>I can understand why the Apple ][ has a significant following - it was a
>machine that was 'open', that hackers could get inside, etc. But I also
>know that it's not a good piece of hardware design, and thus don't put it
>high up my list of interesting machines.
Perhaps I am merely biased from growing up with the Apple ][ at school
and, later, at home, but I would say that some of the design is
ingenious. I do know that many a programmer has complained about the
arrangement of the high-resolution screen in memory (which was
arranged the way it is to save components). But, I find the economy of
this feature fascinating.
The Apple ][ and its successors had great capabilities for expansion
(with the possible exception of the IIc and IIc+). A IIe has the
capability of using a hand-held scanner, for instance, with the right
slot card and the right software. I'm sure the IIe wasn't designed
originally for that task. There are numerous other examples as well.
Your mileage may vary, of course.
--
Andy Brobston brobstona_at_wartburg.edu ***NEW URL BELOW***
http://www.wartburg.edu/people/docs/personalPages/BrobstonA/home.html
My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Wartburg College
as a whole.
Received on Sun Jun 22 1997 - 16:02:07 BST