Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!seismo!lll-lcc!lll-tis!ames!sdcsvax!ucbvax!DMZRZU71.BITNET!mat6013
From: mat6013@DMZRZU71.BITNET
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple
Subject: Re:  ][+ to //gs
Message-ID: <8707090658.aa04619@SMOKE.BRL.ARPA>
Date: Wed, 15-Jul-87 01:42:15 EDT
Article-I.D.: SMOKE.8707090658.aa04619
Posted: Wed Jul 15 01:42:15 1987
Date-Received: Fri, 17-Jul-87 02:33:48 EDT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Distribution: world
Organization: The ARPA Internet
Lines: 42

ad 1):
Before buying my Apple //gs I heavily testet one lend at a local dealer over a
weekend and therefore also plugged in my old two disk ][ drives connected to a
disk  ][  controller  (all  original  from Apple) card in slot 6 and it worked
without any problems.

The  only  noticeable  difference results from the new features implemented in
the  ROM  routines  of  the  buildin  5.25" controller.  It has the ability to
figure  out  if there is any disk in the drive and will otherwise stop booting
like  the Apple //c.  (This causes another problem, but I'll send out an extra
letter  on  that  later.)  So  the system has the ability to scan the bootable
devices on a cold start and use a 3.5" disk located in slot 5 (external or via
the  IWM)  when  there's  no  disk  in  your  5.25"  drive.   (With  a disk ][
controller,  it  will  try  to read the boot sector forever (or until the fuse
burns)  and  you  have  to  press  RESET in order to give the other drive(s) a
chance.)

ad 3):
I'm  using  Orange Micro's Grappler+ interface card without any problems and I
like  it  all in all.  (But I think I'm going to switch to the Prograppler+ in
the near future.)

ad 4):
The  16 pin DIL joystick connector is really there but it lies in front of the
slots far away from the backplane and not easily accessible if you have a card
in slot 4.  I recommend the more comfortable and easier to use 9 pin Apple //e
like connector at the back.  It's a simple matter to exchange the plug on your
old  joystick  but  beware that the pull down resistors (of about 500-1000 Ohm
between  the  TTL  inputs and ground) needed by the active closed push buttons
are sometimes hidden in the plug in order to reduce the number of the wires in
the  joystick  cable  by  one.   Best  you  carefully  open the old one before
discarding it.

PS to Asaf Sokolowski (and whom it may interest):
I also tested an original Microsoft Softcard and it failed to work flawlessly,
i.e.   most  of  the  time  I  could boot CP/M but within several minutes junk
appeared   on   the  screen  and  the  system  hung.   This  was  not  exactly
reproduceable,  but  happened  recardless of the settings for the system speed
and the 80 column card.

                                        Matthias Kapffer