Message-ID: <452@sftig.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 28-Aug-84 18:20:38 EDT
Article-I.D.: sftig.452
Posted: Tue Aug 28 18:20:38 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 29-Aug-84 01:17:17 EDT
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Summit, NJ
Lines: 61

I have decided to buy an Apple 2e for home use.  Things I plan to use
it for include --
	#1 As a very smart terminal for work at home (I have a hardcopy
terminal and a modem now, which I hope to put the Apple in-between so
I can have a the equivalent of a video terminal with an attached printer.)
	#2 As an educational aid for my kids (ages 4 and 6, now, but
growing before my very eyes!).  In particular I want to teach them
programming, and I was much impressed with LOGO for that purpose when
I had a chance to play with it for a week on my brother's Adam.
	#3 As a games machine.  Apple seems to have lots of good software
in this line.
	#4 As a software hacker's hobby machine.  The 6502 is an
interesting architecture, if a trifle old and grodey.  Its limitations
should make for an interesting challenge after 15 years of working on
maxi-computers.

The above are not necessarily in priority order.  My questions are --
	Is #1 feasible?  What special hardware do I need?  An 80
column card and a hi-res monochrome monitor seem to be necessary, as
do two RS232C serial interfaces, do I need anything else?
	What version of LOGO is best for #2?  There seem to be several
available for the Apple.  Anybody got any suggestions?
	I expect #3 to take care of itself, but it looks like a color
monitor will be required for maximum enjoyment.  Can I get away with a
'cheap' color monitor (I can't stand the colored fringes around text when a
standard color TV set is used for this purpose, so the really cheap
alternatives are not acceptable.)  Does anybody have a suggestion for
the way to go on this?  From the looks of the price lists I have seen,
it appears that a cheap color monitor and a good monochrome monitor is
less expensive as a combination than a single color monitor good enough
to use as an 80 column terminal.  Can anybody think of any pitfalls
with this approach?  Can I use the same interface card for both
monitors, if I don't try to use them both at once?
	As regards #4, What high level languages are available for the
Apple?  Pascal? C? Modula? Others?  Anybody got any experience they
want to share? It would seem that anything that would be really useful
should generate native code.  Are there such things available?  How
about software development tools.  Screen editors?  Symbolic debuggers?
Linkers? Library software?
	Also as regards #4, I have been impressed with OS9 for the
6809.  Is there a 6809 add-in card for the Apple 2e?  Similarly, the
Apple format floppy discs seem awfully small to me, coming from a
maxi-computer environment.  What is available regarding add on discs.
A floppy with about a megabyte on it for under 500 bucks would be
nice.  Has anybody heard of such a thing?  Is there any way to get
more on an Apple disc if I write my own software for it?  Would full
track blocking help?  Is APLDOS or PRODOS capable of accepting user
written drivers for add-on hardware?
	And finally,  What books or magazines, (or clubs?) would you
suggest as references for the hardware and software internals.
I don't like being talked down to, so the more nitty-gritty the better
as far as I am concerned.

I will summarize any answers I get, so please reply by mail to --

Rick Thomas
{any backbone site}!ihnp4!btlunix!rbt
or phone me
(201)-522-6062

Thanks! in advance.