[net.micro.apple] Apple Pascal, 80 column displays, RAM disks.

ags@pucc-i (Seaman) (03/29/84)

>  I have a question about Pascal 1.1 on the //e.
>  
>  On the Apple II+, Pascal 1.1 has a 40 column display.  <CONTROL-A> is
>  used to look at the right-hand 80 columns.  I'd like to know if a real
>  80 column display is available on the //e (with an 80 column board).

With most 80-column boards, Pascal 1.1 will automatically turn on the
80-column display at boot time.  I am typing this on a Pascal communications 
program running on a 128K Apple //e with Apple's extended memory 80-column 
card.  The 64K version works the same way. At least some third-party
boards can work with Pascal on both the //e and II+.

Some of the third-party 80-column boards might have trouble.  I understand that
some early versions of the Videx Videoterm had faulty ROMs which caused some
Pascal functions to hang, but that has supposedly been fixed.  If you get
stuck with one of the old ones, you are supposed to be able to get an upgrade
from Videx.  I recall reading that most other 80-column boards that are //e
compatible will work with Pascal, but I don't remember which ones didn't.

Incidentally, rumor has it that Pascal 1.2 is now available from Apple.  One
of the things 1.2 can do is use the full 128K, possibly turning the other bank
into a RAM disk.  The upgrade is apparently $75 plus your APPLE1: disk from
Pascal 1.1 (or FREE if you bought Pascal 1.1 recently enough).
-- 

Dave Seaman
..!pur-ee!pucc-i:ags

"Against people who give vent to their loquacity 
by extraneous bombastic circumlocution."