Subject: Re: Apple II info please... From: Rubywand Date: Wed, Jun 24, 1998 19É18 EDT Message-id: <35918949.3C977DD2@swbell.net> Clockmeister writes ... > > Hi, > > As a computer enthusiast I would be gratefull if someone could tell me what > the technical specifications are of an Apple II (GS). > Specifically, expansion capabilities, operating system(s), processor type > and speed and video capabilities. Okay; here is some tech info .. microprocessor- 65C816 (8-bit Data bus, 16-bit main registers) addresses up to 16MB; uses super-set of 6502 instructions; mode switching to permit 6502 'emulation' Main modes of operation- GS (new stuff) and 'old Apple II' (to allow running most Apple II, II+, IIe, IIc software) Speed- base system max is a bit below 3MHz (max with accelerator board is around 12MHz equivalent main system speed) Memory- base 256k (ROM-00 or ROM-01 models) or 1MB (ROM-03 models) expandable to 8MB max. Video- RGB (H: 15.7kHz, V: 60Hz or 50Hz); composite via separate jack. 40 and 80 column x 24 Text modes (Border, Background, and Text color can be set to 1 of 16), various lower res graphics modes in 6-16 colors, standard 320 x 200 x 16 color and 640 x 200 x 4 color Super-res modes (individual scan line palette selection allows good match to PC 320 x 200 x 256 color displays) Audio- 'old Apple' bit-toggle sound + Ensoniq with 64k for sound synthesis through up to 8 multiplexed channels. Base system outputs monophonic mix of all sounds through a stereo jack (the left & right leads connect to a single source). Standard additions are a Stereo Board (de-mpx to 2 channels) and Analog input board for digitizing and recording sound samples. Diskette drives- up to two 5.25" (140k) and two 3.5" (800k) drives on a daisy chain Hard disk- none on base system; Slot plug-ins allow a variety of SCSI and IDE hard drives to be used CD-ROM, Zip Drive, Tape backup- none on base system; Slot plug-in SCSI interface allows attaching a variety of units. Keyboard and mouse- connected via Apple Desktop Bus chain to which other ADB devices (e.g. a trackball) may be added Serial I/O- up to 56k baud standard serial at Printer and Modem ports Game Port- support for up to two joysticks or other controllers (joysticks are variable resistance types and are compatible across II series; they are not compatible with PC, C-64, etc.) > Also age of the various Apple II's and > it's derivatives. > Most Apple II and II+ computers originate from 1979-1981; IIe's start a year or so later. IIc's and IIgs's start around the mid-80's. The ROM-03 GS (or "ROM 3" if you're a purist) arrived in 1989. Enhanced IIe's, IIc+, and IIgs models were produced into the early 90's. > Is the Apple II even remotely similar in design principle to the early > Macintosh range ? > .... Versus, say, an IBM 1620, sure. In the context of the major design issues of the time, most observes would say they differ greatly. Mac was a compact, sealed box with a built-in higher resolution monochrome display, a separate keyboard and mouse, and it featured a graphical user interface (e.g. like Windows 95). Apple II was an open-box system with Slots to add important new capabilities (e.g. more memory, disk controller, serial interface, MockingBoard sound, etc.). At the time of the first Mac, graphics were lower resolution; but, they could be in color. Apple II systems were seldom compact and varied somewhat from user to user (though not in anything like the way today's PC's vary). The Mac was a relatively expensive 'yuppie machine' package which the user was not supposed to understand or modify. It was a use 'as is' computer oriented toward what, today, would be called 'personal assistance' applications. Mac was never much of a game machine. Basically, it was the first 'notebook computer'. The Apple II was not especially cheap, either; but, it was, from the start, a 'hacker's machine'. Users wanted to know how things worked and Apple obliged with info-packed manuals. Everyone experimented with various plug-ins and many made all sorts of modifications to the motherboard, keyboard, disk drives, ... . Apple II was a 'do whatever' machine; and, 'whatever' included word processing, music, telecom, ..., educational programs, and lots of game playing. Our newsgroup FAQs add a bit to the above. See the Main Hall (F005A2MHALL.TXT) file at ... ftp://ground.isca.uiowa.edu/2/apple2/Faqs . Rubywand