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What is the difference between the language card and 16K RAM expansion card? I have an Apple II Plus with a card in slot 0 labeled "16K RAM EXPANSION". I have looked at photos of language cards, and they look different from my 16K RAM expansion card. Attached is a photo of my card.
One of the major differences is that the language card has a built in autostart ROM... which was useful for Apple II original users.
RichardF, from the photo, your card does not have the Autostart ROM on it.
That's really the only difference IIRC. They all add 16k ram.
That's really the only difference IIRC. They all add 16k ram.
A 16k card was called a language card because it was used to load either applesoft basic or integer basic onto that 16k. The Apple card had a ROM socket for the autostart ROM. A lot of people bought 3rd party cards because they were cheaper and if you had a II+ then you didn’t need the ROM socket. Even a lot of II owners replaced the motherboard ROM with the autostart ROM.
I literally just purchased one to experiment again on my standalone A2+ motherboard. It's been many years since I owned one but I still recall from my
ancient memory the switches:
C081 twice for write only
C080 once for read only
C083 (twice?) for read/write
C082 once to turn off.
I remember copying D000-FFFF to it then modify and r/w enable my "cannibalized" pseudo-rom, fun stuff !!
It will be a few weeks until I get all the stuff to try it out again, can't wait !!
Larry G
It's interesting how it has those CLASSY blue ceramic RAM chips in it. I'd think a clone card would have come late enough chronologically that it would have come with plastic packages. Maybe it came unpopulated and someone stuffed it with salvaged chips?