Re: Apple IIc Plus questions

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

In article kroberts@rand.nidlink.com (kroberts) writes...
>
>Hello to all of the Appleites out there.  I was lucky enough to stumble
>upon an Apple IIc+ and a beige 5.25 inch disk drive, plus a bunch of
>software, yesterday at a second hand store for the bargain price of $12.00
>dollars.  Pretty cool huh?  It all works too.  

   I paid about four times that amount (converted to US dollars) for my
Apple IIc Plus last week, though as a bonus it did include a flat-panel
LCD display! (as well as a non-functional IIc CPU and Disk IIc 5.25).
I was lucky to get ahold of one, since Apple never sold the IIc Plus
outside of the United States. 

>1.  Is there a way to turn off the speed up built into the machine?  It
>makes games imppossible.

   Yes, it requires you hold down the 'ESC' key when doing a warm or 
cold-boot. Either switch-on the machine while holding down 'ESC' or
press Apple-Control-Esc-Reset. If you've done it correctly, the word
"Normal" will appear on top of the screen and the machine will operate
at 1.024 MHz. It will return to 4 MHz the next time Apple-Control-Reset
is pressed or you power down.

>2.  What does the "Keyboard" key do?

   It is used to toggle between QWERTY and DVORAK keyboard layout.
QWERTY is the standard layout the majority of people use, the Apple
keyboard has it's keys arranged for that layout. Switch can also be
used to switch between English and a foreign language character set,
though unlike the IIc which sold internationally, this never happened
with the IIc Plus.

>3.  What's the difference between the IIc+ and the IIc?

   The major differences would be a built-in 3.5" drive (800K), where as
the original Apple IIc had a built-in 5.25" (140K) drive. An operating
speed of 4 MHz (the IIc ran at 1 MHz) and a built-in powersupply rather
than the infamous brick-on-a-rope external supply of the original IIc.

   Other changes in the IIc Plus include: New keyboard layout (identical
to the Macintosh and Apple IIgs, minus numeric keypad), mini-DIN8 serial
connectors (replacing DIN5), disk-port now supports platinum Apple 3.5
drive (non-intelligent device), "40/80" front switch replaced with a
sliding Volume control, removal of headphone jack and Volume dial, 
Memory Expansion socket standard (only 1986+ models of IIc had one), 
internal modem connector, Apple security lock-port for safe guarding 
equipment, color of case changed from snow-white to platinum/grey. Also, 
full name of machine silk-screened onto case in Apple's Garamond font 
(originally it merely said "//C" on it).

>4.  If I were to get rid of my IIe and IIplus in favor of just keeping the
>    IIc+ would I be losing any functionality or compatibility?

   Obviously one thing you will lose are the expansion slots. Also as
well, the Data casette IN/OUT ports and 16-pin game/paddle I/O socket,
but these are rarely used today. Software-wise, it should be fully
backwards compatible, although as the case with the original IIc and
even IIe, there may be some expections. Programs expecting to find a 
6502, internal 5.25 drive or a Disk II Controller card can sometimes 
be confused. It's no less compatible than any other 8-bit II though,
the majority of titles that run on your II+/e should work on the IIc+.

>5.  Anybody know where I can find a FAQ with details about the IIc+
>hardware and pinouts?

   You might want to look on the Apple Tech Info Library (accessible
through Gopher) which should have documents which list all the technical 
information you require on the IIc Plus. The comp.sys.apple2 FAQ just
has a mention of the IIc Plus, no specific or detailed information as
I recall.

Mitchell Spector
spec@vax2.concordia.ca