jds wrote:
It's unfortunate that the Apple /// started life in such a bad way as it really was a good machine. A few bad decisions for an otherwise good design. The way it handles memory is probably the best design out of any 6502 system. Every other 6502 system I have seen just has a variation on a window into extra RAM but the /// made accessing up to 512k a lot easier than this. The RAM is organised 16-bits wide so some operations are faster too. The Apple //e was a step backwards in some ways.
The Apple /// is on my top 5 list of computers I desperately want. I just can't afford one when they (rarely) come up on eBay.
Being an owner of a Coleco ADAM, Mattel Aquarius, TI CC-40 and a TRS-80 MC-10, I'm a fan of "failed" computers.
Because in my mind, any computer you can program is never a failure.