From: gsm@gsm001.mendelson.com (Geoffrey S. Mendelson)
Subject: Re: IIe emulator card questions
Organization: Mendelson.com
Date: Sat, 14 Nov 1992 02:15:04 GMT

In article <1992Nov13.030043.1@vax.sonoma.edu> oberland@vax.sonoma.edu writes:
>A couple questions...
>
>I am FINALLY convincing my parents to get a Mac(yay!-only 4 years, that took!)
>
>They have a whole SLEW of IIe programs(and IIgs).
>Q:
>I can get a LC and the Apple II card, but how compatable is it?

Except for some floppy disk DRIVE problems (The emulator only supports
some floppy drives) It is an Apple IIe and will run just about anything
that ran on a IIe. Most expansion cards are emulated (BUT not the MICROSOFT
CPM) card. :-)

It supports the gray 5 1/4 drive, but not the grey (mac compatible) 3.5"
ones. These drives were sold with the IIgs, so you may have problems
if you have a IIgs.

The software will convert printer codes from Imagewriter (If you don't
have one now) to what ever you have.

It will also run in double speed mode but that is not compatible with
many copy protected programs.

It is NOT NOT NOT IIgs compatible. It will run IIe programs that ran on
the IIgs, but not IIgs specific ones.

It will not run in 32 bit addressing mode. If you are in 32 bit mode,
you have to turn it off and reboot to use the IIe card. To get the ram back,
you have to switch back to 32 bit mode and reboot.


>It can apparently run prodos, so it should be able to run SOME IIgs
>software.  Is this possible?  I figure a modem(null) transfer would
>overcome formatting problems.

It will read what ever disks a IIe can read if you have the correct drive.
It will read Prodos 3.5" drives with the internal drive. An init is supplied
to read Prodos disk under the Mac OS.

I have never been able to sucessfully format a 3.5" disk under Apple Dos
3.3.


>Running IIgs software would be seriously neat, but I dunno.
>Is it only Prodos-8?

 Yes

Note that it comes with all the necessary MAC software, but absolutely
NO IIe software. 

>Q #2:
>Is it(the card) compatable with ANY Mac other than the original LC?
>Can it be worked into ANY OTHER machine, somehow?

No, it only works in the LC and LCII.


>Q #3:WHY doesn't Apple put out a EVERYTHING compatable version?
>I know a LOT of people who WANT the card, but don't have a LC.
>They often have Si's or older Mac II's. (or even B&W machines)

The LC was designed around the card. The only other machine that could
possible be modified to support it would be the classic II (as it was
built with a modified LC II motherboard.

>Q #4:What about a IIgs emulator card?

Maybe someday. But Apple still sells IIgs. Every once in a while I hear
of a person who just bought one. Unfortunately it's to late for me to 
sell them mine. :-(

>Q #5:With the new LC coming out, will it accept the card?  This is the machine
>that my folks are going to get, hopefully.  If so, they would be greatly
>enthused about the prospect of getting a Mac.(Currently, it is due to their
>needing what a Mac can do, but they are not too happy at having to get rid
>of the IIe software(not to mention the IIgs stuff, some of which is a LOT
>better than what would replace it on the Mac))

What new LC? 

>Q #6:WHY not come up with an AppleII/IIgs emulator in software?
>With the new machines coming out, it would be acceptable, speed-wise.
>(Soft AT workat about the same speed a IIgs emulator would-4mhz or so)
>1 Mhz for IIe is probably do-able on a classic, and no sweat for 16Mhz
>computers.

Compatability. 

The IIe card is exactly that a IIe on a card. With some clever hacks to
use the Mac video and i/o. But it still is a IIe.

Geoff.

BTW don't flame me if you don't like the card. I only own one. I am
in no way connected with Apple.

P.s. I have seen the cards advertised by Shreve Systems in La. for about
$50. (used).
-- 
Geoffrey S. Mendelson 
(215) 242-8712
gsm@mendelson.com     or uunet!gsm001!gsm
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc