100, BJ-200, BJ-210, BJ-4100, and BJ-600
>                  models also list Epson LQ emulation and should work
>                  with one or more of these drivers.)
> 
> --Epson 9-pin Dot Matrix--
> Epson MX 80
> 
> --HP LaserJet laser Printers--
> LaserJet
> LaserJetIIP
> LaserJet III    (Newer LaserJet models also work with these drivers
>                  as are any HP compatible laser printers)
> 
> --Misc. Dot Matrix Printers--
> Okimate 20
> Panasonic 1124
> Pinwriter
> 
> --Misc. Ink-Jet--
> HP PaintJet
> QuadJet
> 
>    Gareth Jones adds the following from his list on his Harmonie 2.11
>    disk:
> 
> -- Apple Dot Matrix Printers--
> ImageWriter LQII
> ImageWriter II
> 
>    I'd like to get a list of all printers that are 1) officially
>    supported by Harmonie/Independence, 2) not officially listed, but a
>    driver exists that works well with them and 3) don't work at all with
>    Apple IIs. Given that I have neither the time nor the money to test
>    every printer on the market, I'd appreciate feedback sent to me at
>    nathan@visi.com.
> 
>    4.7 Can I use Macintosh RGB or IBM VGA/SVGA Monitors with my ][?
> 
>    A: Not normally. Even with the GS's RGB monitor connector, the GS puts
>    out a 15Khz horizontal refresh signal. Most modern monitors (notable
>    exceptions are the old NEC Multisync 1 and 2 monitors) require the
>    signal to be at least 30Khz, and thus won't display the picture. If
>    you have a question on whether a given monitor will work, check the
>    manual for it or contact the manufacturer to see if it'll support
>    15Khz horizontal syncs. Older Apple II RGB cards (such as those to
>    extend AE Ramworks cards) should have the same problem.
> 
>    The one way to bridge the "use Apple II monitors with Apple IIs" rule
>    of thumb is to purchase the Second Sight (tm) VGA display board from
>    Sequential Systems. (See the dealers section of this FAQ for their
>    address and WWW page). The Second Sight mirrors Apple II video modes
>    fairly well onto the VGA display, as well as supplying some VGA modes
>    that programmers have begun to tap into. With it, you can connect
>    VGA/SVGA monitors to your //e or GS
> 
>    If you are desperate for a monitor, the Apple II line puts out a video
>    signal from the back port that can be hooked into the 'line in' port
>    of a NTSC VCR or modern TVs-- just use a male-male RCA phono jack,
>    which electronics shops should carry. Alternatively, a 'RF Converter'
>    (try your local Radio Shack or the equivalent) can be used to connect
>    that signal to a TV without a 'line in' connector.
> 
>    4.8 Can I use my GS Monitor on a Mac or PC?
> 
>    A:As stated above in using other monitors on the GS, the GS monitor
>    expects a 15Khz horizontal refresh signal. In addition, the monitor
>    itself has an 0.37" dot pitch, which as far as modern monitors go,
>    that is atrocious. It'd be best to get a monitor designed for other
>    systems on them.
> 
>    If trying to connect to a Macintosh, only the original Mac Nubus 8-bit
>    (256-color) video card is known to work with the GS's monitor. Once
>    connected, you'll be able to do 640x480 in interlaced mode.
>    [Interlaced mode is flickery to many people, and a very subpar video
>    mode]
> 
>    I have never heard of anyone successfully connecting the GS monitor to
>    a PC; you'd need to find a video board you could program to get the
>    15Khz horizontal refresh signal out, and then you'd still probably be
>    locked to the 640x480 interlaced mode.
> 
>    4.9 Can the Apple II connect to keyboards, mice, etc. from other
>    platforms?
> 
>    A: IBM PC keyboards are almost impossible to connect to any Apple II
>    directly; the only possibility is to buy a device used to connect such
>    a keyboard to a Macintosh, and try that with your GS. [The 'PC
>    Transporter' addon card supports PC keyboards, but only in IBM PC
>    mode; can't use them for Apple II programs.]
> 
>    IBM PC Serial Mice (usually have 9-pin serial connectors) can be
>    connected to Apple //es with Sequential System's board. Although the
>    connector is shaped identically, the //c, //e, and GS's 9-pin joystick
>    port in back is not a serial port; serial mice just won't work if
>    connected to it. (If you have a GS, just buy a Mac ADB mouse and use
>    that)
> 
>    Most Macintosh (except for the ones with the phone jack connector,
>    such as the original Mac and Mac 512) keyboards and mice are Apple
>    Desktop Bus (ADB) devices. ADB made its debut on the Apple IIGS; it
>    was later adopted by the Mac SE and other computers in the line. This
>    means that most Mac ADB mice and keyboards will work on the GS. There
>    are no reported incompatabilities with Mac mice that I've heard about,
>    though multibutton mice may only have one button work on the GS.
> 
>    Macintosh keyboards may not work; here is a list of ones known to work
>    and not, compiled by Bradley P. Von Haden (bpvh@primenet.com)
> 
> The Apple IIgs can use some Mac ADB keyboards.  I have compiled the
> following list of keyboards that do and do not work with an Apple
> IIgs. Additions/corrections encouraged.
> 
> Last updated: 07 February 1997
> 
> Format:
> 
> Manufacturer, Model [information note] ($$ - resellers: the first
>      company listed has the best price without considering shipping
>      and handling)
> 
> Work with an Apple IIgs:
> 
> Apple ADB Keyboards I and II
> AppleDesign Keyboard ($85 - MM, MW, MZ)
> Apple Extended Keyboard (original)
> Apple Extended Keyboard II ($155 - MM, MW, MZ)
> Adesso 105 Extended Keyboard ($80 - MZ ??, Tiger SW)
> Adesso 102 Extended Keyboard w/ Trackball [Trackball does NOT work]
>      ($100 - MZ ??, Tiger Software)
> AlphaSmart Pro ADB keyboard [www.alphasmart.com] ($270 - MZ,
>      Educational Resources, MW ??)
> Arriva Extended ($40 - MM ??)
> Interex Mac-105A Extended ($55 - MM ??, Syex Express; $34 - Computer
>      City)
> Key Tronic MacPro Plus ($130 - MZ ??, APS Tech.)
> OptiMac Extended Keyboard (???)
> PowerUser 105E Extended Keyboard ($60 - MW)
> SIIG, Inc MacTouch Model 1905 (~$100.00)
> SIIG, TrueTouch [ROM 03 only]
> Sun OmniMac Ultra [extended, ADB type] (???)
> Suntouch ADB Extended Keyboard ($75 - Syex Express)
> VividKey Extended Keyboard ($60 - MM ??)
> 
> Do not work:
> 
> Apple Adjustable Keyboard
> MacALLY Peripherals Extended Keyboard
> MicroSpeed Keyboard Deluxe MAC
> 
> Not Sure (basic):
> 
> Adesso Easy Touch ext kb ($44 - MZ)
> Adesso ProPoint ext kb w/ thinkpad ($60 - MM, MZ)
> Adesso Easy Touch ext kb ($50- MZ)
> Alps GlidePoint kb ($110 - MZ)
> ClubMac Extended Keyboard ($39 - CM ??)
> Datadesk MAC 101 E ($80 - MW, MZ ??)
> Datadesk TrackBoard ($100 - MW, MZ ??)
> Key Tronic Trak Pro Plus ($230 - APS Tech. ??)
> Performance Soft Touch Personal ext kb ($40 - MZ
> Performance Soft Touch Extended Keyboard ($40 - MZ)
> Spring Sun Tech MacPride 97 ($90 - MM ??)
> Spring Sun Tech MacPride 105 ($59 - MM ??)
> Spring Sun Tech MacPride 110 [MAC/IBM switchable] ($80 - MM ??)
> Spring Sun Tech MacPride KidBoard ($100 - MM ??)
> Spring Sun Tech MacPride Strong Man (??)
> 
> Not Sure (ergonomic):
> 
> Adesso NUForm Ergonomic ext kb ($58 - CM, MM, MW, MZ)
> Adesso NUForm Ergomomic ext kb w/ pointer ($59 - MZ, CM, MM, MW)
> Adesso NUForm Ergonomic ext kb w/ touch pad ($86 - CM, MM, MW, MZ)
> Adesso Tru-From Ergonomic ext kb ($68 - CM, MM, MW)
> Adesso Tru-Form Ergonomic ext kb w/ pointer ($80 - MZ, CM, MM, MW)
> Adesso Tru-Form Ergonomic ext kb w/ touchpad ($96 - CM, MM, MW)
> 
> Contact Information:
> 
> (CM) ClubMac       (800-258-2622) (http://www.club-mac.com)
> (MM) MacMall       (800-222-2808) (http://www.macmall.com)
> (MW) MacWarehouse  (800-255-6227) (http://www.warehouse.com)
> (MZ) MacZone       (800-248-0800) (http://www.maczone.com)
> 
>    Some have noted that the Adesso NUForm keyboard works only on a ROM 3
>    system, but not a ROM 00/01. The 'MACPride Strong Man' keyboard is
>    reported to work fine on a GS. Also, the 'Alphasmart' keyboard
>    (http://www.alphasmart.com) is reported by its manufacturer as
>    GS-compatible.
> 
>    4.10 I want a Y-adapter for my GS keyboard.
> 
>    A: Redmond Cable has an ADB Y-connector cable for separating your
>    mouse from the side of your keyboard (also can be used to work around
>    a failing ADB port on the keyboard). See the Resources section (10.2)
>    of this FAQ,
> 
>    4.11 Can I hook up a scanner up to my //e or IIGS? Can it do OCR?
> 
>    A: Yes and Yes. (OCR stands for Optical Character Recognition -- the
>    ability to convert a scan into text) Just pick up a Quickie scanner
>    (by Vitesse) and InWords (by WestCode Software). You can scan 4"
>    columns (you must have 512K to 1 Meg) and can even paste them together
>    to make 8" scans. Then you can use InWords to "read" text and put it
>    into a text file or AppleWorks Word Processor file.
> 
>    [Update, 3/15/97: it does not appear that InWords is being sold
>    anymore by WestCode software. I've emailed the company to try and
>    determine its status.] Apple put partially completed support for a few
>    Apple flatbed scanners onto the System 6.0 Golden Master CD, but the
>    test program for it could not save a scan to a file. No programs are
>    known to support various popular TWAIN-compliant scanners such as
>    those from HP.
> 
>   4.12 What about clock/calendar capabilities?
> 
>    The GS is the only machine in the Apple II family to have a built-in
>    clock/calendar. There were a number of clock/calendar cards for the
>    ][, ][+ and //e. ProDOS 8 had built-in support for the Thunderclock'
>    without any modifications; other cards may require their own drivers
>    to be installed, or may emulate a Timemaster H.O. The 'No Slot Clock'
>    (still being sold by Alltech Electronics and possibly others) fits
>    under a ROM chip in the ][, ][+, //e, //c and IIc+, allowing them
>    clock capabilities.
> 
>    ProDOS 8 does have a problem in its year calculating code-- the
>    designers assumed that a table holding only 6 years would be
>    sufficient. They were wrong. You'll have to patch ProDOS every few
>    years to keep it up to date; a text file including a Basic program is
>    on Apple's FTP site:
>    ftp://ftp.apple.com/dts/aii/sys.soft/slotclock-patch.txt
> 
>    4.13 Can a Disk ][ be used on a GS smartport?
> 
>    A: Yes. Contact Jameco Electronics (http://www.jameco.com, phone:
>    1-800-831-4242) S20 PIN HEADER TO DB19-PIN CONNECTOR MODULE ADAPTS
>    II/II+ DRIVES FOR APPLE IIC. PART NO: 10022 PRODUCT NO.: AAM APPLE IIC
>    ADAPTER $3.95
> 
>    If you don't mind some soldering, you can make this cable up yourself.
>    Take a look at http://www.visi.com/~nathan/a2/faq/diskiicable.html
> 
>    4.14 Can the Apple II connect to 3.5" drives or flopticals for other
>    platforms?
> 
>    A: For 400K or 800K Mac 3.5" drives, in general, no. Apple's 3.5"
>    drive that was sold with Apple IIGSs has logic to sense which machine
>    it is hooked up to (Apple II or Macintosh) and it works accordingly.
>    Most 3rd party drives don't bother to put in Apple II support in their
>    drives. Some may work if you hook them up to a UDC instead of an Apple
>    3.5" inch card. Old style Mac 800k drives are very slow.
> 
>    Mac 1.44MB (High Density) 3.5" drives can be used if you have both
>    both the High Densit