etm@wuibc.UUCP (Ed Macke) (03/28/85)
[]
A week or so ago I requested information about CP/M cards for the
Apple II+, and whether it was worth paying for a card that has its
own memory, and thus can run faster. My thanks to all who responded.
Since there seemed to be some interest in this topic, I'm posting
a trimmed-down version of the responses I received (see below).
A quick summary:
The December 84 issue of Byte contains an Apple supplement, in which
some 6 or so CP/M cards are reviewed.
A number of cards were mentioned by those responding: Microsoft Softcard,
PCPI Appli-card, EZ2 (from Orbital in Phoenix). In general, people
seemed satisfied with their cards; the exception was the ALS CP/M card.
I also asked about a product for adding CP/M to the Apple //c;
apparently it is sold by Applied Engineering (Dallas, TX, I think)
for $159, includes CP/M 4.0 and a plug-in(?) Z80. I was referred
to recent issues of InCider and A+ magazine for more details.
Again, thanks to everyone who sent me information.
Ed Macke
Computer Systems Lab
Washington University
St. Louis, Mo.
...!ihnp4!wucs!wuibc!etm
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From: Chris Maciag <wucs!ihnp4!decvax!decwrl!spar!maciag>
Organization: Schlumberger Palo Alto Research, CA
I use the Microsoft Softcard and it works just fine, however, Microsoft
just decided to leave the softcard business. I have several friends
that use the Appli-card (starcard) and love it (it has a Z80B in it, so
it is faster (3mhz?). I doubt that there will be a product allowing
CP/M on the //c, because it has no DMA (Direct Memory Access), hence,
the //c could only be used as a terminal to a CP/M computer. If in fact
you find this rumor to be true, I would appreciate it if you could tell
me, because I would love to run Wordstar on my //c. Back to CP/M cards,
don't buy the ALS card. I also have two of those (the one with 64k and
the one without. The card is poorly made, and CPM plus even worse.
Microsoft CP/M certainly is the best CP/M OS I have used. The cheap ALS
card ($100) will run Microsoft CP/M, which is nice. ALS's version of
CP/M and CP/M plus works, but it is not very fun to change. For
example, I bought a double density drive for my //e, and the owners
manual gave the patches for Microsoft CP/M. To use the drive under ALS
CP/M plus, I had to do some MAJOR hacking.
Chris Maciag
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From wucs!ihnp4!watmath!watrose!rchau Thu Mar 21 04:44:26 1985
There was an special issue of BYTE which compared processors and
there is also a book called 'The compleat cpm apple' by someone
name Frankel.
ray...I hope it helps you out
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From wucs!ihnp4!aicchi!joeloda Thu Mar 21 05:31:00 1985
Organization: Analysts International Corp., Chicago Branch
The December issue of BYTE had a whole section devoted to Apple hardware.
They covered many of the various CP/M cards.
Joe Loda
Analysts International (Chicago Branch)
(312) 882-4673
..!ihnp4!aicchi!joeloda
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From wucs!ihnp4!decvax!genrad!mit-eddie!moore Thu Mar 21 15:28:55 1985
I don't see the need for CP/M cards with on-board memory, except maybe in-
crease in speed, but my microsoft clone seems to be working fine. I was hes-
itant about buying a clone at first -- I was offered one used a processor that
was not the true Z80 (but instead, a direct clone) but after buying both that
card and one with the true Z80, both seem to perform exactly the same. The
layout of the chips is also the same, and the boards in general are exactly
alike.
Frankly, I don't think the on-board memory is really worth the $260+ that
Microsoft asks for the Softcard -- as long as I have 64k with the rest of the
Apple, why get -another- 64k? As far as I know, the Z80 can't address more
than that. If anyone sees more advantages in cards with on-board RAM, let me
know.
-dru
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From: "Stephen M.King" <wucs!AFSC-HQ.ARPA!KING>
yup, on iic cpm. Applied Engineering in Texas. $159 includes cpm 4.0,
plug in z80. check this month's incider or ii+ mags.
Steve
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From: Mark Becker <wucs!MIT-MC.ARPA!Cent.Mbeck@MIT-OZ>
Hello -
If you're taking votes, I'd like to cast mine AGAINST the
ALS CP/M 3.xx card. That thing has given me more grief than anything
else in the last six months.
Regards -
Mark Becker
Cent.Mbeck%Mit-Oz@Mit-Mc
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From: John Shaver STEEP-TM-AC 879-7602 <wucs!apg-3.ARPA!jshaver>
I am using the EZ2 Card from Orbital in Phoenix. Their card seems to be a copy
of the Softcard. The standard software is not provided in this case. W* And
DBII work as do all of the stuff, which I've downloaded from Simtel20.
I have not found a program for the Apple (in any model) which will create a
RAMDISK in Cpm. The RAMDISK is mandatory for successful (scratch that)
satisfactory operation of programs with overlays.
A friend has the Applicard. His only problems seems to be finding Modem and
Kermit programs which work with the Applicard. It is faster and with the
integral memory uses Apple only for communication with the outside, modem,
printer, disk and console.
Best regards
Shaver Science Fiction and Resume Service
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From: wucs!ihnp4!uwvax!wisc-ai!neves (David Neves)
There is now a CPM for the //c. I saw an announcement in the latest A+
magazine. It is made by a well known company that make lots of plug in
boards for the Apple (I forget their name now). It sells for ~$150.
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From wucs!seismo!topaz!RU-BLUE!BRAIL Sat Mar 23 00:37:54 1985
The only way to have a Z80 card which runs at more than the
Apple's clock speed is to put extra RAM on the card which is used only
by the Z80. Several fast Z80 cards are made with their own clock and
64K of RAM on board. They usually use the 6502 for I/O and/or print
spooling. One is the AppliCard, which runs at 6mhz (I think).
As usual, I am affiliated with no one, no way, no how.
ARPA: BRAIL@RU-BLUE.ARPA
UUCP: ..(ihnp4!ut-sally, seismo, allegra!packard)!topaz!ru-blue!brail
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From wucs!ihnp4!uw-beaver!tektronix!teklds!dadla!dcall Mon Mar 25 23:27:32 1985
I am currently using a PCPI Applicard running at 6MHz. This card is a true
co-processor, with it's own high speed RAM. InfoWorld had a review of it and
seemed really like it - it sure makes my Apple shine! I am running Wordstar
and Turbo Pascal - no problems. This card works with II+ and IIe models, but
I'm not sure about a standard II. It also comes with software to allow you
to use the extra memory as a RAM disk. There is also a soft video interface
that uses the HGR to produce 70 column text without an 80 col. card. There
is a config menu to select various 80 col. cards. If you are running a IIe
there is one caveat - some IIe's will NOT WORK with this card or the Digital
Research Gold Card - some timing problem is involved. This didn't happen to
my IIe however. For more information, there is a book out containing reviews
of hardware and software by InfoWorld - "Infoworlds Guide to enhancing the
Apple II/II+/IIc" I think is the title. This has some real good reviews on
setup and performance.
One other note - if you want to use Microsoft's MBASIC, you must download it
from another machine - Microsoft's version in Apple format only runs on their
slowpoke card! The Infoworld review claims PCPI will do this for you for a
small fee (~$10).
Good Luck!
Dale Call
tektronix!teklds!dadla!dcall
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--
Ed Macke
Computer Systems Lab
Washington University
St. Louis, Mo.
...!ihnp4!wucs!wuibc!etm