Re: Got an Apple IIe system today, some questions for ya

[Linards Ticmanis <ticmanis@gmx.de>]

nyder wrote:

> Since I have a GS, and a Lazer 128, I don't think I'm going to bother
> overly on upgrading this IIe, unless it all works out that way.  Since
> reading that the Lazer128 and the GS is rougly equivelent to an
> expanded IIe (correct?), I guess there isn't really any point.

The Lazer128 is indeed roughly equivalent (though AFAIK more similar to
the Apple IIc). The GS is of course a more powerful machine.

> Okay, I assume it can output color thru the composite out?   I know I
> can put it in 80 column mode, because I have.

Yes, it can.

> I guess if I wanted to use a better monitor, I'd have to get some sort
> of video card for it.

There's little need for that. The most compatible thing to do is to use
a good-quality composite color monitor through the composite out. If you
can get the "AppleColor Composite Monitor IIe", you have the added bonus
of very crisp 80-column text, which can be a problem on other composite
color monitors.

RGB cards do exist, but they are fairly rare and have decidedly
less-than-perfect color fidelity, i.e. many programs will simply look
wrong with them.

> A buddy of mine has a bunch of apple2 cards, so I'm going to hit him
> up for extras, though he doesn't have any scsi cards.   =(

A Super Serial Card is probably the most important thing to get, since
it helps immensely with transferring downloaded software to the thing.
Luckily this is a very common card.

> I'll try to get some pictures of it and show you what I mean.  I'm
> dyslexic, amoungst other things, and tend to confuse others very easy
> with what i'm trying to say.

I had absolutely no problem understanding you (and lets face it there
are enough people who produce many many more typos than you do;
personally I am very glad for spell checkers.)

As regards that joystick: Most of the sticks for the internal connector
were made for the Apple II+, which did not yet have the much more
comfortable external connector. The II+ had a very different back side,
with a small number of vertical, wedge-shaped openings in a rather thick
plastic plate, rather than the plethora of covered small holes in a thin
metal plate that you find on the back of the IIe. Thus many of these
sticks do not fit the IIe's back plate all that well; you'll have to
improvise.

-- 
Linards Ticmanis