Re: Differences in ProDOS versions

[dempson@actrix.gen.nz (David Empson)]

In article <4uu7v0$nuh@news.asu.edu>, adam.myrow@asu.edu wrote:

>The only differences I can think of besides the quit code are that
>versions of Prodos that are 1.1.1 or earlier disable interrupts and
>don't recognize the Apple IIgs's clock.

Here is a summary of the major features of each version.  There are
several bug fixes as well.  See ProDOS Technical Note #023 for full
details.


ProDOS-8 1.0.x are the only versions which work in a 48K machine, and most
software doesn't support this configuration anyway.

ProDOS-8 1.1 rearranged the internal organisation of the ProDOS kernel in
the language card.  It also recognises the enhanced IIe and IIc, and
supports the standard protocol for slot 3 cards in the IIe.

ProDOS-8 1.2 is the first one with IIgs support, (including clock support
as you mentioned), with the necessary hooks for ProDOS-16 to be able to
invoke it.  It is also the first version which supports remapping drive 3
and 4 of a SmartPort device in slot 5 down to slot 2.  Has rudimentary
support for AppleTalk add-ons.

ProDOS-8 1.3 adds the "swap index blocks on delete" feature (instead of
clearing them), allowing undeletion of files.  It also allows disk
recovery software to distinguish deleted files from ones which have not
been deleted.  (This version has a couple of nasty bugs and should be
avoided, especially on a machine with a 6502 processor.)

ProDOS-8 1.4 provides more hooks for AppleTalk support, but it doesn't
implement it properly.

ProDOS-8 1.5 has the full version of the AppleTalk hooks.

ProDOS-8 1.7 allows programs to set the "invisible" attribute for files.

ProDOS-8 1.8 fixes a bug introduced in 1.3 which can trash disks if
something goes wrong while deleting a file.  This is also the first
version which is able to open subdirectories that were created by GS/OS
with lower case letters in the filename.

ProDOS-8 1.9 provides the 80-column menu-driven quit code, and will go
straight to the quit code if there is no .SYSTEM file (instead of
sulking).

ProDOS-8 2.0.1 requires a 65C02 processor and adds support for remapping
SmartPort devices.

-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz
Snail Mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand