which ][ do you prefer?

This is a somewhat tough question to answer for me, as the aspects of functionality and esthetics can compete.

The //c line is the prettiest, and of the several flavors, the //c+ is impossible to beat.

For full on functionality it would have to be the last version of the IIGS, but I never owned one.

However my favorite is the //e Platinum. It has the original wedge shape, the expandability of the slots, and the ten key entry built right in, was the last Apple ][ ever made (until 1993), and you can load it with some truly beautiful expansions, like Video Overlay I/O Card, still video capture, robotic arm control, the 1.4MB floppy Super Drive, and the CF card drive.

Well, I haven't owned a //c, but my first one was a ][e, which had a bad chip on the MB, so I got a new MB, which was enhanced. I then found a great deal on another //e enhanced, and now I have a //e Platinum. Out of all that I have had, which is the ][e, //e, and //e Platinum, the Platinum is by far my favorite. Don't know why. I've seen ]['s and ][plus computers on ebay. I just never had any interest. They are great, just not my cup of tea. As a matter of fact, the first one I ever used was a ][plus with a single Disk II and 64K of memory.

Oh, yeah, I almost forgot, I also have a IIgs. It is great as well, and is my second favorite.

The IIc is my least favorite of the line for the reason you mentioned. I much prefer the Laser 128EX2 to either of the Apple portable offerings due to the expansion slot and double card cage option. I use CP/M a lot and although there are rare expansions for the IIc and IIc+ that have a Z80, I've never managed to get my hands on one. And, man, living without a CFFA these days is almost unthinkable.

I usually work on a II+. It has great expandability, simple hardware, and enough CPU and memory to meet my humble needs. I have a pile of spares and, until recently, they were easy to find and inexpensive. I have had much greater success fixing hardware problems on the II/II+ than on later chip-reduced models.

I'd say I use my machines in roughly the following percentages:

60% Apple II+
20% Laser 128
10% Apple IIgs ROM3 (mostly for playing games)
5% Apple IIe
5% Others (Original II, IIc, IIc+, IIgs ROM1, other clones)

What model fits you best depends largely on what you want to do.

My preference changes depending on where my nostalgia whims take me. One month, I might be deeply into the //c which is more expandable and capable than many give it credit for, then -poof- I'm old-school hacking the hard way on an Apple II Plus.

I even keep a few IIGS machines setup differently - one has all the (mostly) recent top end hardware, the other is well stocked with the best available Applied Engineering hardware. Same with my //e.

There was another thread some time ago (maybe 2 years?)with the same question.

Aside from that, my first Apple was a IIc. I liked the portability and the ability to take it anywhere and just plug into an older TV. Plenty of software (utilities, games, etc.) and AppleWorks.

Portability, Functionality, Small package equals just about the best machine you could have at the time. The IIc Plus made it exceptional.

I still have my Original IIc (with the AE Memory expansion to 1 Meg) and all of my software. Even after all these years of buying and refurbishing II's, II Plus's,IIe's, IIgs's, and Macs, I still find myself drawn to my IIc.

My second computer was an Apple //c. The first was a TI-99/4A and clearly remember that when my dad brought it home I told him that it was not an Apple, as I have never seen any other Apple II like that before.
Still I think is the most aesthetic, convenient and portable of all, and although my current is not the one I had as a child, still keeps surprising me the versatility and roughness of it. Other "modern" computers wouldn't have withstand all the stuff I have done to this one.
Cheers

Javster

I first prefer an enhanced //e, then a Platinum.

The IIgs and II+ are somewhere in there too.