Re: Yay! Finally got myself a IIgs!

["mdj" <mdj.mdj@gmail.com>]

Michael J. Mahon wrote:

> > Unfortunately, it meant we didn't see the Apple IIe until 1983, when
> > really, it could've been delivered substantially earlier, even 1980.
> > Had they just built the /// as a IIe back then, it would've been a much
> > smart decision.
> > But yes, I suppose the engineering work done on the /// paved the way
> > for most of the enhancements in the IIe, with the exception of the
> > accelerated processor (which they could have done in the IIe as well).
> > Ah well, what might have been.....
>
> I guess I don't see the resemblance much.  Did the /// do 80-column and
> DHGR graphics the same way?  And ASICs were the *big* difference in the
> //e (which would have been a problem earlier).

It shares the same basic video generation technique as the II, being
the 560x192 not quite NTSC raster, and has a 560x192 b/w mode, which is
equivalent to DHR. I'd imagine the memory arrangement is much different

The RGB port on the /// also generated its 'DHR' video pretty much the
same as the IIe RGB adaptors.

To me it's resemblance in featureset rather than technical design - the
IIe adds the really needed capabilities to the Apple II, which are also
present in the ///. Once the enhanced firmware appeared in the IIc and
migrated to the IIe, the machines were to me quite similiar in terms of
capabilities.

You're right that ASICs are a big difference - certainly solved the
heat problem ;-)

Matt