Apple II processor cards (or co-processor cards) were special cards that could be used to allow the Apple II to use different processors on the (otherwise) same computer hardware. This allowed other operating systems to run on the Apple II.
Here are some processors that were available on coprocessor cards for the Apple II:
- Zilog Z80 – Microsoft SoftCard or compatibles, ran CP/M[1]
- Intel 8088 – the AD8088 Processor Card, from ALF Products, ran CP/M-86 and MS-DOS as well as increased the speed of math functions in Applesoft BASIC.[2] MetaCard, from Metamorphic Systems (a 1982 startup by Phil Zimmermann), ran CP/M-86, MS-DOS, and UCSD Pascal[3]
- Motorola 6809 – The Mill, by Stellation Two, ran OS-9 Level One.[4][5][6][7] AP10 by IBS running FLEX
- Motorola 68008 – mc magazine[8]
- DEC LSI-11 – (unconfirmed)
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Microsoft Softcard Archived 2010-04-09 at the Wayback Machine, Microsoft Consumer Products. (1980), A2Info.Net
- ^ ALF Products newsletter, 1983, ALF Alpha 5. Retrieved 2013-04-13.
- ^ Two new 16bit processor cards turn Apples into IBM PCs, By David Needle, 12 Apr 1982 InfoWorld
- ^ The Mill by Stellation Two
- ^ Romance of the Entrepreneur Archived May 31, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, The Capitol of Romance
- ^ "THE MILL" carte 6809 de STELLATION TWO, HACK Z APPLE, Collection Apple II
- ^ James Hinds, CHIEF DESIGNER & PRESIDENT, Stellation Two, Inc. 1/1980-6/1985 – invented, designed and produced THE MILL and Vitamill coprocessor circuit boards for Apple // computers for this manufacturer of hardware and publisher of software for Apple // Computers.
- ^ Apple II 68008 Co Processorcard project Archived 2014-05-13 at the Wayback Machine