Orphaned, but Not Abandoned

Juiced.GS Fall, 1995 Prototype Distribute freely Orphaned, but not abandoned streaking back. They have, after all, come to the right place. They will soon Loyal users begin learning valuable lessons about Cover story computer industry orphans such as spread word the Apple II. will respond about specific hardware The quick and spirited responses upgrades the new user would find of they receive will come from a diverse value — items such as extra RAM, that IIGS is cast of avid IIGS users from SCSI cards or hard disks. Albuquerque to Amsterdam, from "In general," Walters says, "the new Manitoba to Melbourne, who share Apple II owner can find great support alive and well little in common except an affection for here." a computer that will not die. One frequent visitor to CompuServe's Joe T. Walters, a sysop in Apple II forums is Jim Nichol, an By Max Jones CompuServe's Micronetworked Apple electrical engineer in Cincinnati, Ohio. Juiced.GS User Group (MAUG) forums, has He enjoys discussing the computer he grown accustomed to such pleas. has studied and watched evolve A frantic query has become Though quiet compared to a service through the years, and is quick to offer increasingly common across the such as GEnie, where experienced information from those who ask, even highways and byways of the Internet users congregate in great numbers in if the question is a sticky one from a and heavily traveled commercial on- the A2 Roundtable, the CompuServe new IIGS owner wondering about the line services such as CompuServe. Apple II forums do, because of usefulness of their computer and if it's "I've just obtained an Apple IIGS," CompuServe's status, get a steady worth investing much in it. begins the typical posting. "Can this flow of novice users. "I agonize over that question every computer do anything? Or is it "Here on CompuServe, we frequently time I see it," Nichol says. "First, it'd worthless? What do I need to make it see messages from new owners of be difficult to recommend any Apple II useful and how do I find it? PLEASE used Apple II systems asking what to a new computer user, because HELP!" can be done with [their computer]," they're no longer made. Sooner or Thus is the plight of anxious new says Walters, a MAUG sysop since later, the buyer may come to resent owners of Apple IIGS personal 1988. "Fortunately, we have a your recommendation. computers. They broach cyberspace number of active users in our area "It's a little easier to give advice to armed with a powerful tool and only a who tend to jump in with all sorts of someone who has already purchased a remote idea how to use it. They come information, general and specific, to IIGS," he says. "Those people mainly equipped with a classic and flexible help in this area." need to know that they need a little piece of high-tech hardware, yet are The collective response, Walters more RAM and a cheap hard drive to bitten by the notion that it's an says, will include one member sending make the system live up to its extinct species of little value. a nicely formatted list of existing capabilities." Much to their surprise, it doesn't product vendors and dealers that take long for answers to come support Apple II computers. Others Continued on next page Cover story Continued from previous page today. If I had bought any other computer, it would have either been But Nichol goes further than giving sold long ago or would not have been simple advice if a user is genuinely able to be upgraded to my current interested in finding what is needed IIGS capabilities. to power up a IIGS. He is the user to "So unless you want to buy a new whom Walters referred who has system every couple of years, then the compiled, and constantly updates, an IIGS is a very viable system for Juiced.GS exhaustive list of Apple II vendors. today's user." Rarely a week goes by that Nichol Grenda is a lieutenant colonel in the doesn't send that list to forum visitors U.S. Air Force stationed at Kirtland Fall, 1995 looking for hardware or software Air Force Base near Albuquerque, support. N.M. He uses a 486/Windows PC at Prototype Whether a IIGS novice seeks advice work, but says the souped-up IIGS he and direction from CompuServe or has at home holds its own against the Editor and Publisher: other points in cyberspace, the vaunted "new" technology. Max Jones message will be essentially the same: "Are there functions that newer 2217 Lakeview Drive Yes, you can do plenty with a IIGS, computers perform that my IIGS Sullivan, IN. 47882 almost anything any other computer can't? Yes, but only a very few," he user can do on any other platform. No, says. "But do I need those functions? the IIGS is not worthless, especially if No. Think about it honestly. When you're willing to invest a little money have you actually needed to produce in it. a full-color business brochure on your Juiced.GS is a prototype personal computer? I use my newsletter produced entirely computer as a home computer, not an on an Apple IIGS personal offset printing plant." computer. The purpose of this Because GEnie is not one of the Grenda praises the quality and publication is to report on the larger on-line services, novice IIGS availability of IIGS software and people and products that users aren't as likely to stumble in as suggests it need not bow to any continue to make the Apple they are on CompuServe or the software giant such as Microsoft, IIGS community strong. Internet's comp.sys.apple2. maker of MS-DOS, Windows 95, Word If and when they do, however, they and Excel. Please direct comments about will tap into a deep well of expertise "Are my spreadsheets on Quick coupled with a dimension of unbridled Click Calc [a IIGS application Juiced.GS to: enthusiasm and loyalty to the Apple available from The Byte Works] any Max Jones II found nowhere else. New users will less accurate or useful than GEnie: M.JONES145 be welcomed with open arms, then spreadsheets on Excel? No. In fact, CompuServe: 74111,1743 find themselves immersed in spirited for quick tasks, AppleWorks 5.1 [an Internet: sessions that at times rival an old- integrated software package available [email protected] fashioned tent revival. from Quality Computers] is far better Dave Grenda hangs out with the than Excel," he says. Apple II evangelists on GEnie, and Grenda joined other Apple II users has become one. His allegiance to his across the country in July for the Juiced.GS home computer is strong. A short annual KansasFest in Kansas City, was produced with discussion with Grenda would go far Mo. (See his first-person account in AppleWorks GS v1.1, to quell the fears of a new owner this issue of Juiced.GS) It was his concerned about the IIGS' usefulness. first time at the conference, and he Platinum Paint v2.0.1, and "I've owned my IIGS since 1987 and found it a valuable experience. In fact, ShadowWrite 1.3.4 (Hermes). it's still working great eight years he posted a report about his trip Graphics conversion by later." Grenda says. "I've added stuff SuperConvert v3.01. to it to equal most computers sold Continued on next page Juiced.GS Fall, 1995 Prototype Page 2 Cover story Continued from previous page software. And Animasia 3D, a Bad news, however, is something sophisticated animation program by Apple IIGS users have learned to live on GEnie and comp.sys.apple2 a few Michael Lutynski, made its debut and with since Apple Computer pulled the days after he returned home. has been well received. plug on the product line. Apple did KansasFest was initiated six years Meanwhile, the Byte Works, makers provide a final upgrade of system ago as an event designed to allow of popular IIGS programming software — 6.0.1 — two years ago, users and programmers to exchange languages and utilities, released but then left the IIGS world to fend for information and for vendors to show Quick Click Morph. itself. off new products. Although Resource But the most dramatic development Despite significant erosion in official Central, the company that had came from Sequential Systems, which and third-party support, the IIGS previously sponsored the event, went released its long-awaited video card, maintains its loyal following. A out of business early this year, others Second Sight, that allows VGA resilient base of users and in the Apple II community viewed the monitors to be used on the IIGS and programmers keeps everyone's spirits event as so valuable that they improves graphics viewing on the high. stepped in to ensure that the standard Apple monitor. Within days after the GS+ tradition would continue. Not only has Second Sight breathed announcement, programmer Nathan This year's event at Avila College new life into the IIGS, it has opened Mates, a student at California drew more than 80 people, and plans up new opportunities for Institute of Technology and a skilled are already under way for next year's programmers. A number of developers IIGS programmer, released conference, scheduled for the week of have reported they are working on July 17-21. new Second Sight compatible software. “Are there functions that Among those is Seven Hills Software, which has promised Second newer computers perform As responses stream in to a new Sight-related upgrades for popular that my IIGS can't? Yes, IIGS owner's pleas for help, they are titles such as SuperConvert, a but only a very few.” laced with suggestions of hardware graphics conversion application, and — Dave Grenda and software upgrades needed to GraphicWriter III, a desktop allow a new user to tap into this publishing program.

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