Hi -
I was hoping that AppleFritter Members could offer me some information about the need and compatibility of certain components and software with the Apple IIgs. I really appreciate information that you may be able to offer about this --
++ Is it necessary to buy software that I'd like to use on the IIgs, or is well-known software (both operating systems, productivity work software such as the PFS Software series, games, creative software for music and visual art creation, etc. now in the public domain, and therefore all are legally available now for free, to download from a Web site?
++ If available for free this way, what is needed to transfer this downloaded software from a modern-day Macintosh (which has no floppy disk drive) to an Apple IIgs (which has not CD ROM drive)?
++ Is it true that, due to the limitation either of the driver(s) that automatically are part of the Apple IIgs, or because addable drivers are not available, that the only Apple StyleWriter Printer that will work with the Apple IIgs is the black-and-white-printing-only Original (First) StyleWriter? (I.e. There is something fundamentally different about the way in which this First Original StyleWriter works from all of the subsequently sold black-and-white-only and color StyleWriter Printers -- either in the connection cable(s) that they require, or in the way in which they are perceived by an Apple IIgs CPU when connected to one?)
++ What if any Ethernet and Modem components (and CPU connection cards, wires, and Internet access software) works with the Apple IIgs? I see a few eBay listings of an Apple-made "Twisted Pair" Ethernet component LC - which I assume primarily was intended for the Macintosh LC Series. However, would this type of Ethernet device work also on the Apple IIgs? And I see various Apple and Third Party Brand Modems listed on eBay. Are any of them compatible with the Apple IIgs (none actually say that they are compatible; some specifically note compatibility with a Macintosh Computer). And in any case, even if any of these modems are IIgs-compatible, would additional CPU cards and/or Internet access software specific to the IIgs be needed to use any of these Modems?
++ Having read a good amount about Apple IIgs components that were made (including certain speakers), I am wondering whether this current eBay listing (# 190595184254) is for Bose Speakers that originally actually came with that Bose-Apple Logo. I have not seen any reference to these "Rare! Vintage Bose Videomate made for Apple" (although there was a similar but distinctly different style pair of Bose Roommate Speakers in white that, for a short time, were sold with the Apple IIgs. Also, if you check that eBay listing, I think you may agree that those speakers look very new to be 20-to-25 years old, even if they were never opened. The logo is skillfully placed on these speakers such that it looks genuine; but I still am not sure that they a genuine Bose-Apple component that was sold.
++ There appear to be 2 types of Apple Microphones that were sold (and it looks as though both were sold primarily for 1990s vintage Macintosh Computers, rather than for the Apple IIgs). One model Microphone has a round head, and the other has a sort of cone-shaped head. Both models seem to have a standard Sony Walkman-like jack that presumable would work with the Apple IIgs too, but do they work with the Apple IIgs? If so, is one of these models more advanced than the other, or would either model produce an identical recording result?
++ In terms of Apple IIgs music creation software, is there one program that you think it the best in what it offers for the Apple IIgs? I'm most familiar, Re: the Apple II, with the Music Construction Set software name, but I've heard also of Sound Studio, and possibly other software (including software that would permit [with the appropriate CPU sound card] stereo sound and speech articulation). Given the Apple IIgs' special dedicated sound chip on its motherboard, I'd like to find music/sound software that best utilizes the Apple IIgs' special sound capabilities for music creation, etc.
Thanks very much. I appreciate any information that you could offer with regard to any of these questions.
First what do you want to do with it?
ADTPRO to D/L software. Or if you have want to spend a little more, a Ramfast or HighSpeed SCSI card with a HD. Then you can zip cart to transfer disk images fast which you could share the 100meg cart with a Mac. You can then also add a CDrom to the SCSI chain if you want to.
Any hardware you may have to get to do what you want will probably cost you.
There are some MIDI programs for the IIgs.
For text to speech echo or ufonics cards. For just software based talking, Smooth Talker.
The Bose Apple IIgs speakers I have seen were the same color as the IIgs. Even the metal grills were same color. They were nice but was not impressed over other speakers of the time. I wonder if he still has them and the IIgs.
You would need a special sound card to record.
Many considered early Rom01 them to have more noise then the later Rom03. Was this just on playback or recording or both. I think it more depended more on the IIgs it self.
Take Care
Red,
The answer to the question is Yes and No. Not all IIgs software is in the Public Domain, but a lot of it has either been archived, or turned into files that can be copied from the internet to your Mac and then to your IIgs.
ADTPro with the proper cables.
I have no answer for that one. I have several Imagewriter II's that I still use.
What you should look at is the Uthernet Card and software.
I looked at the speakers you were talking about, but I am not sure. I know that the original ones were/are the same color as the IIgs. There is also another Fritter Critter looking for those same speakers and as of yet he has not found any.
The rest of the questions I am not sure about, but there are many, many knowledgable folks up here and I have no doubt that they will weigh in on your questions.
Thanks very much for the information!
I'll look into these various things you both mentioned.
I'm especially interested in seeing what ADTPRO to D/L software looks like - actually, would it be on the initially-needed CD ROM for the Macintosh, or on a floppy disk needed for the IIgs? Or both? Oh yeah, I see in the second reply that there are appropriate cables required along with this software.
Also, let's say you saved software or anything, downloaded from the Web, to your current-day Macintosh, and copied that onto a flash memory card that you had inserted in that Macintosh.
And then if you took that flash memoir card out of that Macintosh and placed it in, say, the holster of an Apple IIgs' CFFA internal card-based hard drive, would the IIgs recognize the data on this flash memory card?
My concern is that although both Apple commuters, a current-day Macintosh and an Apple IIgs would not recognize and understand data from one to the other.
Yeah, Wikipedia mentions the Bose speakers that you were describing. But those ones currently on eBay are not just a different color; they're also different enough in their design to be 10 years newer than the speakers from the Bose-Apple joint limited marketing campaign with the release of the IIgs. As ridiculous as it may sound, I think that those speakers currently on eBay are phony - not genuine vintage Apple-connected products. I'm not saying that the current Seller knows that they're phony in that regard. But I think these speakers were carefully-orchestrated to look real. To my knowledge, before 2001 (i.e. before any iThis and iThat was released), Apple produced only the following 4 types (5 varieties) of speakers in total:
1. Circa 1986 - Bose-Apple Logo Platinum-White Limited Edition Roommate Speakers (interesting that you didn't find them to have great sound - I haven't heard them - but I imagine that how ever they sound, they are much higher quality sound computer speakers than all of the following speakers except for possibly #4 below.
2. Circa 1993 - AppleDesign Powered Speakers in Platinum-White with a rainbow apple logo on each;
3. Circa 1994 - AppleDesign Powered Speakers II in
Platinum-White with a rainbow apple logo on each; and (B) Dark Grey with a silver apple logo on each; and
4. Circa 1999 - Bose-Apple Speakers - brown, cylindrical desktop-sized speakers that either came with, or were sold optionally at the time of, the Macintosh 20th Anniversary Edition Computer. (20th Anniversary of what, incidentally? 2004 was the 20th Anniversary of the Macintosh line's 1984 introduction. And 1996 was the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Apple company. Maybe it was the 20th anniversary of when Jobs and Wozniack first became multimillionaires based on Apple's increasing profitability.)
As to ADTPro you can download the software here: http://adtpro.sourceforge.net/ and as long as you have a current version of JAVA on your Mac you're good to go. There are instructions on the page you download the software from on how to get the Apple II software for ADTPro over to your GS.
With a Flash drive and the new CFFA 3000 as long as your flash drive is formatted FAT 32, so it can be read by Windows, you'll be able to see what is on it when you insert it into the CFFA 3000. That is one of the reasons I finally decided to get a CFFA card.
During its introduction, Apple sold a specialized set of Bose Roommate speakers that were platinum colored with the Apple logo next to the Bose on each front speaker grille.
ever seen, or in your collection ?
There is a set up on Ebay right now.
Item Number - 260942230814
I will reply in details this evening or tomorrow by pm.