Re: Apple IIGS 256KB-only RAM card from Apple

[Mitchell Spector <mitch2gs@hotmail.com>]

Roger Johnstone <roger@roger.geek.nz.removethisbit> wrote:

>This is one I've never seen before: a IIGS RAM card from Apple with 
>256KB and no expansion. It looks just like the 1MB cards that were sold 
>with 256KB fitted, but with the unused section chopped off.
>
>The manual in the picture shows the common 1MB card on the cover, but 
>the card for sale is marked 'Apple Computer, Inc' and '256KB RAM' and 
>has the IIGS 44-pin memory slot edge.

    This version of the Apple IIgs Memory Expansion Card (A661-0256) 
was a region specific item marketed only in Australia and New Zealand.
It is essentially the same as the North American card, except of course
without the expansion sockets (and no jumper locations to short, as it
only had one configuration: 256K--no more, no less).

    Back in March 1988 Apple began shipping all Apple IIgs's with 512K
of RAM *standard*, which meant factory pre-installing such a card (256K
on motherboard, plus 256K soldered to their plug-in card). At the time
Apple Australia figured they were only obligated to ship a 512K machine,
expansion was a side benefit. So then with that in mind, they eliminated 
the sockets to cut down production costs.

>Is this some common card I've never heard of? Not that I need one, but 
>if it's RARE!!! I might bid for it.
>
>http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=105463509

    I wouldn't quite say it's rare, just less common to find in circulation 
in North America, Europe and Asia. All those regions got had the full
sized card that could be expanded to 1 Megabyte. 

    Incidentally, Apple used to sell the Apple IIgs Memory Expansion
Card as a stand alone item. When I ordered my system back in late
1987, I had to purchase one for $150 CDN (bought it from the now
defunct Eaton's department store). I was a bit ticked off that I missed
getting it free by about about a month and a half...my order didn't
ship until the end of January!

    Guess the card is another example of Apple skimping on costs.
Personally I think the IIgs should have shipped with 1 MB RAM 
out of the box from September 1986, with 128K of D0C-RAM
for the Ensoniq chip. It certainly cost enough, and the Macintosh
Plus was shipping with that amount for the past 8 months.

Mitchell Spector