Re: Setting up a Transwarp IIe

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

In article <209419692wnr@klatch.demon.co.uk>,
John Le Febvre  <john@klatch.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> In article: <DEvEoE.699@actrix.gen.nz>  dempson@atlantis.actrix.gen.nz (David Empson) writes:
> > 
> > Any, as far as I know.  It doesn't have any firmware, so it will work
> > in slot 3, even with a RAM card installed in the auxiliary slot (unless
> > you have an international IIe, in which the auxiliary slot blocks slot 3).
>                                           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> 
> Huh?  You mean this isn't the norm?

It depends on your point of view.  The American version of the IIe has
the auxiliary slot in the lower left corner of the motherboard, to the
left of slot 1.  I expect Canada uses the same version.

Other countries (including the UK, and most European countries) have
quite a different machine: it has the auxiliary slot in line with slot
3, preventing their simultaneous use (unless both have _very_ short
cards), the video ROM has two character sets (US and local), with a
switch on the underside of the keyboard to select between them, and
the keyboard layout is customised for each country.

Even the shape and layout of the keys is different - the US IIe uses
words on the modifier keys, tab, return, etc., while international
machines use silly little icons (upward pointing arrow for shift,
downward pointing arrow for caps lock, return and tab symbols, etc.)

Australia and New Zealand were supplied with the UK version of the
IIe.  The UK character set (e.g. the pound symbol) is completely
useless, and a popular local modification to enhanced IIes was to
replace the UK character set with a II+ compatible set, eliminating the
MouseText characters.  This allowed old software to be used on an
enhanced IIe without having display problems.  The switch on the
underside of the keyboard could then select between MouseText and
non-MouseText display.


BTW: this is the original IIe I'm talking about.  The platinum IIe
(with built-in numeric keypad) is different again.  I have hardly seen
any of these machines - most of my exposure to the IIe was in 1986 or
earlier.  I got my IIgs in 1987, and haven't had much to do with 8-bit
machines since then.

> I have a //e with the aux slot directly in line with and just behind slot 3.
> So if I have only slot 3 and slot 4 free, and have just ordered a TransWarp
> and a Mouse interface card, does this mean I can't use them both?

Not unless you have another slot free.  Sorry.

> Assuming the worst, and that I can't use one of them (grumble, grumble) are
> there any cards that I *could* use in that slot 3 (i.e. short & without ROM)?

For any Americans who are wondering how short this card needs to be:
there is about an inch between slot 3 and the auxiliary slot.
Assuming the auxiliary slot has one of the newish very small 64K RAM
cards, even a Disk II controller is too long.

If there is a larger card in the auxiliary slot, it is very unlikely
that there is any card which will fit.
-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz
Snail mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand