Apple ][+, //e, & PM9500.

[John8520]

From two different craigslist ads. I got the IIs yesterday, came with a load of software and quite a few manuals, as well as a Monitor II, two disk II drives, a duodisk, and an Imagewriter. As for cards, they're pretty basic. The ][+ had a language card (ROM upgrade and extra 16k RAM) and a Disk II card, and the //e had a super serial card, 80col/64k card, and a disk controller card for the duodisk. All free.

The ][+ had some keyboard issues at first, but bathing the keyboards PCB + motherboard fixed that (mostly, I need to do some more to get the '2' to work 100%). The //e on the other hand has some serious issues, whenever it boots it displays two rows of @s, then two rows of gray blocks, then two more rows of @s and so on. No idea whats wrong with it, but lifting and reseating the chips and a bath have done no good. Also one thing that's confused me- The loose end of the cable connected to the imagewriter is female, and the connector on the SSC is also female, the guy never mentioned a gender changer being involved so I dunno what the deal is...

I'll be picking up the 9500 tomorrow afternoon. Its got a 132MHz 604 in it, at least 512mb RAM, a keyboard and a few mice, a joystick, and various other odds and ends. Not at all sure about cards or drives. $10.

 

[John8520]

Got the 9500 just now. Has no PCI cards or HDDs, but does have around 600mb RAM, which is nice. The joystick is a CH products, I'd like to try it in F/A-18 hornet, and the Apple Design Keyboard is not one of those apparently dreaded made in Mexico ones. I think I'm going to make it my power 7.6.1 box, with one or two Rage 128s and my two 4.5GB 7200rpm IBM drives. Should turn out nicely.

But I guess no one really cares, so... *shrug*

 

[funkytoad]

There is never anything good on my local Craigslist!

 

[Mike Richardson]

Got the 9500 just now. Has no PCI cards or HDDs, but does have around 600mb RAM, which is nice. The joystick is a CH products, I'd like to try it in F/A-18 hornet, and the Apple Design Keyboard is not one of those apparently dreaded made in Mexico ones. I think I'm going to make it my power 7.6.1 box, with one or two Rage 128s and my two 4.5GB 7200rpm IBM drives. Should turn out nicely.
But I guess no one really cares, so... *shrug*

What's wrong with the ones made in Mexico?

 

[Quadraman]

Got the 9500 just now. Has no PCI cards or HDDs, but does have around 600mb RAM, which is nice. The joystick is a CH products, I'd like to try it in F/A-18 hornet, and the Apple Design Keyboard is not one of those apparently dreaded made in Mexico ones. I think I'm going to make it my power 7.6.1 box, with one or two Rage 128s and my two 4.5GB 7200rpm IBM drives. Should turn out nicely.
But I guess no one really cares, so... *shrug*

What's wrong with the ones made in Mexico?

Interesting question. I never heard about there being good keyboards and bad keyboards, either.

 

[John8520]

Apparently the ones made in Mexico are very mushy feeling, but the ones made in Thailand have a tactile feel. I've never owned a Mexican one so I don't know if this is true.

 

[MacJunky]

From what I have experienced with mine from both locations it is true. The Mexican made ones are horrid.

 

[Mike Richardson]

Apparently the ones made in Mexico are very mushy feeling, but the ones made in Thailand have a tactile feel. I've never owned a Mexican one so I don't know if this is true.

Wow, I think you're right.

I have 3 Mexican Design keyboards and they feel very mushy. I have 6 Thailand Design keyboard and they feel sharper and more clicky.

Of course if you want a good tactile keyboard, nothing beats the Extended II. The original "Apple Keyboard" ADB is also nice, as well as the keyboard that came with the IIGS, and the Extended. They are all Alps if I recall. The Adjustable was also Alps I think.

Apple Keyboard IIs feel mushy.

 

[John8520]

The most tactile Apple keyboard I've ever used is not the AEK II, but rather the AEK I. The two AEK IIs I have sometimes are sticky. Of course, nothing beats a Model M...

 

[Patrickool93]

There was a Model M outside a local computer store today. I didn't think to ask about it though...

 

[classic mac 500]

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Amen on both accounts! The Extended series and especially the Model M's are truly legendary for their tactile feel! :-D