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Apple III help/info/software wanted!
Gee, I never thought I'd get such a beast, but yes, I'm now the
proud owner of an Apple III computer! :) What happened was, my younger brother
set out to buy an old Amiga tonight and I thought I'd come along. After he
completed the deal, the seller asked if either of us wanted some old Apple
computers he had sitting in his garage (free!!). So, I was given an Apple III
CPU with Apple /// Monitor _and_ an Apple ][ Plus with 16k language card,
Disk ][ Controller and a MicroBuffer II card (printer interface?). Aside from
lots of cobwebs, dirt and some sticking keys, both seem to be fully working.
I know more than enough about the Apple II, but very little about the
Apple III, so...
Is there someone out there that can get me started with this machine?
First of all, when I start it up, it beeps and displays a text message that
says "Diagnostic RAM" with 64 dots arranged in a rectangle below it, then
switches to a pattern that looks like my Apple //e in diagnostic mode. The
screen goes black for a second or two and then repeats this over and over
again (I suspect the sticky keys are putting it into a diagnostics cycle and
continously repeating it). There's small reset-button, though pushing it causes
the internal disk drive to spin. Unfortunately, I have no Apple III disks to
try with it. My questions are as follows:
- How can I tell if I have an Apple III or III+, or what ROM version?
- How much memory does this Apple III have? 64k, 128k, 512k?
- There's an RGB color port. Could I use one of my GS monitors on
this? I have a Zenith Color Composite screen from my old ][+ clone,
and I seem to remember a mention of the III (yes, it had an RGB port)
what kind of cable would I need? (right now using the B/W Composite
port with an RCA cable).
- How do I invoke the 48k Apple ][+ emulation? (or boot II+ disks)
* - Where can I get SOFTWARE for this beast? Does someone out there have
SOS operating disks they could mail me? I'd also like a terminal
program, or possibly "Three Easy Pieces". Can I use Apple II ProDOS
disks to get software on it perhaps? Uh, maybe there's a remote
chance of Apple III software via an FTP site? :)
- Any information at all on the Apple III that might be helpful. Like
how to get into a mode where I can type like BASIC or Monitor on
the II (I accidentally got put into some mode that resembled Monitor,
though the prompt was a "->".)
Hmmm, now have eight Apple IIs (9 if you include /// in II emulation). Getting
closer to completing my collection of _ALL_ Apple II models ever produced. Just
need to find an Apple //c (again) and Apple IIc+! :-) And a place to store all
these Apples...groan! ;-)
Mitchell Spector
sb_spec@pavo.concordia.ca / spector@vax2.concordia.ca