From dave.ottalini at wap.org  Wed Feb 26 23:48:03 2003
From: dave.ottalini at wap.org (Dave Ottalini)
Date: Wed, 26 Feb 2003 23:48:03 -0500
Subject: [APPLE3-L] A3 FAQ
Message-ID: <27EB93D6A797D411A41F00D0B7D4E81C02A52227@exchange.prog.altair.com>

Folks... I need your help! I'd like to update the Apple /// FAQ that
we've had on our web site for a long time..but it hasn't really been
touched since 1999 or so.  

I'll copy it below and would like to ask you to look at it and not just
suggest additions but work them into the thing. Send it to the list and
we'll work out a final that can be reposted and included on the A3 CD I
may yet finish at some point in my life.  

Please write in a non technical style if at all possible. I retain the
right to be the final editor of the thing. 

Everyone who contributes gets a credit - so here's a chance at
immortality. 

Thanks! 





  
THE APPLE /// FAQ FILE V. 3.6 


SOME BASIC INFORMATION FOR ALL /// USERS 

By David Ottalini  
(Dave.Ottalini at wap.org) 
WAP /// SIG Co-Chairman 

- with thanks to Mitchell Spector (m spect at vega.concordia.ca) 
  and Jeff Marraccini of Altair Systems (jeff at altair.com) 

Additions/Corrections welcome to the above e-mail address. 

Version: 3.6 
January, 1999 

CONTENTS 

1) What is the Apple ///? 
2) What are the ///'s Capabilities? 
3) What About Its Built-In Features? 
4) What About SOS - The ///'s Operating System? 
5) Is My Apple /// Still Useful Today? 
6) What Other Hardware/Software do I need? 
7) What's This about SOS? 
8) What is BOS3? 
9) What About Emulation Mode? 
10) Where do I find Information about the ///? 
11) Where Can I Find Public Domain Software? 
12) Are There Still Sources for Hardware and Commercial Software? 
13) Where Can I Get my Apple /// Repaired? 
14) What about an outboard Power Supply for the ///? 
15) Where Can I Find the Pinouts for an RGB Monitor? 
16) Are There Any Apple /// Newsletters or Magazines? 
17) What about Apple /// Books? 
18) What about Technical Materials? 
19) What Kind of Communications Software is Available? 
20) What about Modems? 
21) Can the /// Access the Internet? 
22) What Does it Take to Surf the Internet with the ///? 
23) What was the Apple /// Software Development Fund? 
24) Are There Any Specific Apple /// Web Sites? 
25) What?s new with the ///? 
26) OK - I'm Stumped - What is a SARAsaur? 



1):  WHAT IS THE APPLE ///? 

The Apple /// (code name: SARA- after the daughter of one of the
developers) was the first computer ever designed from the ground-up by
Apple Computer as a company. It included many of the "extras" one had to
buy separately for the Apple //: an 80 column card, a serial card,
larger memory, etc.  In addition, it came with the most advanced
operating system for small computers of its day: SOS or the 
Sophisticated Operating System.  It was so good, in fact, that Apple
later based 
its ProDos Operating System for the Apple //e, //c and GS on SOS. The 
Macintosh's HFS, or Heirarchical Filing System was also based on a
similar 
system that was part of SOS. 







APPLE /// FAQ - 2 

Design work on the Apple /// started in late 1978 under the guidance of
Dr. 
Wendell Sander.   

It was designed by committee - and no one could really decide what they
wanted the /// to be. It had to be a business computer that would
replace the Apple II. They agreed it would have an emulation capability,
but not completely. It would have a new, more powerful operating system
- which meant it was incompatible with the older Apple II software
except in the stilted emulation mode. Few developers came on board to
start - they were too busy working on Apple II products and Apple did
little to ensure there would be new software packages to start. It had
no fan and like the II, its keyboard was attached to the case. It was
heavy. And Dr. Sander and his fellow developers were under orders to get
it out the door quickly. This was, in total, a prescription for
disaster. 

The Apple /// was officially introduced at the National Computer
Conference in May, 1980. Because the machine was never properly tested
there were almost immediate problems when shipments of SARA started in
the Fall . 

Of primary concern: the chips would pop out of their sockets after only
a 
few hours (primarily due to heat).  This led to the famous "two-inch
drop" 
where owners would pick their machine up and drop it two inches to
reseat 
the chips.  Such a short-term solution was not totally satisfactory, 
however, and Apple ended up replacing every main circuit ("mother")
board. 
(In fact, Apple's policy through June, 1981 was immediate replacement -
no 
questions asked.)  
  
And there were other problems - a promised built-in clock/calendar chip
did 
not work and there was very little software (people complained "I spent 
$4000+ and got Visicalc and a paperweight!") 

The problems hurt Apple's reputation. By December, 1981 Apple 
"reintroduced" the Apple III -- a revamped system with all or most of
the 
serious problems gone. But the damage had already been done.  The IBM PC

was introduced in August, 1981 - between the old III and the "fixed"
III. 
And while the PC did not meet immediate acceptance, it was helped along
by 
the ///s problems. 

With the Lisa already out and the Macintosh in development, Apple was 
unsure what to do about the ///.  The company finally decided to release
an 
updated version, the Apple III Plus - but it did not hit dealer's
shelves 
until December 1983. The /// Plus had a new //e-style keyboard and a few

other upgrades (power supply/video interlace) and was problem-free. Yet
the 
entire Apple /// line was discontinued only four months later! All in
all, 
some 100,000 machines were actually built.  











APPLE /// FAQ FILE - 3 
  
Here's a visual timeline graph to make things clear.  Note that each
notch 
in the graph represents two months. 
      

          
        1980       
              |- 
              |- 
              |- <--------------- Apple III 
              |- 
              |- 
        1981  |-   
              |- 
              |- 
              |- 
              |- <--------------- IBM PC 
              |- 
        1982  |- <--------------- Apple III (fixed version) 
              |- 
              |- 
              |- 
              |- 
              |- 
        1983  |-   
              |- <--------------- Lisa, Apple IIe 
              |- 
              |- 
              |- 
              |- 
        1984  |- <--------------- Apple III Plus 
              |- <--------------- Macintosh  
              |- <--------------- Apple IIc [Apple III discontinued] 
              |- 
              |- 
              |- <--------------- Mac 512 
        1985  |-   
              .  






















APPLE /// FAQ - 4 

2) WHAT ARE THE ///'s CAPABILITIES? 

Keyboard Friendliness 

1)  Arranged in a strictly traditional typewriter layout. 
2)  Sculptured, stepped and angled keys. 
3)  Numeric key pad. Recognized differently from main keyboard. 
4)  Software definable character set.  Can be used for graphics. 
5)  All characters used by programming languages. 
6)  Dedicated cursor or arrow keys. 
7)  Two-key method to boot a disk without powering on and off. 
8)  Alpha lock key. Shift locks alphabetical keys only. 
9)  The entire ASCII code. 
10) Automatic repeat for all keys and the speed can be tripled. 
11) Can print 224 distinct characters. 
12) Little bumps on D, K and 5 keys for finger positioning. 
13) Numeric keypad can be redefined into 12 special function keys. 
14) Dvorak American simplified Keyboard available on file. 
15) 128 byte type ahead buffer. 
16) Many different fonts available on file. 
17) Character set can be changed under program control at any time. 
18) Up to 13 control keys. 
19) Computer "ON" light. 
20) Two system keys, Closed and Open Apple keys redefine others. 
21) 73 total keys. 


3) WHAT ABOUT ITS BUILT-IN FEATURES? 

1)  80 Column display. 
2)  143K internal Disk drive. 
3)  Interface for up to 4 disk drives. 
4)  RS232-C. Can be made to serve six devices with a T-switch. 
5)  Color   : All 16 colors with 192 lines of 280 dots per line. 
6)  Graphics: 16 shades of green with 192 lines of 560 dots per line. 
7)  Sound   : 64 volume settings and over seven octaves. 
8)  Speaker : of speech producing quality. 
9)  Monitor ports:  RGB or any video device; NTSC 80 column monocrome. 
10) Real time clock (location 3-B on mother board). 
11) Two Joystick ports, A&B. Silentype printer can share port A. 
12) Diagnostics in ROM. 
13) Audio output: SOS Audio Driver can be rewritten to your needs. 
14) Built-in security mount to prevent theft. 
15) 256k RAM ability, 512k potential without strain. 
16) Four expansion ports. 













APPLE /// FAQ - 5 

4) WHAT ABOUT SOS - THE ///'S OPERATING SYSTEM? 

1)  First ever written to be user friendly. 
2)  Data base capabilities. Hierarchical file-structure. 
3)  Manages ALL memory locations and I/O. 
4)  One disk format for ALL allows file sharing and communication. 
5)  Able to share files with Apple //e; c and gs ProDos systems. 
6)  Easily updated without hurting existing compatibilities. 
7)  Ability to rewrite software drivers instead of changing hardware. 
8)  Will locate which drive a file is in for you. 
9)  Error proof menu system. 
10) Automatic date/time stamping of every file. 
11) Any destruction of data requires confirmation. 
12) Interrupt driven. 
13) Device-independent I/O. 
14) Stores information using all empty space. 
15) Programs that request printing could continue during printing. 
16) Powerful drivers for graphics, console, audio, printer and RS232. 
17) Programs can run 20% faster by pressing Control-5 on keypad (no
video). 
18) Uses all available memory. 


5) IS MY APPLE /// STILL USEFUL TODAY? 

The Apple /// at the end of the 20th Century has become a collectors
item. Despite all its problems, it remains an excellent text-based
computer with software that allows it to do many basic computing chores.
It still has one of the best keyboards ever made for a computer. It can
do basic word processing, spread sheet work and even communications. It
remains useful if you do not need a graphical-based computer system. The
price is certainly right. Units that once sold for more than $4000 can
today be had at very low cost. Profile drives are nearing the end of
their useful life but can still be had for little or nothing. Consider
they cost $1000.00 new. There is ample software available from
Washington Apple Pi?s public domain library and other commercial
programs are sold by users on an on-going basis. As with any computing
machine, the bottom line here is: Can the machine do the basic things
you need it to do?  For some folks at least, given the low cost of both
hardware and software, the answer is still yes.   

6) WHAT OTHER HARDWARE/SOFTWARE DO I NEED TO MAKE MY /// A  
COMPLETE SYSTEM? 

a) A second 5.25 inch disk drive.   It speeds up your work considerably,
makes it 
easier to load and save data, etc. The /// can also use the: 1.4 MB
Apple II Superdrive and 800k Unidisk (using Apple // interface cards and
On Three drivers) and many hard disks (Profiles and SCSI). On Three sold
a Universal SCSI driver from On in 1996 that, with the proper interface
card,  gave /// users access to the Syquest EZ Drive and just about all
SCSI-based hard drives (one notable exception is the Iomega ZIP Drive). 

b) System Utilities disk.  This program lets you copy files, format
disks 
and configure your SOS.Driver file (WAP PD disk 3UTL-02). 








APPLE /// FAQ - 6 


c) /// EZ Pieces. This is an excellent integrated software program that
is 
easy to learn and use.  Its files are also compatible with the Apple // 
version called AppleWorks. (3APL-07) 

d) Printer.  The kind is up to you within certain limits.  You can run a
printer off of the RS232 port in the back of the /// or by using a
Serial or Parallel card you plug into one of the four slots internally.
To connect your serial printer to the 
/// you will need what is called a Null-Modem cable.  Local computer 
dealers and national chains like Radio Shack sell them. You will also
need 
specific device drivers you have to install in your SOS.DRIVER file
using 
System Utilities. WAP has a disk full of /// drivers (3SYS-07). The ///
can 
print to laserprinters (with serial ports) as well as dot matrix, but
does not have access to inkjet printers (no drivers!). 

e) A surge protector to prevent electrical surges from destroying your
machine. 


7) WHAT'S THIS ABOUT "SOS"? 

As mentioned earlier, the Apple /// uses an operating system called SOS,
or 
Sophisticated Operating System.  It is entirely ram-based.  That means 
every time you load an application, it loads the operating system as
well.  You 
will find three files on all program disks: SOS.Kernel; SOS.Interp and 
SOS.Driver. The KERNEL is the operating system itself.  You want to make

sure you have the latest version: 1.3. You can tell what version you
have 
when you boot up. You will see a message that tells you the version
along 
with the Apple copyright. You can get an auto-upgrade disk from WAP -
ask 
for disk 3SYS-01. 

The INTERP file is the language the program uses or it may be the
program 
itself.  Applewriter, Basic and Pascal are examples of SOS.Interp files
you 
will find. Finally, the DRIVER file (SOS.Driver) contains the drivers
that 
enable the /// to talk with your printer, disk drives, modem and hard
disk 
properly.  At the minimum you will need the console driver, called 
".Console" and you might find others: ".Printer" to drive your printer; 
".RS232" operates the RS232 port or a serial card for
telecommunications; 
".Audio" lets your /// beep and play music to you; ".Grafix" is the 
graphics driver. There are many more.  You install these using the
System 
Configuration Program on the System Utilities disk. In most instances,
you 
want to make sure you have the 1.3 versions of the drivers installed
(WAP 
/// SIG SOS Drivers PD disk: 3SYS-07) 


8)  WHAT IS BOS3? 

BOS3 is a wonderful upgrade to SOS, released in December, 1994.
Developed 
by Bob Consorti, it was financed entirely by the Apple /// community
(the Software Development Fund).  BOS3 adds a tremendous number of
capabilities to the /// with a hard disk. They include an easy to set-up
and use menu system, disk caching, password protection, screen saver,
macro capability to run programs with just two 
keystrokes and compatibility with Selector /// pathnames.  Contact WAP
for more information about BOS3 at 301-984-0300 or email to
office at wap.org. 




APPLE /// FAQ - 7 

9) WHAT ABOUT EMULATION MODE? 

Your /// can operate as-is in an emulation mode to make it think it's a
48k 
Apple //+ (WAP has the emulation software: Disk 3EMM-01).  Titan made a 
///+// card for the /// you might also be able to find - it increased 
memory up to 128K in //+ emulation and offered a RAM disk in native
mode. 

You might also be on the lookout at computer garage sales for the "Titan

///+//e" - a set of two-cards that turns your /// into a 128k //e.
You'll 
want to add a 65c802 CPU (in place of the 6502) to ensure compatibility 
with newer Apple // programs (it has no effect on native mode 
applications). The cards offer a RAM disk in native mode as well. (WAP
has 
a wonderful set of RAM drivers for these cards - disk 3DAD-10). 


10) WHERE DO I FIND INFORMATION ABOUT THE APPLE ///? 

* /// USER GROUPS 

A user group is a great way to obtain more information about the Apple
///.  Members are knowledgable, ready to answer questions and most offer
PD (public domain) libraries with Apple /// software.  There is only one
User Group that still supports the Apple ///: 

Washington Apple Pi                        
/// SIG 
12022 Parklawn Drive 
Rockville, MD. 20852 
(301)-984-0300 

: Check out WAP PD disks 3INF-01 through 15, as well as 3WAP01-10 for   
   lots of Apple /// information files on disk. These include past
articles from many 
   Apple /// UG newsletters and magazines. 

* INTERNET 
     
      Apple's World Wide Web page (www.apple.com) offers some Apple ///
services - Apple /// tech notes are available for download. There are
also a number of sites around the Web that offer this FAQ and some other
Apple /// Information - including one specifically about using the Apple
/// to access the Internet. 
      There is also an Apple /// discussion group for the Apple ///
community.  To subscribe, send a message to majordomo at altair.com with
the text: 
subscribe apple3-l                in the body of your message. 

You'll get info back at that point. Send comments or suggestions to:
jeff at altair.com.  
(THANKS to Jeff Fritz at West Virgina Univ. for hosting this Listserve
for many years.) 

      One other place to go is the Apple // Discussion area, a Usenet 
newgroup on the Internet. Check out the Comp.Sys.Apple2 board - where  
Apple ///ers lurk and answer questions on occasion. This FAQ is also
posted there from time to time. 





APPLE /// FAQ - 8 


    You can also check out Washington Apple Pi?s web page at www.wap.org
where we offer a growing list of Apple /// resources. The primary
offering is a searchable FM Pro Data Base of virtually all Apple ///
articles compiled by Dave Ottalini. 

11) WHERE CAN I FIND PUBLIC DOMAIN SOFTWARE? 

     WAP is your best bet for PD offerings - there are some 250+ disks.
Costs for the software is minimal and the selection is excellent. There
are some unique offerings along with many of the "old standbys." You
will get a better deal on PD software by joining WAP. 
     Most disks are double-sided and self-booting.  WAP is the only User
Group 
that still supports the /// and its Public Domain Library.  Software is
also available on the WAP TCS - an 8 system BBS that includes a complete
file download library - offering Apple /// Programs, Information and
Essentials (members only). Members can also download programs from WAP?s
Internet site at www.wap.org. 

Here are the categories for the PD Library: 

Accounting; Apple Software (formerly commercial programs);
Appleworks/3EZ Pieces templates; (Dr. Al) Bloom Programs; Business
Basic; Catalog; DA Datasystems Programs; Emulation, Fonts, Games,
Graphics; Internet; Miscellaneous; Pair Software; Pascal and other
Languages; Repairs; Shareware; Source Code; System Software;
TeleCommunications; Utilities; WAP Articles and Word Processing. 


12) ARE THERE STILL SOURCES FOR HARDWARE AND COMMERCIAL  
SOFTWARE? 

     There are only a few places we can go to obtain old-line products
like Visicalc, Apple Writer and /// EZ Pieces or some hardware products.


Here are some remaining places to check out: 

Sun Remarketing 
P.O. Box 4059 
150 E. 400 N 
Logan, UT 84321 
1-800-821-3221  (Orders only) 
1-801-563-3226  (Fax) 
Email: sales at doc.sunrem.com 
INet   : http://www.sunrem.com/ 

Sun Remarketing continues to support the Apple ///, tho its emphasis has
long  
since moved on to the Macintosh. However, they do offer some products.
They have a large selection of /// commercial software and hardware
(including parts) at mostly decent prices. 

Sun at one time offered nationwide service for the /// community. Call
to see if they are still doing that.   






APPLE /// FAQ - 9 

I have NOT checked recently to see if the folks below still offer
anything Apple /// related but they have in the past. IF you know of any
other sources, let me know and we?ll update this FAQ. 

B&R Computer Services 
PO Box 7195 
San Diego, CA. 92167 
(619)-225-8281 

B&R Computer Services in San Diego had on hand a wide range of old Apple

/// commercial software at one point. 

The ARC 
(An Apple Resource Center) 
1014 Central Ave. 
Tracey, CA 95376 

Order Number 	800-753-0114 
FAX Number     	209-832-3270 
Info Number   	209-832-4300 

A source of Pre-owned Apple II, IIgs, /// and Mac hardware. They
buy/sell and repair. 


Here are some other sources of parts you might find useful: 

COMPANY/NAME: Jameco Electronics 
PHONE       : 415-592-8097 
ADDRESS     : 1355 Shoreway Road Belmont, CA. 94002 


13) WHERE CAN I GET MY APPLE /// REPAIRED? 

     There are few (to no) sources left for repairs but be sure to call
the WAP 
office if you're a member, since the club has experts that may be able
to 
help you without the long-distance charges. Also ask on the Apple ///
Usenet board as there are still folks who may be able to help you. 

You can check these folks out to see if they still offer any Apple
///-related services: 

Company: Sun Remarketing 
Phone:   1-800-821-3221 
Contact: Bob Cook 
Address: P.O. Box 4059 
         Logan, UT. 84321 

Contact: B&R Computer Services 
Phone  : 619-225-8281 
Address: PO Box 7195 
         San Diego, CA. 92167 














APPLE /// FAQ - 10 


14) WHAT ABOUT AN OUTBOARD POWER SUPPLY FOR THE APPLE ///? 

Washington Apple Pi, working with Dr. Stephen Buggie, has developed a
new, cheap power supply for the ///. This is an outboard power supply,
originally made for use in PCs. It works great and supplies ample power
for the /// and four slots worth of cards. The cable from the new power
supply snakes into the /// from the back through the Slot 1 opening. It
does NOT prevent the use of a slot one card. The price is just $27.00
plus $5.00 postage to Dr. Stephen Buggie, Univ. of New Mexico, 200
College Road, Gallup, NM. 87301. It?s a little clungy but it does work. 

15) Where Can I Find the Pinouts for an RGB Monitor? 

      Try this URL:
http://til.info.apple.com/tilarchive.nsf/artnum/n1423 

      To find non-detailed information about the horizontal sync
information goto:  
http://til.info.apple.com/tilarchive.nsf/artnum/n498 

       For more detailed information about the RGB output of the Apple
/// you?ll need to take a look at the old On Three manual for its Draw
On Three program. Copies are available through WAP.  

16) ARE THERE ANY APPLE /// NEWSLETTERS OR MAGAZINES? 

     There are no publications remaining that offer Apple /// articles
on a reqular basis. Washington Apple Pi's "Journal" does offer some
articles on occasion. However, It's available only to WAP members. On
the other hand, ALL Apple /// articles for more than 10 years are on
disk and available to all. Call the WAP office at 301-984-0300 or email
to office at wap.org for more details and costs. 
     On Three published an excellent magazine that came out for years. 
It provided a wide range of reviews (usually of its own products), 
beginners tutorials and a letters section.  Back issues are no longer
available. WAP has been reprinting some of them, however in its magazine
over time. 
     You might also want to check out the WAP /// SIG PD Library, which
has 
on disk the entire set of newsletters from ATUNC - the Apple /// Users
of 
Northern California (3INF-06 through 11). There are also disks with 
information from TAU - the Third Apple Users Group of Wheaton, Illinois 
(3INF-05) and many more. 
	Again, you can search for specific articles in magazines or
newsletters at WAP?s web page: www.wap.org. The WAP library and some
users still maintain sizeable collections and may be able to help you
find the article you?re looking for. 
       
17) WHAT ABOUT APPLE /// BOOKS? 

        Only a few books were ever written about the Apple ///.  There
are 
three specific books worth mentioning: 

        The Osborne/Mcgraw Hill Guide To Your Apple /// is the first
book 
on the list. The other two are by Eddie Adamis: Basic Keywords for the 
Apple /// and Business Basic for the Apple ///. The Guide covers only
the 
Apple /// and not the Plus version. The author is Stanley M.
Miastokowski.  
It's a good, beginning-level text for new /// owners and good to have
for 
us older SARAsaurs who've had their machines around for awhile.  It has
a 
good overview of Business Basic and sections on the .Audio and .Grafix 
drivers that are excellent. WAP is trying to get it placed into the
public domain. 
      



APPLE /// FAQ -11 

   The Adamis texts are straight-forward, no-nonsense books that 
essentially describe Business Basic version 1.1, its key words and
provides 
examples. 
        The only other ///-specific book on the market at one point was 
"Using Apple Business Computers"  by Kenniston Lord Jr.  It discusses 
Business Basic from a number of perspectives and includes lengthly Basic

programs for business users. 
        Unfortunately, all these books are now out-of-print. But you may

still be able to find them at local new or used bookstores.  WAP
members: 
All these books are available in the WAP library. 

        If you are a /// EZ Pieces user, you can check out any of the
older 
AppleWorks books in most libraries, since the two programs (at least in 
earlier versions) shared the same file formats (Appleworks 3.0 and 4.0
can 
read older AW or 3EAP files, but there will be incompatibilities once
those 
files have been worked on and saved - especially with spreadsheet and
data 
base functions). There are also some excellent books out on Apple Writer

and Visicalc - which you might be able to find at your local library or
at 
a computer garage sale or Ham Fest. 
        Finally, Sun Remarketing offered a booklet at one time designed
to help Apple 
/// users diagnose and repair their machines. 

18) WHAT ABOUT TECHNICAL MATERIALS? 

    	Apple produced a /// Service Manual that includes schematics, 
information, service tips, etc., along with a host of Technical Notes.
WAP 
has a copy of the Service Manual and can make copies for those
interested. 
The cost for a copy of the double-sided manual (printing + P&H) is
$75.00 
(the manual is huge).  All the Apple /// Tech Notes are available on
Apple's 
WWW home page - www.apple.com.  
	Dave Ottalini (Dave.Ottalini at tcs.wap.org) has a hugh collection
of Apple /// technical materials. Reprints available for postage and a
donation to WAP. 

19) WHAT KIND OF COMMUNICATIONS SOFTWARE IS AVAILABLE? 
         
        There were a number of communications programs produced for the 
Apple /// over the years, but there are three generally considered to be

the best: 

a) Access /// Interp Version: An excellent assembly-language terminal 
program that can provide VT100 emulation.  Scripts can be used to
automate 
log-ons to Compuserve and other on-line services. It does NOT offer
Xmodem 
protocol. It is available in the WAP /// SIG PD library as disk 3TEL-02 
(which includes an excellent Apple /// communications tutorial). 

b) XMODEM /// is also in the WAP PD - an excellent stand-alone telecom 
program that offers the user XMODEM Protocol for error-free downloads
and 
uploads. In the WAP PD it?s disk 3TEL-05. Manual is on disk. 

c) The Communications Manager was a  program  from On Three that is no
longer available commercially. It is the best /// communications program
ever produced and offers a host of features, including XModem and turbo
downloading capabilities. It can be run as a stand-alone program or as a
Desktop Manager module. 

	Please see the Apple /// Communications FAQ (by Al Bloom and
others) for more details about telecommunications on the Apple ///. 


  
APPLE /// FAQ - 12 

20) WHAT ABOUT MODEMS? 

        You can connect just about any speed modem to the ///, but the 
terminal programs above have settings that only go up to 9600 baud. Your
best bet is to use a 2400 baud or 14,400 baud modem - they will work
fine and are very inexpensive (get one at a computer garage sale or your
local user group). 

21) CAN THE APPLE /// ACCESS THE INTERNET? 

	You bet! The /// and its communications software is definitely
equal to the task of accessing an Internet host to "surf the Internet".
In fact, internet access via the /// is both viable and enjoyable.  The
lack of graphics seldom is a barrier.   
	The world's most popular Internet hosts are still Unix computer
systems.   
Unix systems have traditionally integrated well into the Internet, and  
plenty of text-based Internet software is available on these hosts to  
enable your Apple /// to become a powerful Internet surfer.  

22) WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO SURF THE INTERNET WITH THE ///? 

         In most areas of the United States, Internet host access is
available for an inexpensive monthly fee.  Similar service for similar
prices can be found in 
most places in the world.  Normally called "shell" access, an Internet 
provider generates an account for you on their host(s).  Then, using the

Apple ///, a modem, and a communications program such as Access /// or
The 
Communications Manager, you call into their host and begin using the 
programs above in any combination to explore the Internet.  In some
areas  
popular systems known as FreeNets are available.  These offer free,  
text-based access to the Internet and generally have the same  
capabilities as any other Internet host.  Please see the A3 Internet FAQ
for more information. 


23) WHAT WAS THE APPLE /// SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT FUND? 

        Established by Washington Apple Pi in the early1990s, the SDF
was used to fund 
specific software projects for the ///. Through donations and
contributions 
from WAP and ATUNC (the now defunct Apple Three Users of Northern
California), the SDF helped fund the development of a Superdrive driver
and BOS3 - the first upgrade to SOS in some 10 years.  Other projects to
be completed was a universal SCSI driver that works with the Syquest EZ
Drive and most all SCSI drives (but required a specific and hard to find
SCSI interface card to work) (one notable exception - the Iomega ZIP
drive because of the way it was built) and a replacement outboard power
supply. 
        The SDF (through WAP)  also continues to provide encouragement
and support to programmers working on Apple // projects thought to have
an Apple /// application as well.  













APPLE /// FAQ - 13 

24) ARE THERE ANY APPLE /// WEB SITES? 

	The best site remains the WAP site at www.wap.org. There are a
number of Apple /// specific articles along with a searchable data base
of Apple /// articles going back to its earliest years. 

	There are other sites that include pictures of the Apple /// as
part of a larger history of Apple Computer. Some folks also have ///
sections of their web sites devoted to the ///. The best way to find
them is to do a Yahoo or other search engine search under Apple ///. 

25) WHAT?S NEW WITH THE ///? 

      As mentioned above, the new A3 Usenet Discussion Group at
APPLE3-L at wvnvm.wvnet.edu was the big news for 1998.  

?	An Apple /// emulation mode for the Macintosh is apparently
still being developed. Chris Smolinski (cps at access.digex.net) is heading
up this project with WAP support. He says he decided to write the
emulation program because: 

		I thought one for the /// would be very interesting. I
also hope it will help to 	preserve what's left of the ///
"universe" by encouraging people to at least 	make disk images of the
various programs.? Watch the WAP Web page at 	www.wap.org as well as
the Apple /// listserve (see above) for the latest 	information. 

		See of for yourself at :
http://www.access.digex.net/~cps/sss15.html 

		NOTE that there has been little action on this as of the
Fall of 1998. 


?	There was one other  project, Bill Malcolm
(wm32509 at inetnebr.com) e-mailed to say: 

I am going to start writing the "C'  for the Apple /// soon (November,
1997): 
the Kernel to the C will be in assembler , based on the tiny C  with an
integrated editor. The whole thing will be an integrated development
environment. I am hoping to have working alpha release done by March 1
1998. 

	There has been little movement on this project either, as far as
we can tell. 

26) OK - I'M STUMPED - WHAT IS A SARASAUR? 

        Anyone who still loves the Apple /// as a great computer! That
includes folks all over the world - from Japan to Puerto Rico,
Washington DC, Detroit,  the San Francisco Bay area and many places in
between. We invite you to join us! 



                               			######## 


GOT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS YOU?D LIKE TO ADD TO THE A3 FAQ? PLEASE SEND
THEM ON TO DAVE.OTTALINI at WAP.ORG. 




