01.022 How can I find out more about using and programming my Apple II?
Description
This article is from the Apple II Csa2 FAQ, by Jeff Hurlburt with numerous contributions by others.
01.022 How can I find out more about using and programming my Apple II?
You can peruse the newsgroup FAQs Q&A Contents page. You can also check
out the Apple II Major Sites page (Csa21MAIN3.txt). Here are two good 'getting
starting' places:
Apple II Beginner's Guide
http://Apple2Guide.net/Apple2/
Home of the Apple II
http://www.callapple.org/apple2/
All Apple II's come with some version of BASIC installed in-ROM on the
motherboard. The original Apple II's have Integer BASIC. Starting with the II+
model, all Apple II's have floating-point Applesoft BASIC in ROM. Owners of
early Apple II's can load in Applesoft or plug in a card with Applesoft ROMs.
There are several good places to find out about Apple II BASIC
programming:
Apple II Textfiles
http://www.textfiles.com/apple/
Byte Works (new IIgs GSoft BASIC)
http://www.byteworks.org
Ground
ftp://ground.ecn.uiowa.edu/2/apple2/MiscInfo/Applesoft/
ftp://ground.ecn.uiowa.edu/apple2/MiscInfo/Programming/
ftp://ground.ecn.uiowa.edu/2/apple2/apple8/Beagle.Oldies/
Tarnover
http://tarnover.dyndns.org/
The comp.sys.apple2.programmer newsgroup and Csa2P FAQs
for programming Q&A plus more links
http://home.swbell.net/rubywand/csa2pfaq.html
Besides BASIC, you can load and use many languages including Fortran,
Pascal, Modula, C, Logo, Forth, Assembly, and others. The Apple II "Monitor"
included in-ROM lets you enter 6502 and (on a IIgs) 65816 machine language
programs. IIgs owners can also create Hyperstudio and HyperCard stacks. For
more information and links go to the comp.sys.apple2.programmer FAQs (see URL
above).
There is really no substitute for having the technical manual for your
particular Apple II or clone. The manual for the ][ and ][+ is the Apple ]
[ Reference Manual. For the IIe and IIc you want Apple's Technical Reference
Manual for your machine. For the IIgs you will want, at least, the IIgs
Hardware Reference and IIgs Firmware Reference.
Naturally, you will want to get manuals and materials covering DOS,
ProDOS, BASIC, and many other areas relating to your Apple II. Below is a
decent 'getting started' sampling:
General Apple II
Apple II Reference Manual from Apple
Apple II User's Guide by Poole, Martin, and Cook
Note: Third Edition, 1985 (Apple II User's Guide for APPLE II Plus
and APPLE IIe) is completely revised to include ProDOS coverage
Beagle Bros "Peeks, Pokes, and Pointers" (poster) by Beagle Bros
The Apple II Circuit Description by Winston D. Gayler
Understanding the Apple ][ by Jim Sather
What's Where in the Apple II? by William F. Luebbert
Applesoft BASIC and Assembly Language
Assembly Lines: The Book by Roger Wagner
BASIC Programming Reference Manual from Apple
Programming the 65816 Including the 6502, 65C02, and 65802
by David Eyes and Ron Lichty
65816/65802 Assembly Language Programming by Michael Fischer
DOS, ProDOS, and GS/OS
Apple IIgs GS/OS Technical Reference (Apple/ Addison-Wesley)
Beneath Apple DOS by Worth & Lechner
Beneath Apple ProDOS by Worth & Lechner
Exploring Apple GS/OS and ProDOS 8 by Little
ProDOS Inside and Out by Doms and Weishaar
ProDOS Technical Reference Manual (Apple/ Addison-Wesley)
The DOS Manual from Apple
Some technical manuals and other materials can be obtained in original or
reprint form from Byte Works and Kula Soft. Major book sellers, such as Amazon
list many Apple II books. For current Kula Soft, Byte Works, and other seller
links, see Vendors Q&A in Csa21MAIN2.txt or go to ...
http://home.swbell.net/rubywand/A2FAQs3VENDORS.html#020 .
Though most Apple II books are out of print, many sellers will search for and,
with luck, locate the book you want.
Apple II manuals and other books also turn up for sale on Csa2 newsgroups
like comp.sys.apple2.marketplace, at used book shops, and at local Users Group
swap meets. Some manuals and other items, such as Reference Cards and posters
(usually in Text or HTML form) are available for downloading at the major Apple
II archives and other support sites. (See Q&A 005 above.)
You may be able to find a local Apple II users' group or a group on-line
that you like. Besides knowledgeable users, you will often find a software
library stocked with useful software. (See Csa2USERGRP.txt.)
Another good resource is a subscription to an Apple II newsletter
or magazine; and, don't overlook collections of major Apple II
magazines published through the 1980's (e.g. inCider, Nibble
http://www.nibblemagazine.net, Computist, etc.). They are virtual
encyclopedias covering many areas of II computing. For current
publishers and net sites which offer on-line copies of back
issues see Q&A 005 above.
Often, the easiest, quickest way to an answer for some Apple II question
is to 'just ask it' on comp.sys.apple2 and/or another Csa2 family newsgroup.
There are no Csa2 rules about posting to just a newsgroup which deals with a
particular topic or making sure your question is hard enough or reading the
FAQs first. Supplying information is the main purpose of the newsgroups. -
- Rubywand, David Wilson, Tony Cianfaglione, Steve Sanders, Terence J. Boldt,
Wayne Stewart
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