Got my IIe working; I’m excited!

[ColecoGamer]

After replacing the PSU, the Floppy Disk Controller and installing an 80 Column Card with a 64k RAM expansion, this beast of a computer lives again!

 

[potatohead]

Cool! 

 

Enjoy.  I consider my Apple a nice 8 bit workstation.  It does more than one might think, and I really enjoy the overall feel of using it.

 

[Keatah]

I was using my //e into the mid-90's for real productive important work.

[Papalapa]

Congratulations! I can understand that you're really excited, same feeling that when I got my Apple II.

[wierd_w]

I only ever used these at school.  I was riding the PC bandwagon very early on, simply because it is what I had. (was a little kid at the time. Not much choice in what my folks bought.)

Dad had a Tandy, then an IBM PCjr, which kicked it around until about 1993.  Got a 486 after mom finally relented to my endless pleas.

 

Apple machines were things I felt I could have used at home (because the school's software ecosystem was very standardized on apple products), but it was never to be.

 

I do remember playing some fun games on the Apple 2GS systems in the computer lab though. 

[Keatah]

I remember the Apple II being one of the most simplest of all the 8-bit micros when it came to learning programming and practical disk sub-system usage. DOS 3.3 commands were stupidly simple. And disk drives and DOS integrated quite nicely, even though they were not planned for during the original II design.

 

Learning the concepts of computing was fun on the II, much more so than on other contemporary micros*. The II was a simple blank slate for creativity - if you wanted to do something, you had to invent your own way. The computer didn't assist you one iota! There was so much capability to upgrade with those slots too. Apple actively encouraged you to pop the top and roll your own.

 

Being very much an "early micro" and "hobbyist" computer, it had much in common with 70's single-board trainers like a KIM-1 or Rockwell AIM-65. Even S-100 if you want to stretch the comparison. And it stayed that way to the very end with the Platinum //e.

 

* C-64, Vic-20, Ti-99/4A, PET, TRS-80, Atari 8-bit, ADAM, or just about any other system at the time.

[potatohead]

9 hours ago, Keatah said:

I was using my //e into the mid-90's for real productive important work.

So was I.  I just brought mine into work for a younger coworker to check out.  They really liked the machine, got the top off and were all over checking it out.

 

Finally got an HDMI card for it, and that's been a lot of fun.  Some minds were blown when I put it on the desk and connected it same as any other laptop or desktop.

 

In any case, hope OP has a good time.  These old machines are a lot of fun. 

[ColecoGamer]

Thank you to everyone who responded! I spent the evening playing Centauri Alliance. Boy, what an RPG!
 

I’m currently waiting for a copy of Broderbund’s Karateka to arrive; my favorite beat ‘em up of all time!

 

[DeathAdderSF]

Congrats. Apple II is ❤️. Best computer ever made. (Not that I'm biased by it being my first, or anything.)

 

Remembering my early days w/the IIc, and how amazing they were, I'm actually kind of jealous in that I wish I could go back and re-experience it again for the first time. Seeing as how I can't, all I can say to you is...

 

[ColecoGamer]

6 hours ago, DeathAdderSF said:

Congrats. Apple II is ❤️. Best computer ever made. (Not that I'm biased by it being my first, or anything.)

 

Remembering my early days w/the IIc, and how amazing they were, I'm actually kind of jealous in that I wish I could go back and re-experience it again for the first time. Seeing as how I can't, all I can say to you is...

 

Oh, I plan to, @DeathAdderSF! I’m currently waiting on a Keyboard Pro chip to fix the keyboard in my Apple IIc. Luckily I know how to solder! 

[Hwlngmad]

On 3/11/2022 at 10:23 PM, ColecoGamer said:

After replacing the PSU, the Floppy Disk Controller and installing an 80 Column Card with a 64k RAM expansion, this beast of a computer lives again!

 

Congratulations!  Glad to see it back up and running for you.