seals@uncecs.edu (Larry W. Seals) (12/13/90)
As someone who is new to the Apple arena (I was given a //e), I am
in need of some information on ProDos. I was given DOS 3.3 and a
copy of ProDos, version 1.1.1 (I think that's right - the memory's
starting to go...). I have read various references to newer releases
and would like to know:
1. Are the newer versions downwardly compatible to older releases
(will my software running under my current rev. of ProDos continue
to do so? Is disk formatting the same?)
2. How are the newer versions different (improved/changed)?
3. Would it behoove me to acquire a newer version of ProDos (which
one)?
Also, my previous experience has been with MS-DOS or an Op/Sys
where a kernal stays loaded in memory. So far, I'm seeing an Op/Sys
that must be reloaded after launching and exiting each application.
If someone would be so kind as to explain a better way, I (as an Apple
neophyte) would appreciate it.
Also, I would like to find a PD/Shareware telecomm package with a least
vt100 emulation if such a thing exists (Christmas budget woes).
Thanks in advance!
**********************************************************************
* |Larry Seals @ Trailing Edge Software
/ \ |"When it doesn't have to be the very best!"
/ \ |"I thought that ESPN was the
/_____\ Merry | telepathy channel!" - Matt Frewer as
# Christmas! | Dr. Mike Stratford (Doctor,Doctor)
**********************************************************************jh4o+@andrew.cmu.edu (Jeffrey T. Hutzelman) (12/13/90)
OK, here goes...
1. No problem. I know of no program which will run under
ProDOS 1.1.1 which will not run under P8 (ProDOS 8) v1.9, which is the
most current version.
2. The P8 kernel has undergone many improvements and bug fixes
since version 1.1.1. The latest improvement is the replacement of the
old P8 quit code with a somewhat user-friendly program selector.
3. Yes. Go to your local Apple dealer, or find a friend who
has ProDOS 8 v1.9, and get a copy. This is a FREE upgrade from the
dealer; don't let them push you around.
Now, a little bit about ProDOS. What you, and most users, see
of ProDOS is AppleSoft BASIC with some extra commands for handling
disk-related things. What is really there, however, is very similar
to MS-DOS. ProDOS 8 has a kernel that loads itself in at boot time,
and stays there until either the memory it occupies is trashed (highly
unlikely) or you reboot. Specifically, it occupies the space
"underneath" the monitor ROM, which most programs can't make use of
anyway. Once the kernel finishes loading, it looks on the boot disk
for the first application (type SYS) whose name ends in ".SYSTEM". On
most disks, this is the program BASIC.SYSTEM, but it doesn't have to
be. For instance, in the case of AppleWorks, it is the program
APLWORKS.SYSTEM, which loads and executes AppleWorks.
The second part of what you see is BASIC.SYSTEM, which is a
command shell that corresponds to COMMAND.COM on an MS-DOS system.
Its job is to accept commands from the user and execute them. It only
handles the new, disk-related commands. Any other BASIC commands are
passed on to the AppleSoft BASIC interpreter in ROM. This is
essentially an application program, and it must be re-loaded each time
it is used. Unlike most applications, however, it is capable of
launching another application.
Unfortunately, ProDOS does not provide the capability to
automatically RETURN to such a program, unless you boot GS/OS on an
Apple IIgs. What happens instead when you quit a program is that you
get a really annoying program selector that first prompts you for a
prefix to use, and then for the name of the program to launch.
Unfortunately, it doesn't provide you with any way to find out the
name of a volume or what applications are on a disk. However, any
disk that got you to BASIC when you booted has a program called
BASIC.SYSTEM on it, which will get you back to BASIC again if you run
it.
In P8 v1.9, Apple has replaced this code with a more
user-friendly program selector that makes it easier to find and
execute the application you want. So, having the latest version of P8
is definitely a plus.
Finally, you asked about a term program. First, I'll
reccommend two REALLY GOOD commercial programs. ProTERM is THE BEST
Apple // communications program that I've ever seen. There are a few
people on the net who will disagree with this, but most put it within
the top three. Unfortunately, it is rather expensive. ProTERM is
currently published by InSync software; you can get it through most
mail-order houses.
The other program is TIC (Talk Is Cheap), which used to be
shareware but has now gone commercial. It has been the most used
Apple // terminal program for a long time now, and is definitely worth
geting. It doesn't cost a lot, and has lots of powerful features.
Other people here can tell you where to get it; I can't remember
offhand.
Now, on to shareware/freeware stuff. Apple Kermit will do
both Xmodem and Kermit file transfers and is capable of emulating a
VT100, but it's not very user-friendly. It should be available for
anonymous FTP from tybalt.caltech.edu or one of the other Apple II ftp
sites.
There is also ACT (Apple Conference Terminal), which does a
reasonably decent job of terminal emulation and file transfers,
including batch transfer. It alos supports a special protocol that
allows things like online 2-player games, and an othello game is
included. The documentation is rather poor, but it does seem to be a
useful program. Unfortunately, I don't know where to get a copy, and
I don't think I even have mine anymore. If anyone here on the net
knows where to get the latest version, or even if anyone's still
working on it, please let me know.
Well, other than that, there isn't much else I can say. Good
luck, and welcome to the Apple //.
--------------------
Jeffrey Hutzelman America Online: JeffreyH11
Internet: jh4o+@andrew.cmu.edu BITNET: JHUTZ@DRYCAS
>> Apple // Forever!!! <<alfter@uns-helios.nevada.edu (SCOTT ALFTER) (12/13/90)
In article <1990Dec12.182649.14336@uncecs.edu> seals@uncecs.edu (Larry W. Seals) writes: >As someone who is new to the Apple arena (I was given a //e), I am >in need of some information on ProDos. I was given DOS 3.3 and a >copy of ProDos, version 1.1.1 (I think that's right - the memory's >starting to go...). I have read various references to newer releases >and would like to know: > 1. Are the newer versions downwardly compatible to older releases > (will my software running under my current rev. of ProDos continue > to do so? Is disk formatting the same?) Yes, you can use newer versions of ProDOS with older software. I use the latest, v1.9, with a program (Apple Writer) that originally shipped with 1.0.2. In fact, if you have a clock card in your IIe, you should only use the newer versions because an idiosyncracy of the clock card requires that the clock driver in ProDOS be updated periodically. (Explanation: the clock card doesn't know what year it is, so ProDOS has to munge it from the month, date, and day of the week. A particular routine will only be valid for a few years, though.) > 2. How are the newer versions different (improved/changed)? Same as any other OS--bugs fixed, support added for some newer hardware (GS clock, AppleShare), etc. > 3. Would it behoove me to acquire a newer version of ProDos (which > one)? Highly recommended. >Also, my previous experience has been with MS-DOS or an Op/Sys >where a kernal stays loaded in memory. So far, I'm seeing an Op/Sys >that must be reloaded after launching and exiting each application. >If someone would be so kind as to explain a better way, I (as an Apple >neophyte) would appreciate it. ProDOS itself does stay in memory as you switch from one application to another. You're probably rebooting the machine to switch applications; as with any other computer, this will require the OS to be reloaded. If you select the quit option in an application, though, you will be greeted by the infamous "ENTER PREFIX/ENTER PATHNAME" dialog that prompts you to switch to another application. (Note that if you get ProDOS 8 v1.9 and have enhanced ROMs installed in your IIe, you'll never see this message, but will get a much friendlier program selector.) >Also, I would like to find a PD/Shareware telecomm package with a least >vt100 emulation if such a thing exists (Christmas budget woes). Get Kermit. The latest version I've seen for Kermit is v3.86 (though v3.87 was supposed to have been released just days ago). FTP to watsun.cc.columbia.edu to get it straight from the source. Scott Alfter-----------------------------_/_---------------------------- / v \ Apple II: Internet: alfter@uns-helios.nevada.edu ( ( the power to be your best! GEnie: S.ALFTER \_^_/
avarg@gnh-applesauce.cts.com (Abel Vargas) (12/15/90)
I can help you with the telecomm program: the best ShareWare TERM is ZLINK. Buy a copy for 5$ + 4$ s+h from Public Domain Exchange. Pick up any copy of A+/InCider for an ad..... INET: avarg@gnh-applesauce.cts.com UUCP: crash!pnet01!gnh-applesauce!avarg ARPA: crash!pnet01!gnh-applesauce!avarg@nosc.mil
dcw@lcs.mit.edu (David C. Whitney) (12/18/90)
In article <m0ikW4H-0000EjC@jartel.info.com> avarg@gnh-applesauce.cts.com (Abel Vargas) writes: >I can help you with the telecomm program: the best ShareWare TERM is ZLINK. Buy >a copy for 5$ + 4$ s+h from Public Domain Exchange. Pick up any copy of >A+/InCider for an ad..... UHHH... Why don't you just ask ME? I wrote it. Besides, I give support while a little ad in the back of A+ does not. Please note that one does not buy a copy from PDE - one buys a disk and pays for shipping. To buy Z-Link, you send ME a check for $25 (the shareware fee). There is a difference. I wonder how many people "buy" from PDE and think they're using the software legally? (By the way, I carped at them about this some time ago. I wonder if they tell their customers that they haven't purchased anything but a disk?) -- Dave Whitney Computer Science MIT 1990 | I wrote Z-Link and BinSCII. Send me bug dcw@lcs.mit.edu | reports. I need a job. Send me an offer. "The price of freedom is eternal vigilance" --Binky (aka Matt Groening)