Questions and Answers
Copyright (c) 1994 Apple Users' Group, Sydney
Republished from Applecations, a publication of the Apple Users' Group, Sydney, Australia.
Source: Internet comp.sys.apple2
Answers by David Empson (dempson@actrix.gen.nz) and Michael Spector (spector@vax2.concordia.ca)
Q: Is it possible to connect my Apple //gs to a network of some type? (besides appletalk) I want to know if there is a network card that is made for the GS.
A: No. LocalTalk is the only networking system supported by the Apple //gs at present (unless you count old card-based parallel networks like Nestar and Corvus, which aren't supported by GS/OS). Apple did develop an EtherTalk card for the IIe and IIgs, but they did not release it.
Q: I know MAC's have a networking type thing that uses the SCSI port. Is it possible to do a similar thing with the GS? And, if it is possible, what is the availability of the mail, readnews, telnet, and ftp software?
A: If you are referring to a SCSI to Ethernet converter, it might be possible. People are looking into it presently.
Mail, etc. software is more likely to be available, but will be dependent upon a TCP/IP implementation, either using SLIP (Serial Line Internet Protocol) or TCP/IP packets routed through a LocalTalk network.
A TCP/IP implementation is being developed for the GNO Multitasking Environment for using over a serial line.
Q: The Rom 0 was the first model of Apple //gs. A free ROM 01 upgrade was available. Does anyone know whether this upgrade is still available? If so, how does one get it? What difference will it make in the operation of the IIgs?
A: The Apple IIgs itself has been discontinued, but Apple dealers must still honour the ROM 00 to ROM 01 upgrade policy. Go to your local Apple dealer and ask them to do the upgrade. Even if they don't have the ROMs in stock they should be able to order them for you. The actual upgrade is very simple, they just swap the 128k ROM chip at location I-10 on the motherboard.
One other upgrade worth mentioning is the VGC chip (Video Graphic Controller). Some early GSs have a faulty VGC that causes a pink fringe in 80 columns text and monochrome Double-Hi-Res graphics. You'd easily be able to tell if you needed the upgrade -- little bits of inversed and flashing pink-pixels appear in between text and DHR (mono) graphics. Like the ROM upgrade, this too should be available and free of charge. The VGC (location H-2) on the motherboard is swapped in this case. This is a socketed PLCC chip, which requires a special tool to remove. It is definitely a good
idea to get an Apple dealer to do this. Note that GSs with the serial number 703xxxx and lower require this upgrade.
Unlike the differences between the ROM 01 and ROM 3, it's *very* important that you get your ROM 00 upgraded! First of all, the ROM 00 is no longer supported so much software will not run on these machines (including GS/OS!). Secondly, the ROM 01 corrects a number of bugs, such as in the system Monitor and toolsets, increased maximum size of control panel RAM Disk from 4096k to 8128k, etc. The only new features in the ROM 01 are Monitor commands to put the 65C816 into 16-bit native-mode and to invoke the two programmer CDAs: "Visitor Monitor" and "Memory Peeker".
Q: I have several Apple IIe/IIc mice with the nine pin db-9 plug. Can these mice be used with the IIgs if you plug the interface card into a slot?
A: The Apple IIe/IIc/Mac128/512/Plus mice will not function if plugged into the GS's joystick port (unlike the Apple //c), but yes, will function if you plug into an Apple //e mouse-interface card.
If you are installing an Apple IIe mouse card into a IIgs, you _must_
have slot 4 set to "your card" to avoid confusing the software (you
can put the IIe mouse card into slot 4, of course).
Of course, this is completely unnecessary since the GS has built-in mouse support (via ADB port) and has always come shipped with a mouse. If your original mice were lost or damaged, any Macintosh ADB mouse (or rollerball) will work just fine as a replacement.
Also note that a IIe mouse will not be supported by GS/OS programs on a ROM 3. The ROM 1 Miscellaneous Toolset mouse routines calls the slot-based
mouse firmware, and searches the slots for a mouse card. The built-in
mouse firmware accesses the ADB mouse. The ROM 3 Miscellaneous Toolset accesses the ADB mouse directly, and the built-in mouse firmware (in slot 4) calls the Miscellaneous Toolset. This allows a ROM 3 to use the mouse in GS/OS programs even if slot 4 is set to "your card".
Q: I'm trying to use System 7's file sharing with my Apple //gs. Will this work at all or do I need to use AppleShare? I don't think there's an option in the file sharing for Apple II startup.
A: Mac System 7's "Personal File Sharing" does _not_ support booting an Apple II over the network. You have to boot from a local system disk.
The "Server: Local Startup" option in the installer doesn't work either. You have to use a hard drive (or high density
3.5" drive) on the IIgs, or use the "AppleShare on 3.5" Disk" option, which doesn't include Finder and doesn't have much space left for add-ons.
If you want to boot across the network, you must have the full AppleShare file server software. Warning: it costs around US$1200.

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