Re: OS differences between Apple II and Apple IIGS?

["Chuck R. Anderson" <craIHateSpam@wpi.edu>]

Moll <MollyBaker@Spam.GMAIL.Spam.Spam.Spam.Com> wrote:
> Alex Ngai wrote:
>> I'm currently bidding an Apple IIGS on ebay, I want to know more about
>> this system. It seems that GS has a different CPU than the rest of
>> Apple II systems. I wonder if the OS is different too. What are the
>> differences? 
> 
> The IIgs's 65816 is just a more advanced 16-bit version of the Apple 
> //e's 65C02.  Almost all //e software will run on the IIgs.
> 
> There is a 16-bit OS for the IIgs which is basically a cross between the 
> //e's ProDOS and the old MacOS (pre-v7).

The GS is oh so much more than just a 16-bit processor, though.  It
has native Super Hi Res graphics, RGB monitor output, and a wonderful
32 oscillator Ensoniq sound chip built in.  Many other peripherals are
also built in, like the serial/printer ports, Smartport disk
interface, mouse controller, and real time clock.

The GS/OS (and its predecessor, Prodos 16) ran the first color Finder,
beating out the MacOS which still had a black and white Finder at the 
time.