Re: Apple /// questions - yes, I can count!

[spec@vax2.concordia.ca (Mitchell Spector)]

In article shack@deimos.frii.com (Randy Shackelford) writes...

>>The Blue Meanie  <bluemeanie@quality.NOSPAM.net> wrote:

>I have both a 256K III and a III plus. Pluses come with 256K, and the III
>was upgraded. It is said that pluses can go to 512K, but no one seems to know
>if there was ever an upgrade made to this amount.

    The 512K board was sold by On-Three, and I seem to remember it could
be used in either the Apple III or III Plus, but no software was written
to supported it. I also seem to recall it was technically possible (in
theory at least) to expand the Apple III to 4 MB, but I may be thinking
of something else.

>I have a profile card in each, and a 5 mb drive to share between 'em. It has
>most of my III software on it. I also have a Monitor 100 for my //e but have
>never tried it on the IIIs. How's the picture on it?

    The AppleColor RGB monitor also works on the III, but the color
information is totally wrong since your using an analog screen on a
digital RGB port. I wouldn't really recommend doing this though, it
may not be safe for the display.

>>3> In the absence of both the ability to boot the ProFile and a selector,
>>it would seem that the ProFile is resigned to simple data file storage.
>>What would be the logic of having 5 Megs of fixed storage that can't be
>>used to run applications from?
>
>I have a copy of Quark Catalyst with my IIIs, which you boot from floppy
>and get a Prosel style program selector for apps on the hard disk.

    Hmm, I may have to hunt that down if I purchase the used ProFile and
controller board I saw at a local computer shop. :)

    Other options for a program selector, going from memory here, are
The Manager (not the Seven Hills program), Selector /// and the BOS-3.
I don't own any of those programs or the BOS operating system, nor
have I ever seen them.

>>5> I have no software or documentation relating to the Titan ///+// and
>>///+//e cards.  I understand these give reasonably good 64K Apple ][+ and
>>128K(?) unenhanced //e compatibility (as opposed to the 48K ][/][+
>>Emulation disk included with the ///).  Does someone have a set of
>>manuals and disks for these cards they would sell me?  Can the cards be
>>modified to behave as an enhanced //e instead?  I figure the CPU in the
>>/// can be changed to a 65C02 pretty easily, right?  What else might be
>>required?
>
>AFAIK, the Titan card only emulates a 128K unenhanced //e. All III stuff
>predates the enhanced //e.

    I think you can replace the 6502 with a 65C02, which may allow you
to run a few more software titles, but it still far off from an enhanced
Apple IIe (it is pretty much like placing a 65C02 in an Apple II Plus).

>>7> There was a precursor to AppleWorks called 3EZ Pieces (WP, SS, DB,
>>file-card motif) available for the Apple ///.  Considering how bad the
>>AppleWriter /// I have is (blech), and that VisiCalc is copy-protected, I
>>would like to acquire 3EZ Pieces.  Can anyone sell me disks and manuals?
>
>I have 3 E-Z Pieces, but dunno where to get copies these days. Don't want
>to get the dreaded P word flying around any more than it is.

    Sun Remarketing was selling it for US$59 two years ago, as well as
Catalyst and several other titles, but they may no longer be available
at this point in time. WAP is really the place to connect if you want
to purchase Apple III software.

>People say that there was an adaptor for III pluses to use Disk IIIs, and
>all Disk IIIs have the 20 pin molex style plug. Fat chance finding the
>adaptor these days I'd say.

    I can pretty much confirm there was never a Disk III with DB-type
connector, the Apple Canada price list I have from October 1984 lists
Apple III Plus accessories and has "Disk /// with 'Plus' adapter". If
it means anything, the part number was A3F0016.

    I might be able to dig one up, that local computer store I mention
above has all sorts of Apple III parts (I saw keyboards, powersupplies,
256K RAM boards, ProFile and parallel interface cards and all sorts of
things, even parts for the Apple Lisa! It was like walking into the 
service room of an Apple dealer, 15 years back in time! :)

>Well mine are mainly for gee-whiz value/nostalgia, and are attic dwellers
>at the moment. Kinda cool to bring down and tinker with 'em from time to
>time though.

    Same here, my Apple III (256K, Monitor III and Disk III) lives in
a basement closet, though I pull it out from time to time to play with
or upgrade if I happen to come across parts (rare as that is). Some of
my friends often refer to that closet as the "computer crypt", since
it's where I store most of my old computers. :)

Mitchell Spector
spec@vax2.concordia.ca