Re: Apple II gs Software?

[rubywand@aol.com (RUBYWAND)]

In article <4jeecu$2hq2@news.gate.net>, buglips@gate.net writes:

>
>I need to know the Who, What , Where & Why of Apple 2 gs...
>Can anyone point me in the right direction?
>I have a friend who got an Apple 2 gs for a gift & niether he nor I
>know anything about Apple 2 gs....  He needs a Book Keeping program
>for it. I have no idea how it is configured. ....

     The IIgs was Apple's response to a previous near-collapse situation.
In 1985 Mac was not doing well against IBM PC's (including the emerging PC
clones)  and both Commodore's Amiga and Atari's ST were featuring
VGA-class graphics, superior sound, and Mac-style point-and-click
desktops.

    The 1986 release of IIgs held Apple's II user base and inspired
confidence in the company. Stock prices shot up and Apple survived.

    IIgs uses the 65C816 microprocessor. The '816 can understand and
execute 6502 code. This lets IIgs run nearly all software produced for the
Apple II+, IIe, and IIc.

    For example, you can run hires games like Ultima I-V and double-hires
games like King's Quest, Might & Magic II, and Air Heart. IIgs also runs
classy-looking super-res, enhanced sound programs like Dungeon Master,
Music Studio, Alien Mind, Platinum Paint, and Bard's Tale. The main
operating system, System 6, is a very good Mac-style desktop interface.

    You can set Speed, Time/Date, Screen text and border colors, and other
features by accessing the Control Panel. To do this, you press three keys
at once: Open-Apple, Control, and Escape. Cursor up to Control Panel and
press Return. The 'Panel settings are remembered in the Battery RAM, a
special Clock/RAM module powered by the 3.6 V lithium battery located
beneath the power supply.

    IIgs systems usually have at least one 3.5" and one 5.25" drive. If
'Panel "Slots" Startup is set to "Scan", the computer will try to boot
starting at Slot 7 and move down until it finds a disk. If your IIgs has a
hard disk, it is probably in Slot 7. Booting from Slot 6 uses a  5.25"
diskette; booting from Slot 5 uses a 3.5" diskette. You can usually  force
a reboot by pressing Open-Apple, Control, Reset. ("Reset" is the key at
the top left next to the Apple logo.)

    Many IIgs games and super-res utilities are on protected diskettes. To
run these, it is usually best to set Slots Startup to Slot 5 and boot the
diskette.

    The Sound jack at the back of the computer takes a stereo plug;
however, the output is monaural (both lines are connected to one output). 
This output includes 'old Apple' system beeps, etc as well as all channels
of new IIgs sound. For two-channel new IIgs sound, you will need to send
outputs from a plug-in stereo board to external speakers or a stereo
amplifier.

    If your IIgs has a 1MB board plugged into the Mem Expansion Slot, you
will be able to run most IIgs software. Many newer releases require more
memory. If you shop for more memory, get a 4MB board.    

    Your best general-purpose word processor choice is Appleworks 5 plus
Time Out Superfonts. The best paint/art utility is Platinum Paint 2. All
of these are available from Scantron. I have not used a dedicated IIgs
book keeping program. A good spreadsheet utility that can handle book
keeping is Quick Click Calc from ByteWorks.

   Good books to start with include Exploring the Apple IIgs, Exploring
Apple IIgs GS/OS and ProDOS 8, the Apple II Firmware Reference, the Apple
II Reference Manual, and all of the II+ or IIe references you can find on
BASIC, DOS 3.3, and ProDOS.

         

Rubywand