Re: RAM cards

["Michael J. Mahon" <mjmahon@aol.com>]

On 9/18/2010 11:00 PM, KP wrote:
> On Sep 19, 12:38 am, "ict@ccess"<gids...@sasktel.net>  wrote:
> > KP wrote:
> > > A few questions about RAM cards:
> >
> > > 1) The Oxen Industries (now remarketed by MC Pricebusters) "Super
> > > Expander E" is marketed as a clone of the AE RAMWorks card.  However,
> > > I am concerned that the Super Expander E would not be recognized by
> > > non-AppleWorks programs (the card comes with software for patching AW,
> > > but not for patching other software).  Is the Super Expander E
> > > unrecognized by other software that would normally recognize an AE
> > > RAMWorks card?  e.g., CP/AM, some of the Beagle Bros. programs that
> > > utilize expanded RAM, etc.?
> >
> > > 2) Can you use both a RAMFactor and an Aux card at once in a //e?
> > > Would the total available RAM reflect both cards, or just one card?
> >
> > > 3) Can you use both a RAMFactor and a Mem-slot card at once in a
> > > IIgs?  Would the total available RAM reflect both cards, or just one
> > > card?
> >
> > > 4) If you used an 8-Meg Mem-slot card and a 1-Meg RAMFactor
> > > simultaneously in a IIgs, then would the total available RAM be 9 Meg
> > > (or nearly 10 Meg in a ROM 03)?
> >
> > > Thanks!
> >
> > You can have more than one memory card plugged in but only one can be
> > used for expansion RAM in appleworks and the other as a RAM drive or
> > you can have two RAM drives.
> >
> > A Ramfactor card can never be used as expansion RAM for programs, only
> > as a data storage media.
> >
> > Rob
>
> Are you sure of that last?  Why does the Ramfactor manual include
> instructions on using the Ramfactor RAM to expand the size of the
> AppleWorks desktop?  Doesn't that necessarily mean that the Ramfactor
> is being used as expansion RAM for programs?

He meant that it can never be addressed directly, so, for example,
it can never have code executed from it.

Code can be copied from a "Slinky" card to RAM and executed there.

Appleworks uses expansion cards to store "segments" which are primarily
data, but code can be saved and reloaded as "segments", too.

The point is that all expansion memory is quite different from the
primary 64KB RAM space, and requires special management that most
programs do not perform.  "Slinky" RAM cards are even more specialized,
and are best used for saving/reloading long, sequential chunks of
bytes, since they are not directly addressable.  RAM disks are a
natural application of these cards.

-michael

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