delaney@wnre.aecl.CDN (09/25/88)
APPLE IIGS SYSTEM SOFTWARE INTRO AppleFest, San Francisco, California. September 16, 1988. Apple Computer, Inc. today unveils new system software that improves the speed and performance of the Apple IIGS(R) personal computer. The Apple IIGS System Software 4.0 includes the first 16-bit operating system for the stand-alone Apple IIGS. "We continue to make the Apple IIGS, already our most powerful Apple II, even more robust and a better investment for customers," said John Sculley, Apple chairman and chief executive officer. Higher Speed through Native-Mode Operating System The heart of the new system software is GS/OS(TM), which takes better advantage of the capabilities of the 65C816 microprocessor. GS/OS significantly speeds up boot time, disk access time and program launch time and increases the performance of disk-intensive applications. GS/OS enables new and existing programs to access data from ProDOS(R) and other file systems uniformly via File System Translators. It allows access to file systems that support large files and high capacity storage media -- up to four gigabytes -- including the ISO 9660/High Sierra file system used in CD-ROM applications. GS/OS enhances an investment in existing ProDOS 16 programs, making them run faster and better. The new operating system is compatible with ProDOS 16 and ProDOS 8 and will run existing applications that follow Apple(R) software guidelines. The majority of these applications will run without modification. In some cases, developers will need to make minor changes to existing applications to bring them within Apple software guidelines. Until these changes are made, however, the applications will run as usual using the version of ProDOS that comes with the applications. Apple IIGS System Software Version 4.0 is written specifically for the individual Apple IIGS user. Customers who wish to connect the Apple IIGS in a network should use AppleShare(R) IIGS WorkStation(TM) software. Other Features Apple IIGS System Software Version 4.0 includes an extensively revised Finder(TM) application. It provides better overall desktop performance, making the computer's filing system much more intuitive to users. Two new utilities are also included in the System Software Version 4.0 release. The Advanced Disk Utility is a graphics- based disk utility program that allows a user to initialize, name and erase hard and floppy disks, as well as partition hard disks to allow more than one file system on a single hard disk. The Installer is an easy-to-use, graphic-based utility program that allows users to customize startup disks and insures system software integrity by updating associated system files to the correct version, freeing the user from manually updating system files. System Requirements The Apple IIGS System Software Version 4.0 requires an Apple IIGS with 512K RAM, ROM version 01, and one 800K floppy disk drive. Hard disk users also require ROM Rev. C on the Apple SCSI card. (ROM updates are available free of charge from authorized Apple dealers.) Price and Availability The Apple IIGS System Software Version 4.0 package includes two disks containing GS/OS, the Finder, the Advanced Disk Utility and the Installer, as well as two manuals: the System Disk User's Guide and System Tools manual. It is currently available from authorized Apple dealers for a suggested retail price of $39. The new software and manuals come with all Apple IIGS computers and are free as well to customers who purchased an Apple IIGS after August 15. The new software and manuals are also available to schools through Apple's Software Update Program. Information on this program is available from Apple Education Dealers and Account Executives. Although many users will want the new manuals that come with the System Software package, Apple is also encouraging efforts to make the software available separately free of charge from authorized Apple dealers, user groups and a variety of online services. Apple, the Apple logo, Apple IIGS, AppleShare, and ProDOS are registered trademarks, and GS/OS, Finder, and AppleShare IIGS WorkStation are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc.
gwyn@smoke.ARPA (Doug Gwyn ) (10/03/88)
Last week I tried to obtain the Apple IIGS System Disk 4.0 (GS/OS) at damn near every Apple dealer in Silicon Valley (Apple's own backyard), and not only had most not heard about it (although it WAS described in a Dealer Bulletin dated 16-Sep-1988), but NONE of them had any other than possibly packed with Apple IIGSes. I also found that about half of the "authorized Apple dealers" in the Yellow Pages were not really Apple II dealers for one reason or another. This suggests to me that Apple has a problem with its dealerships.