Re: Need help identifying possible Apple Joystick

[Silicon Sam <SiliconSam@gmail.com>]

On Jan 21, 10:08 pm, Warren Ernst <wer...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Jan 21, 7:12 pm, "Michael J. Mahon" <mjma...@aol.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > Mr Nukem wrote:
> > > I believe this joystick is an early joystick made for the Apple II
> > > series but I am unsure and have had no luck finding anything on
> > > Google.
>
> > Yes, it's an Apple II joystick.
>
> > > On the front is says MJI MFG Mt. View California
> > > On the PCB inside the joystick it says Joy-Stick Controller M&R
> > > Enterprises (c) 1979.
>
> > As Silicon Sam noted, M&R is a very early provider of aftermarket
> > products for the Apple II.
>
> > -michael
>
> > NadaPong: Network game demo for Apple II computers!
> > Home page:  http://members.aol.com/MJMahon/
>
> > "The wastebasket is our most important design
> > tool--and it's seriously underused."
>
> As much as I hate to make blanket statements like this, I'm pretty
> sure the PC didn't even *have* a joystick port in 1979, because,
> according to Wikipedia, IBM released the IBM-PC on August 12, 1981. No
> way to have a peripheral to predate its intended host by a couple of
> years. Most of the time. ;-)
>
> -Warr

  Back in the day, IBM and Apple were one of the few computers to use
trim pots for the X-Y positioning.  IBM and Apple used different
resistor values for their pots, which is why the joysticks were not
compatible.  Some manufacturers made joysticks with a switch that
would toggle between the two.  Obviously there would be a cable
adapter too.  Others such as Atari used plain switches for directional
control.  It's pretty obvious from the second photo that this stick
has pots for the controls.