On Fri, 25 Jun 1999, Arfon Gryffydd wrote:
> >::Can anyone tell me what DOS (name and version) works with an Apple //e and
> >::where I can get a copy?
> >
> >Either ProDOS 1.1 or DOS 3.3. I use DOS 3.3 myself.
>
> What's the difference (pros and cons)? Where can I find copies? Will they
> read/write each other's discs?
ProDOS added subdirectories and other more "modern" OS features, like
device drivers that could be plugged into the OS. It also allowed more
flexibility in accessing the files, so you could read binary files into
BASIC programs just like a textfile.
DOS 3.3 was much easier and simpler to work with, and I prefered it
because of that. For one thing it allowed 30 character filenames and
allowed spaces in the filename and other odd characters. ProDOS limits
you to 15 characters, and only allows characters, digits and the period
(and perhaps underscore and the AT symbol). This was annoying if you came
from the DOS 3.3 world.
What OS you use really depends on what you're going to do with it. Like I
said in the previous message, any games will always come with the OS
already on the disk so they are self-booting. The better word processors
(like AppleWorks) were ProDOS based.
Oh yeah, one last thing. The biggest gripe about ProDOS: it didn't come
with a disk format command. DOS 3.3 had INIT. With ProDOS you had to
use a disk utility. Major bummer.
Sellam Alternate e-mail: dastar_at_siconic.com
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Received on Fri Jun 25 1999 - 13:50:13 BST