Subject: RAM cards (was Merlin 8 source files)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2.programmer
From: dempson@actrix.gen.nz (David Empson)
Date: Sat, 8 Jul 2000 03:29:09 +1200
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Phoenyx <quazar@dcnet2000.com> wrote:

> My suggestion is based on two sources. As mentioned, Applied
> Engineering provided the accepted standard for bank switched
> ram. Part of the reason (IMHO) that Apple created the slinky
> card was to have it's own standard.

Hardly.  There are several major benefits of Apple's RAM card design:

1. It works in an Apple ][, ][+, IIe or IIgs.  Auxiliary slot cards only
work in the IIe.

(The IIc also has equivalents of both types, requiring a new enough
motherboard in the case of Apple's IIc memory expansion card.)

2. Standard slot cards can have a ROM and contain a driver, so you don't
need to patch the operating system to use them.  (Ignoring DOS 3.3,
which has to be patched to work with anything other than a 5.25" drive.)

3. You can boot from a standard slot RAM card.

4. Memory management is more straightforward, because the whole memory
space on the card is a single linear address space.  A multi-bank
auxiliary card is a real mess, due to issues like the zero page, stack
and language card areas.

-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz
Snail mail: P O Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand