c188-br@volga.Berkeley.EDU (Calvin Cheng) (03/10/91)
Thanks to Lorraine, I'm now the proud owner of an Apple ///. That should be a nice companion to my II Plus and Mac. To get myself started however, I need important pieces of software and information on this babe. So I'm looking for the full Apple /// Pascal, the Apple II Emulation Mode software (I think there's a IIe emulation software but it's not by Apple) and the Apple /// Business Basic. I also need a communication program to allow the Apple /// to be linked to the Mac via a serial link so I can perform file transfers. Since I'm totally new to the Apple /// world, I'd like suggestions on turning this wonderful machine into something that a longtime Apple II user can feel comfortable with (like the good old APple II monitor or Macsbug). I'm wondering if file archives still exist for the Apple /// (I'll need a terminal program in the first place). How about user groups or newsletters devoted to the ///? What about recommended books for techies? Lastly, I wonder if the DB25 connector for the RS232 is standard? I still have acouple of spare Apple II cards like a Microsft Softcard. Wonder if it can be used safely on the /// (how about the hardware differences)? And can I hook the Apple /// directly to an ImageWriter II? How to I really tell the amount of memory in my ///? Calvin Cheng << The Best is Yet to Be >>
tmaster@ucscb.UCSC.EDU (The Master) (03/10/91)
In article <11838@pasteur.Berkeley.EDU> c188-br@volga.Berkeley.EDU.UUCP (Calvin Cheng) writes: >Thanks to Lorraine, I'm now the proud owner of an Apple ///. That should be >a nice companion to my II Plus and Mac. To get myself started however, I need >important pieces of software and information on this babe. So I'm looking >for the full Apple /// Pascal, the Apple II Emulation Mode software (I think >there's a IIe emulation software but it's not by Apple) and the Apple /// >Business Basic. I also need a communication program to allow the Apple /// >to be linked to the Mac via a serial link so I can perform file transfers. >Since I'm totally new to the Apple /// world, I'd like suggestions on turning >this wonderful machine into something that a longtime Apple II user can >feel comfortable with (like the good old APple II monitor or Macsbug). > Well, much of the software you mentioned is copyrighted, which makes distribution questionable on the legal side. On Three (1802 Mitchell Road, Lake Stevens, Wa, 98528) sells some of the things you mentioned (you would also get manuals then.). Order number is 206-334-8001 (tech info/support is 312-338-2202 between 5-9 pm CST M-F and 10am-6pm CST on weekends.) There is no apple //e emulation mode that I know of done by software. There is a card that will allow this, but the price is equal or greater than that of just buying a used //e. There are some hacks of the normal emulation disk to give you lowercase, and other to allow you to access some of the other apple /// features, but you pretty much get a 48k 40 col // or //+. >I'm wondering if file archives still exist for the Apple /// (I'll need a >terminal program in the first place). How about user groups or newsletters >devoted to the ///? What about recommended books for techies? > Well, I mentioned On Three above. They have a terminal program that does some real transfer protocols. I wrote a simple one which will do text transfers/recieves. As for technical information, once again On three could probably help you out. Sos referance manuals might be a starting point, along with the pascal manuals. Device Drivers guide could also be useful, depending on what you plan to do. >Lastly, I wonder if the DB25 connector for the RS232 is standard? I still >have acouple of spare Apple II cards like a Microsft Softcard. Wonder if >it can be used safely on the /// (how about the hardware differences)? And >can I hook the Apple /// directly to an ImageWriter II? How to I really >tell the amount of memory in my ///? > The DB25 connector is RS232-C. Apple // cards will function, but the apple /// in native mode won't do anything with them unless they have a driver for them (The peripheral slot pinouts are close to the same or exactly the same (I use an apple // rev C scsi card with no problems.)). One hardware difference which will affect some things is that the apple /// normally runs at 2 mhz, so the timing to the cards is at 2 mhz. There is a softswitch to go to 1 mhz, but it would be the drivers responsibilty to make that switch. There is no reason you can't hook an imagewriter to the apple ///. You may need a modem eliminator (crossover) cable to do so however. You can tell the amount of memory a few ways. One is to remove the mother board and look at the piggyback ram card. Or, with some software, it may give you a free memory count which will also tell you (In business basic, do something like print fre would give free memory. Figure around 30-60k for OS and other stuff.). There is some software way (someplace is contained the highest memory bank in the system.) But this may be difficult to get to. >Calvin Cheng ><< The Best is Yet to Be >> The Master tmaster@ucscb.ucsc.edu
mmcnew@pro-odyssey.cts.com (Monty McNew) (03/11/91)
In-Reply-To: message from c188-br@volga.Berkeley.EDU | the Apple II Emulation Mode software (I think | there's a IIe emulation software but it's not by Apple) Apple produced II+ emulation software for the III, however to my knowledge the only //e emulation is a third party card. The name of who makes this card escapes me (if they are even still around). ---- ProLine: mmcnew@pro-odyssey Monty S. McNew Internet: mmcnew@pro-odyssey.cts.com @ Pro-Odyssey UUCP: crash!pro-odyssey!mmcnew 707/437-4734 ARPA: crash!pro-odyssey!mmcnew@nosc.mil Fairfield, CA
reid@hplvec.LVLD.HP.COM (Reid Trimble) (03/14/91)
tmaster@ucscb.UCSC.EDU (The Master) writes in response to: c188-br@volga.Berkeley.EDU.UUCP (Calvin Cheng) > Well, much of the software you mentioned is copyrighted, which makes > distribution questionable on the legal side. On Three (1802 Mitchell Road, > Lake Stevens, Wa, 98528) sells some of the things you mentioned (you would > also get manuals then.). Order number is 206-334-8001 (tech info/support > is 312-338-2202 between 5-9 pm CST M-F and 10am-6pm CST on weekends.) You should also give Sun Remarketing in Utah a call at 801-752-7631. They used to have all the stuff you mentioned at reasonably low prices. > There is no apple //e emulation mode that I know of done by software. There > is a card that will allow this, but the price is equal or greater than that > of just buying a used //e. Sun had a product from Titan Technologies called the "///+//e". It's actually two plug in cards, but you're right about the price. I last saw it listed for $299 - easily more than a used //e. If you can find it, there was a single board solution, also from Titan, that up'd the ][+ emulation from 48K to 64K. Interestingly, the board is layed out to hold 16 64K chips. With the appropriate driver you can have a 128K or 140K ramdisk available under SOS. The 128K version even survives the CTL-Reset reboot! > ...User groups and archives... It's been awhile, but you could try: Third Apple Users Group (TAU) c/o Lavona Rann 1113 Wheaton Oaks Drive Wheaton, IL 60187 and/or: Dave Ottalini Washington Apple Pi 8227 Woodmont Ave., Suite 201 Bethesda, MD. 20814 and the Three's Company BBS: 804-747-8752 >I still >have a couple of spare Apple II cards like a Microsft Softcard. Wonder if >it can be used safely on the /// (how about the hardware differences)? The I/O slot configuration between the ][ and /// is almost identical. You probably won't kill the /// with the softcard, but I think there were differences between the two. In particular, without all the SOS specific BIOS stuff, it wouldn't be able to tell the card was there. Sun Remarketing used to sell the softcard /// with software for about $50. >How do I really tell the amount of memory in my ///? Three Easy Pieces (3EZP), a fore-runner of appleworks tells you the amount of free memory when you add a file to the desktop. The /// came from apple in 3 configurations: 96K (almost useless, maybe never shipped) 128K - common for most early ///'s and 256K, common for later ///'s. On Three, mentioned above, has an accessory that can boost memory to 512K, but most applications need to be patched to access memory above 256K directly. I think On Three's board also has a ramdisk driver. > There is no reason you can't hook an imagewriter to the apple ///. You > may need a modem eliminator (crossover) cable to do so however. Apple supplied the modem elim. cable with the ///. It's about 10" long with DB-25 connectors at each end. If you didn't get it with your recent purchase, maybe the original owner can locate it. Good Luck! Reid (still love my ///) Trimble