BHUBER@USC-ECL.ARPA (03/16/87)
Don't dispair. You are expressing the same feelings I have last December about my upgrade, but everything works out okay. Re communications software: I am using Mousetalk which is fully compatible with the GS serial ports. It is part of the AE Pro family from United Software. I understand there is a new package coming out from someone named Greg Schafer (sp?) which is also GS compatible and includes Kermit. Can't give you any pointers to that package. Re cable for GS serial port to Hayes: use a standard Apple cable (or make one yourself). The way Apple has designed the serial ports lets them work like RS-232. If you get the Apple cable for connecting an Imagewriter printer to the Super Serial Card, it will work right out of the box. That is what I am running on now. Re word processing software: I have both Appleworks and Word Perfect. I find that I favor Appleworks because it is so friendly and mucho faster than Word Perfect. Re software development tools: join APDA (Apple Programmer's and Developer's Association). Phone: 206-251-6548. My experience has been that they are terribly backlogged. Options: use Apple APW shell or get Byte Works Orca/M for the GS. TML Pascal for the GS is (theoretically) shipping as of last Friday (3/13). Megamax reportedly is working up a C compiler, but it is not ready yet. If you are hot to start C programming, get both Byte Works Orca/GS shell and Orca/M (version 4.1 is current). Their Small-C compiler is a nifty subset of C (integer only, but I don't really find that much of an inconvience). You could then run the 8-bit shell under the 16-bit shell, which is nice if you have a hard disk, but cumbersome otherwise. Bud P.S., I hope I addressed all the issues in your message. Also, I have no connection with companies mentioned above, except as a customer. PPS, Byte Works is in Albuquerque NM. I have never found a company more supportive of their customer base than Byte Works.
delaney@wnre.aecl.CDN (Grant Delaney) (03/17/87)
Well I've finally broken down and purchased a //GS but I'm still left with the problen of SOFTWARE COMPATABILITY. Talking to my local Apple dealer doesn't give me much help as they haven't received most of what has been hinted at in the Magazines. I need a good Telecomunications program and a Wor processor since my old Apple Writer II won't work. An any suggestions on Pascal or C software so I can access all the features. By the way has anyone found a source of serial port plugs Apple hasn't seen fit to make a cable that will run to my Hayes Smartmodem and the IEEE manual says I'll need to Jumper the RS422 to RS232. Any one out there done it yet I've done it with Full 422 on a Dec System but nut fully confident about the apple port. Any and all comments and suggestions welcome
Mark_E._Simmons.osbunorth@XEROX.COM (03/17/87)
You should be aware of the following general guideline in regards to Apple IIGS compatibility to IIE software. According to the Project and Product Managers for the IIGS, incompatibilities with Apple II software generally occur when a publisher used a copy protection scheme that did not follow Apple II specs. So, if a program is not copy protected, it is pretty safe to assume that it will run on the IIGS. If it is copy protected, proceed with caution. Note: This does not mean all copy protected software won't work, only those that did things outside the Apple II specs. Hope you find this helpful. --Mark
ranger@ecsvax.UUCP (Rick N. Fincher) (03/18/87)
Are you using the Prodos version of Applewriter? If so there is a patch so that it will work with the //gs. Apple makes an adapter cable for the //gs that makes it look like a super serial card connector. Just plug a SSC to Hayes cable into this to get it working with your modem. You might also want to try the Mac plus to Imagewriter I cable, my modem lets you select DCE/DTE so I can make this cable work. I don't know about the Hayes though, you may need a null modem cable to make it work. Rick Fincher ranger@ecsvax