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Apple II FAQs Main Hall
Welcome to the comp.sys.apple2 newsgroup Frequently Asked Questions!
This page is called the "Main Hall" because it's where you can get answers
to many 'getting started' and 'what's where?' questions.To go to the
Main Hall Q&A, you can click here or
scroll down.
Click on any question to get quickly to its answer. To jump back
to the
questions list click on the line ( ____ or -----) beneath
any answer.
Most of the pages deal with specific topics,
such as Accelerators, DOS, etc..
The fastest way to these pages is via the topics list on the Quick
Find page.
Another way is via FAQs Contents,
where all of the questions are listed.
001- What is a FAQ?
002- What is comp.sys.apple2
and how can I read/post messages there?
003- What software do I
need to get started and how do I get it?
004- How and where do I
download and upload Apple II files?
005-
Where can I get Apple II information, software, books, magazines, and parts?
006- What is an Apple II:
The KIM
007- What is an Apple II:
The Apple I
008- What is an Apple II:
The Apple ][ and Apple ][+
009- What is an Apple II:
The "Black Apple"
010- What is an Apple II:
The Apple //e
011- What is an Apple II:
The Apple //c and IIc+
012- What is an Apple II:
The Laser 128EX and 'EX/2?
013- What is an Apple II:
The Apple IIgs
014- What is an Apple II:
The Apple IIe Emulation Card
015- What is an Apple II:
The Trackstar Apple II Emulation Card
016- What is an Apple II:
Emulators
017- Apple "][",
"Apple II", "Apple //"-- which is correct?
018- What is "8 bit" and
"16 bit"?
019- How can I tell what
version my computer is?
020- Suppose I just want
to start using my Apple II Now!?
021-
Where do I find out about Apple II Users Groups?
022-
How can I find out more about using and programming my Apple II?
023-
Where can I find out about Apple II developers?
A "FAQ" is a "Frequently Asked Question". The
Csa2 FAQs is a collection of
topics files and resource files which seeks to supply answers to questions
about the
AppleII
series of computers and Apple II computing. For information about the
current revision, see About the FAQs.
--Rubywand
002- What is comp.sys.apple2 and how can I read/post messages there?
Comp.sys.apple2 (Csa2) is a USENET newsgroup.
Messages posted to these
newsgroups spread to many thousands of servers and millions of readers
throughout
the world.
Most Internet Service Providers support posting
and reading newsgroup messages
via popular browsers like Netscape and Internet Explorer. A few internet
sites also
provide free access to newsgroups and allow posting messages. Two are
Google
and
Mailgate. Google also
allows searching
for information in an archive of newsgroup
messages.
There are several newsgroups in the Csa2 and
related families, all concerned
with Apple II series affairs. They provide a forum for users to compare
notes,
ask questions, and share insights.
comp.sys.apple2 (Csa2)
- Discussion plus questions & answers
relating to all Apple II computers
comp.sys.apple2.comm
- Communications and networking related
issues
comp.sys.apple2.gno
- Discussion of GNO/ME, a UNIX-like
multi-tasking environment for IIgs
comp.sys.apple2.marketplace
- Buying, selling, and promoting
Apple II and related products
comp.sys.apple2.programmer
- Discussion relating to any aspect of
programming the Apple II
comp.sys.apple2.usergroups
- Discussion relating to Apple II
users' groups
comp.binaries.apple2
- Public Domain software, shareware, and
freeware for Apple II's in Text-encoded
(binscii) form.
comp.emulators.apple2
- The unofficial 'Apple II games stuff'
newsgroup features discussions of
Apple II games as well as of Apple II
emulation on PC, Mac, and other
platforms.
comp.sources.apple2
- A newsgroup for the posting of Apple II
source code
alt.emulators.ibmpc.apple2
- Discussion about the use of Apple II
emulation software/hardware on a PC.
--David Kopper, Dan DeMaggio, David Empson, Al Kalal, Rubywand
003- I'm an Apple II beginner. What software does
a newbie need
to get started and how do I get it?
If you bought an Apple II with no software
at all, then, at the very least, you will
need to get diskettes which boot DOS 3.3 and ProDOS (which pretty well
means
you need to have a disk drive). Here is a listing of basic stuff to
get ...
o- DOS 3.3: DOS 3.3 is an old but a good operating system for software
on 5.25"
diskette. There is a _lot_ of Apple II software on DOS 3.3 diskettes.
To write and
save programs, etc. under DOS 3.3 you want a disk which boots DOS 3.3
and lets
you get to a BASIC prompt. Once in BASIC after booting DOS you will
be able to
CATALOG the diskette, and LOAD, RUN, SAVE, ... programs. DOS 3.3
commands are described in more detail in the DOS/ProDOS
Q&A.
Commercial game disks often do not allow you to get to a BASIC prompt.
Disks with
programs from other users, software from Apple user groups, and copies
of Apple's
System Master disks will, usually, let you get to BASIC either by exiting
a program or
by doing a Reset. (See Q&A 020 below for more
about this.)
o- ProDOS: Practically all of the above applies to ProDOS. ProDOS is
the newer
Apple II DOS which allows having sub-directories. It works with 5.25"
and 3.5"
diskettes as well as hard disks and other large media. (See DOS/ProDOS
Q&A for
more about ProDOS.)
Note: Diskettes used with an Apple II should be double-density (DD)
diskettes.
High-density (HD) diskettes sold for PC's will not reliably work in
Apple II disk drives.
o- Copy II Plus: This is the standard general purpose disk/file management
utility. Good
versions for working with both DOS 3.3 and ProDOS disks are Version
7.1 and 7.2.
o- A telecom utility: an Apple II telecom utility (e.g. ZLink, ProTerm,
Modem MGR,
Spectrum, ...) together with a serial interface board (or built-in
serial port) lets you
transfer the Apple II files you download on the net from your PC or
Mac to your
Apple II. (See the Telecom-1 Q&A.)
o- ShrinkIt: Most Apple II files are maintained on the net as shrinked
files (.shk files) or
on shrinked disks (.sdk files). ShrinkIt v3.4 is the standard utility
for unshrinking these
files; it requires a 128k Apple IIe or later Apple II. Earlier versions
of ShrinkIt work
on Apple II's with less than 128k memory. (See File
Utilities Q&A.)
Aside from Apple II user friends, there are
many places you can get the
above, as well as all sorts of other Apple II utility, game, etc. software:
1. Apple II Users' Groups
maintain software libraries of utility and games
diskettes you can copy.
2. Some schools and universities have Apple II areas where you can copy
system
and utility diskettes.
3. Many sellers of original and second-hand software advertise on the
comp.sys.apple2.marketplace newsgroup and/or maintain web sites you
can browse.
Be sure to check the Vendors
listing.
4. If requested via email, regular posters to Csa2 will often send one
or more
'getting started' diskettes which will boot DOS 3.3 and/or ProDOS and
which
include some copy, telecom, etc. utilities plus games. (Expect to pay
mailing
and materials costs.)
5. Apple II archives and other places on the net maintain large collections
of
software which you can download via PC or Mac and transfer to your
Apple II.
Be sure to check the Major Apple
II Sites and Game Sites
listings.
--Rubywand
004- How and where do I download and upload Apple II files?
How: By far, the easiest and quickest way is
to access software sites on
the net using a PC or Mac. Files can be moved to and from your Apple
II via a
NULL modem connection with the net computer. If you use a Mac, you
may have the
option of transferring the files via a ProDOS or HFS diskette or an
HFS Zip
disk. (For details on hardware, file transfers,
downloading,
and uploading, see the
Telecom Q&A areas.)
Where: Today, most users upload software, info
files, etc. to one or more
of the major Apple II ftp software archive sites. Other options include
comp.binaries.apple2 and BBS systems. The software archive sites are
good places
from which to download software. In addition, some software vendors,
developers, and
Apple Computer make software available for download at their sites.
--Rubywand
____________________________
.
005- Where can I get Apple II information, software, books, magazines, and parts?
Apple II software and information on the net: view
Major Sites and Game
Sites.
Apple II parts, boards, and software: view
Vendors.
Apple II books and periodicals: view
Publishers.
File handling utilities: go to File Utilities.
System software: go to DOS & ProDOS,
Applications,
Programming.
Telecom software: go to Telecom-1.
Emulators: go to Applications.
--Rubywand
006- What is an Apple II: KIM and SYM
My Ex bought a KIM in ... had to be 1976, 'cause that's the year
we
split. He played Hunt the Wumpus on it. I couldn't see the point
of
messing with those red LEDs at the time.
Nancy Crawford, Csa2 post on 27 December, 1995
KIM (for "Keyboard Input Monitor") was a 6502
'development system' release
in 1976 by MOS Technology. A single board with six 7-segment LED displays,
it
soon had a wide following of avid experimenters who wrote programs
like Jim
Butterfield's "Lunar Lander" and Stan Ockers's "Hunt the Wumpus" and
published
numerous articles in magazines like Byte and KiloBaud describing hardware
add-ons.
Another 6502 based board was SYM from Synertek
Systems. It arrived two
years after KIM near the end of the 'computer experimenter' era. SYM
offered a
speaker and more extensive interfacing capability, including support
for a CRT display.
KIM and, to a lesser extent, SYM, were the
introductions to 6502 computing
which would, in a few years, lead many to become Apple II users.
--Rubywand and Tim Aaronson
.
Related FAQs Resources: R010APPLE1.GIF (gif picture file)
007- What is an Apple II: The Apple 1
The original Apple was not much more than a
board. You had to supply your
own keyboard, monitor and case. It sold for $666.66, but now they are
worth
much more as a collector's item.
For more information and Apple 1 pics, see ...
Applefritter Apple 1 Owners Club
http://www.applefritter.com/apple1/index.html
Dr. Tom's Apple 1 Pics and Info
http://apple2.org.za/gswv/gsezine/GS.WorldView/@APPLE.HISTORY/
Faqs Resource File R010APPLE1.GIF
--Dan DeMaggio, Charles T. "Dr. Tom" Turley
008- What is an Apple II: The Apple ][ and Apple ][+
The II and II+ are the computers that launched
the Apple II line. They
have the 6502 microprocessor, ability to do Hires and Lores color graphics,
sound, joystick input, and cassette tape I/O. They have a total of
eight
expansion Slots for adding peripherals such as the Disk ][ controller,
MockingBoard, serial I/O, and printer interface. Clock speed is 1MHz
and, with
Apple's Language Card installed, standard memory size is 64kB.
The distinction between the ][ and ][+ is the
installed ROMs. The ][
starts you in the Monitor program and includes in-ROM Integer BASIC.
The ][+
has the AutoStart ROM which tries to locate and boot a diskette upon
startup
and defaults to Applesoft BASIC which is included in-ROM. Many ][ owners
upgraded to the ][+ ROMs.
Apple ][ and ][+ computers can run thousands
of games, utilities, and
other programs created to run under Apple DOS-- chiefly, DOS 3.3. Both
machines
can, also, run under ProDOS through v1.9 so long as the software does
not
require features of an "enhanced" 128k IIe. For instance, you can run
Appleworks if you have more than 128K RAM installed and a program called
PlusWorks. However, the ][ can not run BASIC programs under ProDOS
since
Applesoft must be in ROM.
Recommended configuration: 16K "language card" (in Slot 0), an 80-column
video
card (not the same as a //e Extended 80-column card), shift key modification
(a
wire running from shift key to game port), modified character ROMs
to display
lower case, composite color monitor, Disk ][ controller card, two 5.25"
Disk ][
or compatible drives, parallel printer interface card, and parallel-interface
printer. You can add memory beyond 64k in various ways, but many programs
that
"require 128K" probably will not work, no matter how much RAM you have.
You can
also add accelerators like the SpeeDemon or Rocket/Zip.
--Dan DeMaggio, David Empson, Rubywand
009- What is an Apple II: The "Black Apple"
Bell & Howell marketed the "Black Apple"
made by Apple. It is an Apple II+
done in black with some extra audio/video connections to fit with projectors,
etc. made by B&H-- mainly for use in the classroom. A nice feature
is the
"handle" attached to the back. It contains a few power outlets, allowing
the
CPU, Monitor, etc., to be controlled with one switch. Evidently, 5000-10,000
units were produced.
--Coaxial, Mike McGovern, Rubywand
010- What is an Apple II: The Apple //e
The //e comes in two flavors: Enhanced and
unenhanced. When you start your
computer, the unenhanced IIe displays "Apple ][" at the top of screen;
the
Enhanced IIe displays "Apple //e".
Apple made an Enhancement kit to upgrade an
unenhanced to Enhanced by
replacing 4 chips: CPU 65C02, Video ROM includes MouseText, and new
Monitor/Applesoft ROMs. Some places used to sell a IIe Enhancement
kit
for $20.00.
The current IIe operating system is ProDOS-8.
(The IIe can also run DOS
3.3, earlier DOS's, and Pascal.) A lot of ProDOS software requires
an Enhanced
//e, and sometimes 128K, too.
A IIe Enhancement Kit does not include any
extra RAM. You can expand a 64k
IIe to the standard 128k required for a fully Enhanced IIe via an Extended
80-column card. It plugs into the Aux Connector on the motherboard.
Alltech
($19.00), and MC Price Breakers ($14.95) sell such cards.
Except for being able to type and display lower-case
characters, the
unenhanced IIe is very similar to the II+. A 128k Enhanced IIe adds
a number of
features including 80-column firmware and 16-color double-lores and
double-hires display capability.
The Apple //e remains useful for four major reasons:
1) It runs AppleWorks, a simple to use, yet sophisticated Spreadsheet/Word
Processor/Database.
2) It can run many games and other entertainment software products.
3) There were many Apple II's in schools and a ton of Apple II
educational
software is available.
4) It is was and will always be a _Personal_ computer. You
can learn as
little or as much as you want, and nothing stops you from learning
about every
nook and cranny in it. Ask any big name programmer in MS/DOS or Mac
where they
learned to program. Most of them taught themselves on a good
ol' Apple II.
Recommended configuration: Extended 80 Column card (gives you 128K)
or RamWorks
(512K to 1MB RAM), Enhancement kit (for unenhanced IIe), and a composite
color
monitor which can display decent 80-column text, Super Serial card,
Disk ][
controller card, two 5.25" Disk ][ or compatible drives, parallel printer
interface card, and parallel-interface printer. A Hard Drive is recommended
if
you use a lot of different programs. Heavy Appleworks users should
add the hard
disk, extra RAM, and a 4MHz or better accelerator (like the Rocket
Chip, Zip
Chip or TransWarp).
--Dan DeMaggio, Rubywand
011- What is an Apple II: The Apple //c and IIc+
The //c and IIc+ are compact 'luggable' versions
of an Enhanced //e, with
many built-in 'cards'. Included are 2 serial ports, a mouse port, a
disk port
and 128K of RAM. Support for the original Apple cassette tape I/O is
gone. The
//c has a built-in 5.25" drive while the IIc+ has a built-in 3.5" drive.
The IIc+ has a built-in accelerator that runs
at 4 MHz (vs. the //c's
1MHz) making it the fastest Apple II as well as faster than any of
the A2
clones. (To boot your IIc+ at 'regular', 1MHz,
speed, include the Escape
key in the usual boot keypresses-- i.e. OpenApple-CTRL-ESC-RESET.)
The IIc+, which was introduced after the IIgs, also allows daisey chaining
the
GS Apple 3.5" drive along with 5.25" drives.
The //c and IIc+ run just about all of the
DOS 3.3, ProDOS, "128k"
software, etc. that an Enhanced //e runs plus the few //c-only software
releases. However, the use of certain locations for storing system
variables
and ROM differences means that //c series machines will not run a number
of old
games designed for the ][ and ][+ which the IIe and IIgs will run.
Even though //c machines don't have slots,
you can still add extra memory
(there's room under the keyboard) and a hard drive (through the disk
port--a
bit slow by ordinary standards, but usable. Hard to find though..
Was made by
Chinook). There is also a for-//c "D" version of MockingBoard you can
plug in
to get much improved sound and music from software supporting the board,
and a
module you can attach to convert output to RF for using a TV as a monitor.
Recommended configuration: A composite color monitor which can display
decent
80-column text, 1 MB RAM, and, maybe, a hard drive. For the //c, add
a second
5.25" drive; for the IIc+, add a second 3.5" drive and two 5.25" drives.
--Dan DeMaggio, Rubywand
012- What is an Apple II: The Laser 128EX and 'EX/2
While not made by Apple, these Lasers can run
just about anything that an
Enhanced //e can run. They are as luggable as a //c and include built-in
'cards'. They are also fast; the entire motherboard runs at 3.6Mhz.
If you want
to use a card in the single expansion Slot, you may have to disable
the
internal UDC (for 3.5" drives) or the internal 1MB memory expansion.
Unlike the EX model, which supports one additional
disk drive, the EX/2
supports as many daisychained drives as a IIgs and has a built in BRAM
control
panel for saving settings. The EX/2 also has a built in 3.5" disk drive,
a MIDI
port, and a video port which can support analog RGB and digital CGA
monitors as
well as an LCD display.
--Supertimer, Dan DeMaggio
.
Related FAQs Resources: R024GSSPECS.htm (html file)
Related FAQs Resources: R002WOZGS.GIF (gif picture file)
013- What is an Apple II: The Apple IIgs
The IIgs (or "GS") represents a giant leap
in the Apple II line. It's 65C816
microprocessor can switch to 6502-emulation mode for running
8-bit Apple II
software favorites, while, in native mode, it runs 16-bit GS applications.
GS
delivers new super-hires graphics modes, a toolbox in ROM, a
32-oscillator
Ensoniq sound chip, and a max base speed of 2.8MHz. Base RAM memory
is
256kB (ROM-01) or 1MB (ROM 3) expandable up to 8MB.
GS built-ins include modem and printer serial
ports good for up to 230k baud,
Disk Port supporting two 5.25" and two 3.5" (800k) drives, RGB and
composite
video outputs, enhanced and 'old Apple' sound, ADB bus for keyboard
and mouse,
game port supporting two two-button joysticks, clock/calendar, and
battery RAM
to retain user settings accessible via the Control Panel. (To
get to the Control Panel
press OpenApple-Control-Escape and select
"Control Panel".) There is more
about Apple IIgs specifications in the FAQs resource file R024GSSPECS.htm.
The IIgs can run DOS 3.3, ProDOS, Pascal, and
any other OS the earlier 8-bit
models can run. In 8-bit or "emulation" mode, it works much like
an enhanced //e,
even down to supporting nearly all of the old monitor routines and
softswitches.
One notable difference is that users must
go to 64k Bank $FF (e.g. FF/F800 -
FF/FFFF) to view monitor ROM contents.
In the default (Bank $00) area, an
F800L etc. monitor command shows code in the "Language Card" RAM. Like
the //c series, it does not support the original Apple cassette tape
I/O.
GS is the only Apple II machine which
can run GS System (sometimes called
"GS/OS"). GS System and Toolbox routines make it possible for the System
Finder
program to deliver a sophisticated 'mouse and windows' environment
which looks
very much like PC's Windows. The current version of System is System
6.0.1.
The first GS's were released in the Fall of
1986. The batches produced
until mid-late 1987 became known as "ROM 00" machines after release
of the "ROM
01" models. When you turn ON or force restart*
a ROM-01 GS, the startup
screen shows "ROM Version 01"; on a ROM-00
GS the startup screen says
nothing about ROM version. *(Press OpenApple-Control-Reset
to do a forced
restart.)
The original GS's came in cases marked "Limited
Edition" with Steve Wozniak's
signature. Often, these are referred to as "Woz GS's". (See FAQs resource
file
R002WOZGS.GIF for a picture.)
Only about 50,000 ROM-00 IIgs's had the
"Woz" signature. A relatively small number of users chose Apple's option
to upgrade
their //e's with a motherboard swap. Introduced in early 1987, the
upgrade included
"IIgs" labels which users could substitute for "//e" in the case insert.
At the time of the ROM-01 change-over in 1987,
Apple supplied a ROM-00-
to-ROM-01 upgrade service free. It consists of swapping in a new ROM
and a
new Video Graphics Controller ("VGC") IC. ROM-00 machines which have
not
had the upgrade can not run modern GS software-- the ROM must be upgraded.
Alltech (760-724-2404; http://allelec.com
) is a good place to check for a ROM-01
'upgrade kit' consisting of the 01 ROM. (Price: around $30.00)
The VGC upgrade is not required for software
compatibility, and is not
needed for all machines anyway. It is supposed to fix cosmetic problems
in
monochrome double-hires graphics mode (pink flickering or fringing
on what is
supposed to be a black and white screen). On some machines the
VGC swap also
fixes some color combination problems in 80-column text mode.
Note: ROM-00 machines can boot disks which start GS System through Version
3.
(Booting these disks typically starts by displaying some version of
"ProDOS 16".)
The downside, of course, is being unable to boot modern versions of
System and
use software which needs to run under the later versions. On
the other hand, a
number of very early products run under versions
of System which have
no patches for ROM-01 or ROM 3. Original diskettes
for these products
will boot correctly only on a ROM-00 GS.
Whether via the upgrade or original purchase
of a newer GS, by late 1987
nearly all GS users were 'on the same page'. That is, we had the ROM-01
platform with its base 256kB RAM plus the official Apple 1MB Expansion
Memory
Board plugged into the Memory Expansion Slot for a total of 1.25MB
of
fully-accessible system RAM. For the next couple of years, practically
all GS
software was designed to launch from 3.5" diskette under "ProDOS-16"
and to fit
within the 1.25MB of RAM everyone was assumed to have installed.
In 1989 Apple introduced
the "ROM 3" GS-- the startup screen shows
"ROM Version 3". (No ROM-02 GS
was ever released). The only major improvement
over ROM-01 is more base RAM-- you get 1MB instead of 256kB. This is
a very nice
benefit. It means that a ROM 3 with a 4MB Mem Exp Board will have 5MB
of fully
accessible RAM whereas a ROM-01 can have 4.25MB of fully-accessible
RAM. In
effect, the ROM 3 owner gets a 'free' 800kB RAM disk.
As Mitch Spector notes in his listing of ROM
3 features, the newer GS offers
a number of other nice pluses with the only significant minus being
incompatibility with
some older GS programs and pre-System 5 versions of GS System. (See
discussion in
the "Hardware Hacking" FAQs.)
Chiefly, ROM 3 is a 1989 re-do of ROM-01
featuring more streamlined hardware and more built-in firmware.
Since System 5, booting GS System applies in-RAM
patches matched to ROM
version 1 or 3. The patches, located in System/System.Setup/, are TS2
for ROM-01
and TS3 for ROM 3. This achieves nearly identical operation.
Very few ROM-01 owners felt any urge to move
to ROM 3. Even today, the vast
majority of installed GS's are ROM-01 machines.
The 1990's saw wide adoption of four major GS enhancements:
OS- After years of foot-dragging, Apple finally produced a decent
16-bit GS
operating system with release of System 5.0. Within a few years this
evolved
into today's System 6 (System 6.0.1). System 6 has won wide acceptance
as a
relatively stable OS which, at last, allows GS users to access many
of the
features of GS computing promised back in 1986. Although any ROM-01
or
ROM 3 IIgs with at least the 1MB Apple Expansion Memory card installed
can boot a fairly decent install of System 6 from diskette, the fact
that it is
likely to use at least 800kB of RAM somewhat limits the applications
which
can be run, especially on the ROM-01 GS.
Memory- Driven, in part, by the need for more memory to run System
6, 4MB
became the standard size of installed Memory Expansions. Except for
school GS's
and GS's taken out of circulation and tucked away in closets, the old
Apple 1MB
Expansion cards have long ago been replaced with boards adding 4MB-8MB.
Hard Disk- As with memory, the size of newer versions of System
supplied a
strong push toward adding a hard disk. Software was becoming larger,
too, and
there was so much of it that making everything work from diskette became
impossibly cumbersome. Lower HD prices, attractive SCSI interfaces
such as
RamFAST, and low-cost, easy single-card IDE solutions such as the Focus
"Hard
Card" and SHH Systeme "Turbo" cards have helped make the hard disk
a standard,
expected peripheral on today's GS.
Acceleration- Few commercial software offerings actually sought
to push GS
users to higher speeds; and, as a result, users went for years feeling
no great
need for Applied Engineering's expensive Transwarp accelerator. The
arrival of
Zip Technology's lower-cost ZipGS board together with a clear need
for more
speed to handle System 6 sparked a nearly overnight 'acceleration revolution'.
Today, an accelerator running at 8MHz or better is considered, very
nearly, to
be a necessary IIgs enhancement.
Recommended configuration: ROM-01 or ROM 3 with 4MB or 8MB Memory
Expansion board-- i.e. at least 4.25MB (ROM-01) or 5MB (ROM 3) of total
system
RAM, RamFAST SCSI + 120MB or larger SCSI hard disk OR 120MB or larger
HD-on-a-card IDE drive (e.g. Alltech's Focus Hard Card or SHH's Turbo
IDE series)
with System 6.0.1 installed, 8MHz/32k TransWarp or 9MHz/32k ZipGS or
better
accelerator board, Stereo Card, Imagewriter II printer, two 3.5" and
two 5.25"
diskette drives.
A minimum GS system that will run many older wares and still deliver
a decent
operating system is a ROM-01 GS with the Apple 1MB Memory Expansion
board,
two 3.5" drives, at least one 5.25" drive, and Imagewriter II
printer, which boots
System 5.0.4 or System 6.0.1 from 3.5" diskette.
--Dan DeMaggio, Rubywand, David Empson, Supertimer, Randy Shackelford,
Hal Bouma
.
Related FAQs Resources: R028LCCARD.htm (html file)
014- What is an Apple II: The Apple IIe Emulation Card
This is a '//e on a card' plug-in which lets
you run Apple II software. The card
fits into Mac LC and some subsequent machines that have the LC Processor
Direct Slot (PDS) and which support 24-bit memory addressing.
Many of these cards are sold today without
documentation. In case you've
just plugged one into your Mac Color Classic, etc., it
will help to know that
pressing Command-Control-Escape gets you to
the Preferences panel.
The Apple IIe Emulation Card is actually more
like a //c because the card is not
an expandable machine like a //e. There is a place on the back of the
card to plug in
a Y-cable to which you can attach a Unidisk 3.5" disk drive (white,
A2M2053)
and/or an Apple 5.25" disk drive (platinum, A9M0107) and a joystick.
Because the graphics are handled by the Mac,
animation may be slow if you
don't have a decent Mac. For more information, see FAQs resource
file
R028LCCARD.htm.
--Dan DeMaggio, David Empson, Owen Aaland, Edward Floden, Liam Busey,
Phil Beesley, Joan Sander
.
Related FAQs Resources: R022TRKSTAR.htm (html file)
015- What is an Apple II: The Trackstar Apple II Emulation Card
A TrackStar is a single board Apple 2 computer
that plugs into a PC Clone with at
least one ISA slot or into an IBM PS/2 computer. The most advanced
models,
Trackstar E and Trackstar Plus, work like an enhanced 128k //e.
Trackstar can run Apple II software from virtual
"trackstore" disk images, virtual hard
disk, and, with Apple II disk drive plugged in, Apple II diskettes.
(With the correct cables,
it can use some Apple II diskettes in compatible PC 5.25" drives.)
For more about Trackstar boards, software,
and setup, see FAQs Resource file
R022TRKSTAR.htm.)
-- Bill Whitson, Michael Kelsey, Mike O'Malley, Rubywand, Wayne Stewart
.
016- What is an Apple II: Emulators
An Apple II emulator-- also called an "emu"--
is a program which lets a PC, Mac, etc.
work like an Apple II and run Apple II software. Usually, the Apple
II software is in the
form of a "disk image" file-- a kind of virtual diskette. For more
about Apple II emulators
and where to get them see Q&A 003
on the Applications page.
--Rubywand
.
017- Apple "][", "Apple II", "Apple //"-- which is correct?
"][", "II", and "//" tend to be used pretty much
interchangeably for any model of Apple II
computer, although, practically speaking, there are a few usages which
may provoke a
correction.
"][" is the original Apple II symbol. It appears
on all early II's and II+'s as well as on the
Disk ][ drive. It is, easily, the most attractive and distinctive II
symbol; but, it is also
associated with _old_ Apple II 's. The "//" usage is generally associated
with the c and
newer e models.
"II" is widely accepted as 'okay' for all Apple
II models. (And "II" and "A2" are commonly
used for referring to series-wide products, etc. as in "II software",
"A2 programmers", ... .)
The generally preferred machine designations are ...
Apple ][ or Apple
II for pre-II+ models
Apple ][+ or Apple
II+
Apple IIe for non-enhanced
IIe computers
Apple //e for 128k enhanced
//e computers
Apple //c
Apple IIc+
Apple IIgs or
GS or best (if you have the fonts) IIGS
--Rubywand
.
018- What is "8 bit" and "16 bit"?
Number of bits usually indicates how big a
chunk of data a computer's main
microprocessor can manipulate. The Apple IIgs is based on the 65C816
microprocessor and is considered to be a 16-bit machine. Previous Apple
]['s
are based upon pure 8-bit microprocessors such as the 6502 and 65C02.
These are
considered to be 8-bit machines. Sometimes II+ or IIe or IIc software
is called
"8-bit software".
The 65C816 is a member of the 6502 family which
includes expanded
registers and adds many new commands while retaining the ability to
go into
8-bit mode. So; the GS can run most 8-bit wares designed for older
Apple II
machines as well as newer 16-bit wares. Meanwhile, 8-bit machines are
pretty
well limited to 8-bit wares.
--Rubywand
.
019- How can I tell what version my computer is?
Apple II
Upon Reset, the Apple II starts you in the
system monitor looking at the "*"
prompt. It allows step execution of machine code and has Integer BASIC
in ROM.
The major division between kinds of Apple II is Revision 0 and Revision
1. The
Revision 1 motherboard adds a number of features including a few which
are easily
observed:
Power-On Reset: The computer automatically does a Reset when turned On.
More hires colors: To the Black, White, Violet, and Green available
on a Rev0
machine, Rev1 adds Blue and Orange.
Color Killer added: Full-text displays are black&white without the
color fringing
and tinting you see on Rev0 machines.
Apple II+
All Apple II+ machines have the Revision 1
or higher motherboard and the
Autostart ROM. On power-up the Apple II+ does a Reset and displays
"APPLE ]["
at the top of the screen. If a disk drive is connected, the II+ will
try to boot a diskette.
The Apple II+ loses some monitor features (like instruction stepping)
and in-ROM
Integer BASIC found in the earlier Apple II; but, it gains the more
powerful
Applesoft BASIC in ROM. A II+ Reset normally leaves you in BASIC looking
at
the "]" Applesoft BASIC prompt.
Apple IIe
You can usually tell a IIe from a II or II+
by the nameplate. On models
with the classic Apple II case but no nameplate, you can check the
keyboard.
IIe models include a key embossed with the outline of an apple called
the
"OpenApple" key located near the bottom left corner of the keyboard.
(All
later Apple II's have this key, too; but, they do not look anything
like a II, II+,
or IIe). A few IIe models produced for third party resale may
have some other
special-logo key in place of OpenApple.
Within the IIe series, the major division is
between Enhanced and
unenhanced IIe models. Look at your computer while booting. If
it says "Apple
][", it is not enhanced. The enhanced computers will say "Apple //e".
Today, "Enhanced IIe", "//e", and "128k Apple
IIe" are used interchangeably
because nearly every Enhanced IIe has an Extended 80-Column Card plugged
into
the 60-pin Aux Slot (which adds 64kB of RAM). Technically, an
Enhanced IIe is
defined by the presence of three or four IC's: the 65C02 microprocessor
(replaces the 6502), new Character (or "Video") ROM which includes
MouseText
characters, and new monitor firmware in ROM.
If a IIe has the 65C02 microprocessor, it is
probably an Enhanced IIe. If
your IIe is not enhanced, you can do the enhancement yourself with
an
"enhancement kit" consisting of the four chips you need to swap in.
The last significant upgrade to the IIe series
came in 1987 with the
release of the Extended Keyboard //e. This model is a 128k Enhanced
IIe-- it
comes with an Extended 80-Column Card plugged into the Aux Slot-- which
adds an
18-key 'numeric keypad'. It also replaces the eight on-motherboard
RAM chips
with two 64kx4 IC's; and, it replaces the two BASIC/monitor ROMs with
a single large ROM.
Quite a lot of later 80's 8-bit software, including
all double-hires
software, requires a 128k Enhanced IIe. (If you have a //c, IIc+, IIgs,
Laser
128, or Franklin Ace 2000-2200, you have good to at least decent Enhanced
IIe
compatibility.) Unfortunately, a small number of early-release
IIe's can not
be upgraded to handle double-hires. Check the serial number on the
motherboard
(in the back, by the power-on led). If it is 820-0064-A, you must change
the
motherboard to upgrade (unless you have the PAL video output version).
The IIe was produced in very large numbers
and sold around the world in
countries with different power systems using different video standards.
So, it
is not all that unlikely that you may need to check a bargain IIe to
make sure
it will work in your home using your monitor. The two major video output
formats you may run into are NTSC (used in the US, Canada, Japan, and
most
countries with 60Hz power, except Brazil) and PAL (used in Australia,
most of
Europe, and most countries with 50Hz power). One way to tell which
video
standard a IIe uses is the location of the Aux Slot. If it is on the
side of
the motherboard near the power supply, you have an NTSC model. If it
is in line
with Slot 3, you have a PAL model.
Apple //c and Apple IIc+
Go into Basic and type "PRINT PEEK (64447)"
and press return. If it says
255, you have a very old //c. This model is known to have problems
producing
accurate baud rates for serial communications. It's been many years
since the //c
was released; but, some long-time Apple dealers may still perform the
upgrade
for a nominal fee. (Tell the dealer that the Apple authorization number
is ODL660.)
If PRINT PEEK (64447) displays 0, you can use
3.5" drives, but you don't
have the memory expansion connector. If it says 3, you have the memory
expansion
connector and can plug in extra memory. If it says 4, you have the
latest model of the
//c with the memory expansion connector and other upgrades.
If PRINT PEEK (64447) displays 5, you have
an Apple IIc+. The IIc+ also
has "IIc Plus" silk-screened in dark gray onto the upper right corner
of the case.
Apple IIgs
There are 3 major versions of the GS: Check
the initial power-up screen.
It will probably say ROM-01 or ROM 3. If it does not say either, you
have a
ROM-00 model. You must upgrade a ROM-00 machine in order to run current
system
software. The ROM-01 has 256K on the motherboard, while the ROM 3 has
1 MB on
the motherboard. Most of the enhancements of the ROM 3 are added to
the ROM-01
simply by booting up with current system software.
--Dan DeMaggio, CreatSltn, Steve Leahy, Nathan Mates, Bevis King, David
Empson,
Jeff Blakeney, David Wilson, Rubywand
.
020- Suppose I just want to start using my Apple II Now!?
Okay; suppose you have zilch info, do not feel
like looking through the
FAQs, and want to start Now. The following _may_ be all you need to
get going
with some game or utility from diskette:
o The Disk Controller Card for Apple ][, ][+, and IIe goes into Slot
6 (next to
last Slot on the right when viewed from the front). Drive 1 plugs into
the top
connector with the ribbon side of the cable plug facing out. Plug in
the
cable(s) before plugging in the card so that you are sure the connector
and
plug line up correctly.
o On the IIgs, the 3.5" drive(s) plug in first, then, the 5.25" drive(s).
o Unless a hard disk is installed, most Apple II's try to boot a diskette
and
start DOS 3.3, ProDOS, or GS/OS when turned ON. (On the old Apple ][
you can
type in 6 Control-P RETURN to boot from the Monitor, assuming your
Controller
Card is in Slot 6. To press Control-P, press and hold Control, then
P, then
release both keys.)
o Most, but not all, diskettes are bootable. If one diskette doesn't
boot, try
another. If no diskettes boot, use a Radio Shack Head Cleaner diskette
to clean
the drive head(s).
o If the prompt you see is ], you are in Applesoft
BASIC; > indicates Integer
BASIC; and * indicates the Monitor. If both Integer
BASIC and Applesoft are in
memory, you can enter FP to switch from Integer
to Applesoft and INT to switch
from Applesoft to Integer. To go from
either BASIC to the Monitor, enter
CALL-151. To start the current BASIC from the Monitor, enter Control-B.
To go
back to BASIC with program and variables in tact from the Monitor,
enter
Control-C.
o Except for the ][ and most ][+'s, you must press Control-RESET to do a Reset.
o To boot a diskette when viewing a BASIC prompt, you can enter PR#6
to boot a
drive associated with Slot 6-- usually a 5.25" drive-- and PR#5 to
boot a drive
associated with Slot 5-- usually a 3.5" drive.
--Rubywand, David Empson
.
021- Where do I find out about Apple II Users Groups?
Especially for beginners, a users group is
an absolute goldmine of software,
information, and bargain hardware.
Several Apple II users groups continue to meet,
especially in major cities
and on university campi. If a local group listing is 'missing' from
your phone
book, check for a Mac users group-- a number of Apple II groups have
merged with their Mac counterparts.
The Apple User Group Connection (800-538-9696
ext 500) may be able
to tell you the closest Apple II (or Macintosh) User Group.
You can find an on-line listing of users groups
in the FAQs Users' Groups
page.
Of course, you can always post a question to
comp.sys.apple2.usergroups
and/or to Csa2 main (comp.sys.apple2).
Is your users' group listed?
It's easy to let everyone know about your Apple
II users' group (or "special
interest group" if part of some larger club). Send an email (including
the word
"Apple" in the title) to the Apple II FAQs maintainer
with this information:
o- Name of your Apple II group
o- Location (may omit if you meet only on-line)
o- Web page or forum URL if you have one (necessary if you
meet only on-line)
o- Email contact address (may omit if you have a web page)
--Rubywand
.
022- How can I find out more about using and programming my Apple
II?
You can peruse the newsgroup FAQs
Q&A Contents listing. You can also
check out the Apple II Major Sites
page.
All Apple II's come with some version of BASIC
installed in-ROM on the
motherboard. The original Apple II's have Integer BASIC. Starting with
the
II+ model, all Apple II's have floating-point Applesoft BASIC in ROM.
Owners
of early Apple II's can load in Applesoft or plug in a card with Applesoft
ROMs.
There are several good places to find out about Apple II BASIC programming:
Apple II Textfiles
http://www.textfiles.com/apple/
Byte Works (new
IIgs GSoft BASIC)
http://www.byteworks.org
Ground
Applesoft
Programming
Beagle.Oldies
The comp.sys.apple2.programmer
USENET newsgroup and Csa2P FAQs
for programming Q&A plus more links
http://home.swbell.net/rubywand/csa2pfaq.html
Besides BASIC, you can load and use many languages
including Fortran, Pascal,
Modula, C, Logo, Forth, Assembly, and others. The Apple II "Monitor"
included
in-ROM lets you enter 6502 and (on a IIgs) 65816 machine language programs.
IIgs owners can also create Hyperstudio and HyperCard stacks. For more
information and links go to the comp.sys.apple2.programmer
FAQs.
There is really no substitute for having the
technical manual for your particular
Apple II or clone. The manual for the ][ and ][+ is the Apple ][ Reference
Manual.
For the IIe and IIc you want Apple's Technical Reference Manual for
your machine.
For the IIgs you will want, at least, the IIgs Hardware Reference and
IIgs Firmware
Reference.
Naturally, you will want to get manuals and
materials covering DOS,
ProDOS, BASIC, and many other areas relating to your Apple II. Below
is a
decent 'getting started' sampling:
General Apple II
Apple II Reference Manual from Apple
Apple II User's Guide by Poole, Martin, and Cook
Note: Third Edition, 1985 (Apple II User's Guide for APPLE II
Plus
and APPLE IIe) is completely revised to include ProDOS coverage
Beagle Bros "Peeks, Pokes, and Pointers" (poster) by Beagle Bros
The Apple II Circuit Description by Winston D. Gayler
Understanding the Apple ][ by Jim Sather
What's Where in the Apple II? by William F. Luebbert
Applesoft BASIC and Assembly Language
Assembly Lines: The Book by Roger Wagner
BASIC Programming Reference Manual from Apple
Programming the 65816 Including the 6502, 65C02, and 65802
by David Eyes and Ron Lichty
65816/65802 Assembly Language Programming by Michael Fischer
DOS, ProDOS, and GS/OS
Apple IIgs GS/OS Technical Reference (Apple/ Addison-Wesley)
Beneath Apple DOS by Worth & Lechner
Beneath Apple ProDOS by Worth & Lechner
Exploring Apple GS/OS and ProDOS 8 by Little
ProDOS Inside and Out by Doms and Weishaar
ProDOS Technical Reference Manual (Apple/ Addison-Wesley)
The DOS Manual from Apple
Some technical manuals and other materials
can be obtained in original or
reprint form from Byte Works (http://www.byteworks.org)
and
Kula Soft (http://www.angelfire.com/hi/kulasoft/).
Major book sellers, such as
Amazon (http://www.amazon.com)
list many Apple II books. Though most are
out of print, the sellers will search for and, with luck, locate the
book you want.
Apple II manuals and other books also turn up for
sale on Csa2 newsgroups
like comp.sys.apple2.marketplace,
at used book shops, and at local Users
Group swap meets. Some manuals and other items, such as Reference Cards
and posters (usually in Text or HTML form) are available for downloading
at the
major Apple II archives and other support sites. (See Apple
II Publishers.)
You may be able to find a local Apple II users'
group or a group on-line that
you like. Besides knowledgeable users, you will often find a software
library
stocked with useful software.
Another good resource is a subscription to
an Apple II newsletter or magazine;
and, don't overlook collections of major Apple II magazines published
through the
1980's (e.g. inCider, Nibble, Computist, etc.). They are virtual encyclopedias
covering many areas of II computing. For current publishers and net
sites which offer
on-line copies of back issues see the Apple
II Publishers listing.
Often, the easiest, quickest way to an answer
for some Apple II question
is to 'just ask it' on comp.sys.apple2
and/or another Csa2 family newsgroup.
There are no Csa2 rules about posting to just a newsgroup which deals
with a
particular topic or making sure your question is hard enough or reading
the FAQs
first. Supplying information is the main purpose of the newsgroups.
--Rubywand, David Wilson, Tony Cianfaglione, Steve Sanders, Terence
J. Boldt,
Wayne Stewart
.
023- Where can I find out about developers of Apple II and II-related
products?
For current information on developers and software/hardware
products check these
sources ...
A.P.P.L.E. 'zine news
http://www.callapple.org/
A2Unplugged- Apple II community news from Ryan Suenaga
http://a2unplugged.com/wordpress/
GS WorldView's "Developers at Work" pages
http://apple2.org.za/gswv/a2zine/Sel/A2DevelopersAtWork.htm
Mentions in Csa2 FAQs including Major Sites, Games, and Vendors &
Publishers
listings
http://home.swbell.net/rubywand/A2FAQs4MAJORSITES.html
http://home.swbell.net/rubywand/A2FAQs7GAMESITES.html
http://home.swbell.net/rubywand/A2FAQs3VENDORS.html
Postings on Csa2 newsgroups
news:comp.sys.apple2
For information on classic A2 game developers see ...
The Giant List
http://www.dadgum.com/giantlist/list.html
--Rubywand
