Frequently Asked A-Max Questions List
             -------------------------------------
                         Version 09/7/91

                   Copyright 1991, Kurt Tappe
The text contained herein may not be published in any form
without prior written consent of the author.  This file [may[
be distributed, posted, and uploaded to national on-line
information services and bulletin board systems only in its
unaltered entirety and only for non-commercial use.

The author is in no way affiliated with ReadySoft Inc. and the
contents of this file have not been authorized by ReadySoft.

This file is intended to answer all common (and some not-so-
common) questions about A-Max, the Macintosh Emulator package
by ReadySoft for the Amiga.  If your question is not answered
herein, or if you find an error or omission, please contact
Kurt Tappe via whichever of these methods you prefer:
     USPS:    184 W. Valley Hill Rd.
              Malvern, PA 19355-2214

     E-Mail:  tappek@infonode.ingr.com (preferred)  OR
              jkt100@psuvm.psu.edu  (expires 8/15/91)
              or "KurtTappe" on Quantum Link

     Phone:   (215) 458-5000 (work) or (215) 363-9485 (home)

Many thanks to those who have contacted me with corrections and
additions since the last incarnation of this file.  Your contributions
have made this file much more accurate and youUve helped ease the
confusion of hundreds of A-Max users.

First, a bit about me, my qualifications, and why I created this file:

I'm a technical writer who is an avid user of both my Amiga 2000HD at
home and a Mac IIci at work.  As a result, I'm in a position where I
know both the Amiga and the Mac well, and I use A-Max on a daily-basis.
After reading many different discussion areas on various networks, I
kept seeing the same questions about A-Max popping up repeatedly.
It took me years to learn what I know about the Mac and Amiga and
how best to bridge the Commodore-Apple gap, and I would like to help
ease the learning process for others.  I hope this file helps clear
the fog.  :-)

                                                          Kurt
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                           Contents
                           ========
            (* = new, changed, or fixed from 5/2/91)
                    (** = new since 8/1/91)

  Overview of A-Max
  Theory (or How The Heck Did They Get Mac Software To Run On Amiga?)
* How Compatible Is A-Max?  What Will Run On It?
  What Is Needed In Addition To The Basic A-Max Package?
  What Else Can I Add To A-Max?
* What Are The Differences Between The Macintosh ROM versions?
  Is ReadySoft Planning A Version Of A-Max To Use The Newer ROMs?
  Will A-Max MultiTask With The Amiga?
  What Macintosh System Versions Work With A-Max?
* Will System 7.0 Work With A-Max?
* How Can I Save PRAM Settings?  Is There A Way To Automatically
    Accelerate the Mouse?  How Do I Reduce Title Bar Flicker?
  What's This I Hear About Apple Cutting Off The Supply Of ROMs?
  Are There Alternatives To Using Apple ROMs?
  Are There Legal Alternatives To Using Apple ROMs?
* Is There A Way To Make The ROMs Load Faster?
  Can A-Max Read Macintosh Disks?
  What Is An A-Max Format Disk?
  Why Can't A-Max Read Macintosh Disks In Amiga Drives?
* Do I Really Need To Buy A Macintosh Disk Drive?
* What is "SYBIL"?
  What Methods Can I Use To Transfer Files To And From A-Max?
* Can A-Max Read High Density Macintosh Floppies?
* Where Can I Find The DB-19 And DB-23 Connectors To Make
    Make My Own Mac Drive Interface?
* What is A-Max II+?
  Can I Use A Hard Drive With A-Max?
* What Hard Drive Controllers Are Supported By A-Max?
**What If My Hard Drive Controller Is Not Supported?
* Is There A Way To Get Rid Of The A-Max Partition Icon?
  Can A Macintosh External Hard Drive Be Connected To The Amiga
    And Used With A-Max?
* Can A Macintosh CD-ROM Drive Be Used With A-Max?
* Can I Use A Modem With A-Max?
  Should I Buy A-Max Or An Actual Macintosh?
  What Are The Cost/Benefit Comparisons For A-Max vs. An Actual Mac?
  How Much Of The Amiga's Memory Can Be Used By A-Max?
  How Does A-Max Use The Second Amiga Mouse Button?
  How Do You Run A-Max As An Option From The Startup Sequence?
  What Video Modes Can A-Max Use?
  Is A Special Monitor Needed?
**How Do You Change The Default Colors?
* What Printing Options Are Available From A-Max?
* JetLink Express or MacPrint?
  What Do All These Accessories for A-Max Cost?
  How Fast Is A-Max Compared To An Actual Macintosh?
  Can A-Max Be Accelerated?
  What Accelerators Are Compatible with A-Max?
* Will use of a 68040 accelerator cause any problems with A-Max II?
  What Are The Differences Between The Original A-Max and A-Max II?
  Why You Should Get A-Max II If You Own The Original A-Max
  What Problems Were Corrected With Version 2.06 Of A-Max II?
  How Do You Tell What Version Of A-Max You Have?
* Where Can I Obtain Public Domain Mac Software?
**What Are ".hqx," ".sit," and ".cpt" Files and How Can I Decode Them?
  About ReadySoft

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Overview of A-Max
-----------------
A-Max II (referred to as just "A-Max" for short throughout this
doc) is a combination hardware/software package from ReadySoft
that allows your model 1000, 500, 2000 series, or 3000 series
Amiga to run Macintosh software.  While A-Max is operating, your
Amiga is, for all intents and purposes, a Macintosh.  The package
consists of a cartridge that plugs into your Amiga's external
floppy drive port and two floppy disks which contain the A-Max
software.

Theory (or How The Heck Did They Get Mac Software To Run On Amiga?)
-------------------------------------------------------------------
While A-Max is called an "emulation," there are those who justifiably
refer to it as (in the words of Commodore engineer Dave Haynie)
"a hostile port of the Macintosh operating system."  To understand
what this means, a brief description of the Macintosh OS is needed.

When Apple designed the Macintosh, its designers did their utmost
to keep the entire basic operating system of the computer (all
the built-in functions for drawing windows, moving the pointer,
activating menus, drawing graphics, etc.) down to a small size
and on a single set of chips.  The advantages of this design are
manyfold, the most notable of which are reduced cost and ease of
mass-production.  So a Macintosh, at its most fundamental, is
merely a set of two ROM chips containing basic machine language
routines that can be called by programs.

The fact that the entire Mac operating system is contained on
just two chips is the key to A-Max.  A-Max uses actual Macintosh
ROMs in its emulation.  When you run A-Max, it copies the ROMs
into a section of the Amiga's RAM and then selectively modifies
the ROM code.  The modification makes the ROM routines interact
with the Amiga hardware instead of that found on a Macintosh;
graphic calls, input/output, disk routines, and memory management
are some of the key routines that are modified to be Amiga-
compatible.  When A-Max completes the modifications, it then
turns control of the system over to the Mac ROM code, and voila!
You now have a Macintosh operating system running on an Amiga,
and thinking it is a Mac.

This method differs from an emulation in that an emulation is
independently developed code that tries to act like another piece
of code.  A-Max is the actual Macintosh code, modified (ported)
to the Amiga.  This fact explains A-Max's remarkably high degree
of Macintosh compatibility.

How Compatible Is A-Max?  What Will Run On It?
----------------------------------------------
The list of major applications that run on A-Max II is very
extensive, and is too long to be listed here. A-Max is well over
90% compatible, and a better question to ask than "What will A-Max
run?" is "What WON'T it run?"  However, a brief sampling includes:
Microsoft Word 3.02 and 4.0, Quark XPress 2.12 and 3.0, PageMaker
2, 3, and 4.0, MacWrite 4.5, 5, and IIv2, MacDraw II, MacPaint,
Adobe Illustrator 88, FullPaint, SuperPaint, Canvas, Freehand,
and utilities such as Font/DA Mover, Disinfectant, On Cue,
Adobe Type Manager 2.0, After Dark, ResEdit 2.1, DiskTools II,
StuffIt, MacTools, and Norton Utilities (all parts of NU work
beautifully; Speed Disk, File Recovery, Fast Find, KeyFinder).
Unless a piece of software performs direct hardware calls, it
will run on A-Max just as well as on a Mac Plus.

Of course, be aware that a FEW programs don't run on A-Max, but
they're nearly all games.  The ONE major application that I have
found to be incompatible is Adobe Illustrator 3.  Two major games
that do not run are SimCity and Dark Castle (SimCity loads and
runs, but will not advance the clock, so you build all you want,
but the year is always 1900.)  Many games DO work, and I play
Tetris, Risk, and Strategic Conquest all the time.  To demonstrate
the extent of the compatibility, A-Max format disks can even be
sector-edited as if they were Macintosh disks!

For more information about compatibility with A-Max, you can watch
for the regular (monthly?) postings to comp.sys.amiga.emulations
by Rich Andrews.  Rich maintains two lists ("games" and "non-games")
of Macintosh programs and their compatibility with A-Max.

What Is Needed In Addition To The Basic A-Max Package?
------------------------------------------------------
In addition to A-Max, you will need a set of 128K Macintosh ROM chips.
This is the only other REQUIRED hardware item.  However, to make
your life much easier you will want some other items (listed below.)
Software-wise, you will need a set of the Macintosh System Software
(version must be 4.2 thru 6.0.5--see below).

What Else Can I Add To A-Max?
-----------------------------
A plethora of hardware and software can be added to A-Max as
accessories to make using A-Max easier.  These include:

An external Macintosh (or compatible) floppy drive to read
  Macintosh disks.  (strongly recommended)
A polarized display filter to reduce flicker.
An Amiga display enhancer, such as Commodore's A2320 or MicroWay's
  flickerFixer, that will eliminate flicker from interlaced display
  modes. A display adapter must be accompanied by a VGA or
  multi-synch monitor that will accept the adaptor's output.
Amiga RAM expansion and/or an Amiga accelerator card.
Macintosh public domain software to accelerate the mouse, save
  Parameter RAM settings, alter the window title bars, etc.

What Are The Differences Between The Macintosh ROM versions?
Is ReadySoft Planning A Version Of A-Max To Use The Newer ROMs?
---------------------------------------------------------------
A bit of Macintosh ROM history:
The original Mac ROMs were 64K in size, and were used on the
Apple LISA/Mac XL, Macintosh 128, and Mac 512.  The next generation
were 128K in size and were used on the Mac 512E and Mac Plus.  The
latest generations are 256K and 512K and are used on the Mac Se,
Macintosh Classic, Portable, SE/30, and II series.

The major upgrades between the versions were:
  128K - Allowed use of double sided (800K) floppy disks and
         added the Hierarchical File System (HFS).
  256K - Allowed use of high density (1.4 Meg) floppy disks,
         and added color.
  512K - Same as 256K, but also has a tiny version of System and
         Finder built-in so you can boot from ROM in an emergency.

The original A-Max allowed the use of either the 64K or the 128K
Mac ROMs.  A-Max II requires the 128K ROMs.

There is a rumor circulating that ReadySoft is working on an
"A-Max III" that will use the 256K ROMs to possibly allow emulation
of a Mac II.  Of course, at this point this is mere speculation.
A pertinent question to ask about such a rumor is where potential
A-Max III customers would get hold of 256K ROM chips, as Apple has
controlled their distribution strictly since they were available.

Will A-Max MultiTask With The Amiga?
------------------------------------
The Macintosh is a non-multitasking computer; the operating system
was not designed to allow for portions of memory to be allocated to
various tasks and to be off-limits.  In addition, the Mac OS was not
designed to wait for other tasks to finish using shared portions of
the computer, such as the screen, I/O devices, storage devices, etc.
Thus, A-Max cannot multitask with the rest of the Amiga.  Such a feat
could not be accomplished without major modifications to the Mac ROM
code, which would probably cause many software packages not to run
under A-Max.  So, in short, no, A-Max cannot multitask with AmigaDOS.

For those technically curious:
One programmer posted to the network some time ago saying that he
was attempting to write his own Macintosh emulator; what he termed
"A public domain A-Max." The main difference between his program
and A-Max was that he tried to make his emulator multitask with the
Amiga system.  His strategy was to require his product be used on
an Amiga with a lot of memory, and then locate the entire emulator
in a 4 megabyte section of upper Amiga RAM.  The RAM containing
his emulator would be contiguous and not accessible to the rest
of the system, thereby theoretically overcoming some of the
restrictions for A-Max not multitasking with the Amiga OS.
Apparently his attempt failed in trying to get his emulator to
share common system resources, such as the screen, I/O, etc.

What Macintosh System Versions Work With A-Max?
-----------------------------------------------
A-Max has been tested with and runs system versions 4.2
through 6.0.5.  System 6.0.7 does not totally work with
A-Max; users of 6.0.7 have reported various problems ranging
from random system crashes to increased software incompatibility.
(Ed. Note - If you are running the 2.5 Hack it works just fine! ) - Sysop

Will System 7.0 Work With A-Max?
--------------------------------
The phrase that best describes the compatibility between 7.0
and A-Max is "Three strikes and you're out."  System 7.0
failed in three attempts to run it on A-Max:
1) The 7.0 installation disks would not boot.
2) After booting with another disk, the 7.0 installation
   program crashed.
3) A-Max would not boot from an external hard drive on which
   System 7.0 had been installed and from which 7.0
   did work on a real Macintosh.

Many users have confirmed that 7.0 is, at this time, totally
incompatible with A-Max.  The reason for 7.0's incompatibility
is unknown, though it is conceivable that Apple made 7.0 intentionally
this way to discourage use of Macintosh emulators.

ReadySoft is rumored to be working on another version of
A-Max that will be 7.0 compatible.
(Ed. Note - If you are running the 2.5 Hack it works just fine as well as
system 7.1! ) - Sysop

How Can I Save PRAM Settings?  Is There A Way To Automatically
Accelerate the Mouse?  How Do I Reduce Title Bar Flicker?
------------------------------------------------
The Macintosh has a few bytes of battery backed RAM called
"Parameter RAM" (PRAM) which holds information about system settings
set in the Control Panel such as the time and date, mouse speed, cursor
blink rate, menu blinking, and more.  Because the Amiga has no such
RAM, some other method is needed to preserve these settings.  A-Max
sets the Macintosh clock for you but does not set any of the others.
There are a variety of utilities to set some or all PRAM settings.
Many are available from the public domain sources listed in the
section below about finding public domain software.  For accelerating
the mouse, I recommend "Pointing Device," a Control Panel device that
sets the mouse speed upon every startup to a predefined set of exacting
acceleration thresholds you can define in the Control Panel.

Note: RMouse2S, another popular Macintosh mouse accelerator, is not
compatible with A-Max, because it only works with Macs with an ADB.
A-Max emulates a Mac Plus, which does not have an ADB port.

For setting the RAM Cache and Volume settings, try "Disk-Param."  Many
A-Max users do not bother with PRAM settings because the most important
of them, the clock setting, is set automatically by A-Max.

To change the window title bars to a pattern other than the
horizontal lines that cause horrible flickering on interlaced
displays, try "WindChooser,S which gives you a choice of 4
alternate title bar patterns.

"Pointing Device," "Disk-Param," and "WindChooser" should all be
available from one of the sources listed below in RWhere can I obtain
public domain Mac software?S

What's This I Hear About Apple Cutting Off The Supply Of ROMs?
--------------------------------------------------------------
In September of 1990, some discouraging news came out for
A-Max users.  Apple, which had previously freely sold the 128K
ROMs to whomever wanted to purchase them, was restricting the
supply.  Commencing September 15, 1990, Apple would only ship
a new set of ROMs to dealers who returned a defective set.

Are There Alternatives To Using Apple ROMs?
-------------------------------------------
Since the above announcement, the supply of Mac 128K ROMs has
indeed dwindled.  This has opened the door to a new wave of EPROM
copies of the Mac ROMs and to the distribution of pirated versions
of A-Max which contain the Mac ROMs on disk.  Until Apple makes the
actual ROMs available again, the pirated versions will proliferate

These pirated versions of A-Max will probably hurt Apple more than
ReadySoft, because serious users of A-Max will still need to buy
the actual product in order to obtain the cartridge to allow them
to connect a Macintosh drive to their Amiga.  The pirated versions
of A-Max that load the ROMs from disk do work with the cartridge,
so users that cannot obtain ROMs can find a pirated A-Max, buy the
package, thereby circumventing Apple.

Another potential method for circumventing the need for actual ROMs
is to use either FastMax3 or MacROM2, discussed below under
RIs there a way to make the ROMs load faster?S

Are There Legal Alternatives To Using Apple ROMs?
-------------------------------------------------
At least two third-party companies are currently developing
alternatives to Macintosh ROMs.  The most notable is a company
called "NuTek" (not to be confused with NewTek, the developers
of the Video Toaster.)  As reported in the January 29, 1991
issue of MacWeek:
  "NuTek Chip Set Could Pave Way For Legal Clones
   A small start-up company is preparing to mount an assault on
   Apple's proprietary bastions.
   NuTek Computers, Inc. last week claimed to have developed
   technologies that will allow OEMs to create Mac-compatible
   computers without violating Apple patents and copyrights.
   NuTek will rely on Mac-compatible ROM it said was written from
   scratch and on the Open Software Foundation's Motif user
   interface.
   The company, funded by U.S. and Taiwanese venture capital, said
   that by the fourth quarter it will deliver all the components
   required for Mac compatibility, including Mac-compatible operating
   system software in ROM and on disk, user-interface software based
   on Motif, and three VLSI (very large scale integration) application-
   specific integrated circuits (ASICs) that replicate the Mac's
   internal logic functions.
   OEMs will need at least six months thereafter, NuTek officials said,
   to build Mac-compatible machines, using Motorola 68020 or 68030
   microprocessors.
   Apple said it could not comment because it has not seen NuTek's
   technology.
   Computers developed with NuTek's chip set and software will have
   all the capabilities of Macs, according to Benjamin Chou, the
   company president.  They will be able to use Mac peripherals and
   run all off-the-shelf Mac programs, except for those that access
   the hardware directly, he said. (sound like another product we
   all know?  -Ed)  Mac interface calls will be remapped to the
   Motif interface, but applications will retain full-functionality.
   NuTek said it has not decided whether it will attempt to replicate
   System 7.0's features.
   The company is currently negotiating with three key OEMs who have
   "global distribution channels," the company said.
   Analysts who had seen prototypes of the Mac compatibles said the
   execution appeared sound.  "They've taken a very reasoned approach,"
   said Bill Higgs, vice president of InfoCorp/Gartner Group in Santa
   Clara, Calif.
   NuTek stressed that it had taken scrupulous precautions to protect
   itself legally, following clean-room procedures and documenting all
   steps of its development process.  It said it is financially
   prepared to withstand a legal battle with Apple and will shoulder
   legal liabilities on behalf of its OEMs.
   A legal battle is not unlikely, experts said.  "I suspect Apple will
   try to find a way to challenge this," said Jack Russo, a computer
   law attorney based in Palo Alto, Calif.  Apple will look for whatever
   it can "claim was derivative of its original work," Russo predicted.
   NuTek Computers Inc. is at 1601 Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road, Suite 250,
   Cupertino, Calif. 95014.  Phone (408) 973-8857, Fax (408) 973-8557."

What this means to ReadySoft and A-Max is that ReadySoft would seem
to be a prime customer of NuTek, adapting A-Max to use the NuTek ROMs.
Unfortunately, as stated in the article above, the new ROMs won't
be available until Fall 1991 at the earliest, and probably much later
when Apple sues them and delays the release.

Is There A Way To Make The ROMs Load Faster?
--------------------------------------------
As many A-Max users have noticed, the software takes about a minute
to read and decode the ROMs each time A-Max loads.  If you use A-Max
heavily, this wait can become quite annoying.  There are two different
applications available that will 1) copy the ROMs into a file on disk,
and 2) modify A-Max to load the ROMs from this file instead of from
the A-Max cartridge.  The end result of this modification is that 
A-Max startup time is reduced from a minute to seconds.  These two
applications are:
     1) FastMax3   and
     2) MacROM2.
Most users have reported much better luck in getting FastMax3 to
work.  If you have A-Max 2.06, make sure you use version 3 of
FastMax or version 2 of MacROM--earlier versions will not work with
A-Max 2.06.
Be aware that both these products require you to own A-Max and the
ROMs; they will not run if they do not find an A-Max cartridge
attached and ROMs installed in the cartridge.

Personal report: I used FastMax3 to copy my ROMs to disk, and this
utility DID work nicely, cutting ROM load time down to 1 second.
Please be aware that there is a corrupt version of the FastMax3
archive circulating.  The corrupted version has bad .info files
that will crash your Amiga until they are erased from your hard
drive.  The FastMax3 executable in this version of the archive
DOES work, but has to be run from CLI and without help from the
"RunMe" file, which is also corrupt.

Can A-Max Read Macintosh Disks?  What Is An A-Max Format Disk?
Why Can't A-Max Read Macintosh Disks In Amiga Drives?  Do I
Really Need To Buy A Macintosh Disk Drive?  What is "SYBIL"?
--------------------------------------------------------------
One quirk about the Macintosh is that it uses a radically different
disk format than any other computer that uses 3.5" disks.  Macintosh
floppy drives are variable speed, unlike the constant speed drives
used by Amiga, IBM, Atari, Sun, etc.  This is why an actual Macintosh
drive needs to be connected to A-Max if you want to read Macintosh
floppy disks.  Mac compatible 800K drives are available from Damark,
a mail order clearance house for $79.95.  I cannot vouch for the
quality of these drives; I simply saw the ad in one of their catalogs.

(Ed. Note - You can get a refurbed Apple Mac Drive for around $100. Just check
the ads in the back of a current issue of MacWeek.) - Sysop

To use the Amiga floppy drives, A-Max formats floppy disks in a
special A-Max format that is neither AmigaDOS format nor Macintosh
format.  This is to greatly increase compatibility with the Amiga
drives; A-Max format floppies can even be sector-edited from the
A-Max side.  Had A-Max used AmigaDOS format, the disks would have
been too different from Macintosh format to be used by the Mac ROMs.
Macintosh format could not have been used because Amiga floppy drives
cannot change their speed to read the Macintosh disks.

If you don't wish to purchase a Macintosh floppy drive, see the
sections on A-Max II+ and Transferring files to and from A-Max
for other alternatives.

A new product from Utilities Unlimited of Oregon, called "SYBIL",
will supposedly allow A-Max users to read and write Macintosh
format floppies in Amiga drives.  No tests, only announcements
of this product were available as of this writing, but if this
product works, UUO will have[24;36H[0m[7mWorking[AI+ (see
below) to market.  Reports of SYBIL say that it will read Mac
floppies both in and out of Macintosh/A-Max mode.  But even if
it only works under AmigaDOS, the files could be transferred from
Mac to AmigaDOS floppy and then read into A-Max with FileTransferII
(see below), supplied with A-Max.  This product is a potentially
exciting entry in the A-Max market.

(Ed. Note - SYBIL is a rippoff piece of shit!  Call the Author Jim Drew before
purchasing and tell him you bought one and can5t get it to work and see what
he says before purchasing!)

What Methods Can I Use To Transfer Files To And From A-Max?
----------------------------------------------------------
A-Max comes with a very good File Transfer utility that lets you
move programs between the Amiga and Mac sides if you have a Mac
drive attached to A-Max (or SYBIL; see above.)  The utility also
will translate the file as it is transferred if you so choose.
The translation options available are "None," "Text" (Mac uses
carriage returns in ASCII text, while Amiga uses linefeeds),
"MacPaint," "MacBinary," and "PostScript."  If transferring from
Mac to Amiga, each option except "MacBinary" lets you choose
whether to transfer the Data or the Resource fork of the Mac file.
"MacBinary" is a format that translates both the Data and the
Resource forks.

ReadySoft also attempted to provide a method for transferring Mac
files to and from A-Max without a Mac drive, for those users who
had access to an actual Macintosh.  This method calls for use of
FTF (File Transfer Format) disks which are a hybrid format disk
that can be written to by both Macintoshes and Amigas.  An FTF
disk holds about 200K and is formatted such that the usable
portion is on the tracks for which the Macintosh spins the
floppy at the same speed as the Amiga, thus forcing the Mac to
write data that is readable by Amiga drives.

Unfortunately, the FTF disks are both tedious and unreliable.
This method of transfer, when it works, takes many times longer
to use than if a Macintosh drive were connected to A-Max, and it
does require the proximity of an actual Macintosh.  Many users
have reported problems using FTF disks; some could not get the
Mac to recognize the disk, others could not get the Amiga to
recognize them, and many could not get the FTF disk formatted in
the first place.  Because of the inconvenience and unreliability
of the FTF method, it is widely suggested that any regular users
of A-Max purchase a Macintosh or compatible drive for reading and
writing Macintosh disks and transferring files.

Some users have reported success using Apple File Exchange with
A-Max II.  Apple File Exchange is a Macintosh software utility
(much like CrossDos or MSH for Amiga) that allows a Mac to read
from and write to MS-DOS disks in Mac drives.  Somehow this
utility nearly works under A-Max, though it is not fully
compatible.  For those wishing to transfer files. Apple File
Exchange is worth trying to see if its limited functionality can
fulfill your transfer needs.

Can A-Max Read High Density Macintosh Floppies?
----------------------------------------------
New products for the Macintosh 512E and Plus allow those machines
that have a SCSI controller read Macintosh 1.44 Meg High Density
floppy disks.  The drive treats the floppy as a small hard drive,
thereby overcoming the 128K ROM limitation of those machines.  I
have no information whether these products will work with A-Max.
If you have any info, please contact me.

Where Can I Find The DB-19 And DB-23 Connectors To Make
  Make My Own Mac Drive Interface?
-------------------------------------------------------
Some folks have obtained a file that describes how to make their
own hardware interface between a Mac drive and the Amiga.  The
schematics call for a DB-19 and a DB-23 connector.  They may be
obtained from:

Benetech Electronic Supply
P.O. Box 400085
Euless, TX 76040
(800) 866-6860

The file describing how to build the hard drive interface is apparently
on FTP site ab20.larc.nasa.gov (128.155.23.64), though I have not seen it
or built it myself.

What is A-Max II+?
------------------
A-Max II+ is an internal card for the Amiga 2000 and 3000 series of
computers that is being developed by ReadySoft.  A-Max II+ will
provide all the capabilities of A-Max II.  The card replaces the need
for the current A-Max cartridge by allowing the Mac ROM chips to be
plugged into sockets on the card.  In addition, it will allow A-Max
to read and write actual Macintosh format disks in Amiga drives.
It overcomes the problem of variable speeds by quickly turning the
Amiga's drive motors on and off to slow them to whatever speed is
needed to read a particular track of a Mac floppy.  This effectively
eliminates the need for a Macintosh floppy drive to be connected to
the Amiga to read Mac disks.

A-Max II+ will also provide an AppleTalk port that will allow A-Max
to be connected to an AppleTalk network.

A-Max II+ will add MIDI support to A-Max, for use with the multitude
of MIDI products for the Macintosh.

A-Max II+ will support Commodore's new 1.76 Mb high-density drive
and will reportedly allow the new drive to read Macintosh high-
density disks.  However, only Macs with the 256K ROMs can use
high-density disks.  So in order for A-Max to truly make use of
Commodore's new high-density drive, ReadySoft will have to treat
high-density disks as something other than floppies.  Time will
tell what solution is implemented.

A-Max II+ was announced by ReadySoft when A-Max II was released.  The
original due date was November 1990, but as of this writing the card
has not yet been completed.  The most recent estimate from ReadySoft
is that it will be ready "in late October, once we get the software working
with System 7."

Can I Use A Hard Drive With A-Max?  What Hard Drive
Controllers Are Supported By A-Max?
---------------------------------------------------
One of the most notable upgrades from A-Max to A-Max II was
the addition of hard drive support.  Most popular SCSI hard
drive controllers are compatible with A-Max II, which requires
its own specialized drivers to allow it to interface to various
controller cards.  Here is a list of HD driver files for
A-Max II and the controllers they support:

ALF.amhd             - Amiga Loads Faster (ALF)
cltd.amhd            - C-Ltd controller
comspechd.amhd       - Comspec SA500/1000/2000 controllers
DISscsi.amhd         - CMI MultiPort board
gvpscsi.amhd         - GVP Series I and II*
gvpat.amhd           - GVP AT/IDE controller**
harddisk.amhd        - Xetec FastTrak
hddisk.amhd          - A2090
icddisk.amhd         - ICD SCSI controller
icddiskide.amhd      - ICD IDE (AT style) controller
ivs[scsi.amhd        - TrumpCard controller
ivs[SCSIpro.amhd     - TrumpCard Professional (available from IVS)
nexus.amhd           - Advanced Storage System / Nexus controllers
scsi.amhd            - Commodore A590/A2091/A3000
scsi.amhd            - Extam-688 Plus (different driver than above)
supra.amhd           - Supra A500 Byte Sync Controller***

* To use the gvpscsi.amhd driver with GVP ROM versions below 3.0,
  you must use the "Mount" command.

** To use the gvpat.amhd driver you also must use gvpat.device V2.4
   and have A-Max 2.06 (or later.)

*** Requires A-Max II v2.06 and Supra 1.10x controller software
    obtained from Supra; the cost is approximately $20-$30.  There
    was also apparently a public domain Supra driver available on
    American PeopleLink (which no longer exists as of this writing;
    check the new AmigaZone on Portal).

Thanks to Dan Zenchelsky and Dave Carlton for helping to compile
this list.

Note that A-Max can be used with a hard drive whether you have
the 1.2, 1.3, or 2.0 Kickstart ROMs in your Amiga.

If you are having trouble getting A-Max to recognize your hard drive
or partition, make sure you have one of the above drivers in your
sys:devs directory.

A-Max II allows you to assign any partition or whole hard drive
connected to the SCSI controller to be used with A-Max. Simply
create the partition or connect the drive (either internally or
externally) and assign the partition a volume name recognized by
A-Max.  With versions up to and including 2.04, this device name
must start with the characters "AMAX".  Version 2.06, attempting to
comply with Commodore's standards for 3 character naming of physical
devices, allows names of AX0, AX1, etc.

What If My Hard Drive Controller Is Not Supported?
--------------------------------------------------
ReadySoft has made the necessary information available to all 3rd
party hard drive controller manufacturers to write drivers for their
products.  If a driver for your controller is not supplied with A-Max,
contact your controller manufacturer.  If they do not have a driver
available, ask if they plan to and let them know that ReadySoft will
give them all the info they need should they be interested in writing
one.

Another alternative is the RamRead and RamSave package from Clint 
Hastings.  Here is an excerpt from the readme file:

  "This pair of programs, RamRead and RamSave, will allow you to
   quick-load the Amax RAM disk from your Amiga (hard) drive before
   you run Amax, or save the Amax RAM disk afterwards.  I created
   these programs with the following objectives in mind:

   1. Not all Amiga hard drives are supported by Amax (mine!).  These
      programs remove most of the need to use floppies while running
      Amax for me.  It also works with the original Amax I, for which
      no hard drive support is available.  (In fact, you can use the 
      same RAM disk with either version.)

   2. Even if you have an Amax II-supported hard drive, you might like
      to have a pre-loaded Amax RAM disk available for speed reasons.

   3. FAST file conversion.  I do not have the Mac expertise necessary
      to create such a utility, but I know somebody out there does.
      The Amax II file conversion utility is OK, but it only does it
      one file at a time, and you are limited to files less than 800k.
      Through this RAM save method, files up to 7 megabytes could be
      converted as fast as your hard drive can read them.  Would
      somebody please write this (and send me a copy :-)

This software is available on FTP site ab20.larc.nasa.gov (128.155.23.64),
and hopefully will make it to a Fish disk soon (if it has not already by
the time you read this.)

Is There A Way To Get Rid Of The A-Max Partition Icon?
------------------------------------------------------
When you partition part of a hard drive for use with A-Max, the
icon for that partition will appear on your WorkBench if the
hard drive is being used with an automounting controller.  To
keep the A-Max icon from appearing, the partition must be made
not to automount.  Using whatever hard drive tools that came
with your controller ("HDTools if you have a Commodore controller),
change the the A-Max partition from "FastFileSystem" to "Reserved
File System."  If using HDToolbox, ignore the warning "this will
erase all data on this partition"--the data on your A-Max partition
will be unharmed.

By creating a mountlist for the partition, it can be mounted
only when A-Max is to be used, and will not appear on WorkBench.
The method for achieving this varies from controller to controller.
However, a very handy utility for this task is "DInfo" which reads
data from the hard drive's RDB and generates a mountlist for the
partition.  "DInfo" is FreeWare and can be found on FTP site
"tukki.jyu.fi" (sorry, no IP number available as of this writing.)

An example of this procedure follows.  This example is for
the gvpscsi.amhd driver and a Quantum 40 HD:

Mountlist entry:

AMAX: Device         = gvpscsi.device
      Unit           = 0
      Surfaces       = 3
      BlocksPerTrack = 37
      LowCyl         = 369
      HighCyl        = 738
#

This assumes the Quantum is configured as unit 0. Then:

Mount AMAX:
A-MaxStartup

"gvpscsi.amhd" must be located in "DEVS:". Now, the "upper"
half of the Quantum 40 will be used by A-Max II. Make sure
the Macintosh partition doesn't overlap with any other
partition (e.g. AmigaDOS') or the RDB on this drive.

Thanks to Ralph Babel for this example.

Can A Macintosh External Hard Drive Be Connected To
The Amiga And Used With A-Max?
----------------------------------------------------
Yes.  You should not try to access the drive from AmigaDOS, but
A-Max will recognize any Mac hard drives connected to the Amiga
once you enter Mac mode.  Be sure the external drive does not
have the same SCSI ID as any Amiga drives.

Can A Macintosh CD-ROM Drive Be Used With A-Max?
------------------------------------------------
Yes.  I received the following report from a user who did so
regularly:
  "I have a Toshiba XM-3301B and GVPII SCSI with A-Max II drivers.
   The CD driver for the Mac comes with the CD-ROM drive and it
   works with A-Max II.
  "The only problem I am having is to get the CD-ROM drive to work
   with my GVP-II under AmigaDOS using Hypermedia Concepts drivers
   for the Amiga. Hypermedia's drivers only work with 590, 2091,
   3000, and HardFrame controllers. If you have another controller
   card, like I do (GVP-II), you will have compatibility problems."

Can I Use A Modem With A-Max?
-----------------------------
A-Max will work with any modem (or any other device you can find
Mac software to drive) that is connected directly to the serial port.
So if you have an external modem on the serial port, it will work.
A-Max will NOT work with the Supra 2400zi internal modem.  It will
also not work with a modem connected to a serial expansion board
(such as the A2232 or the expansion hack published in Amazing
Computing) where the modem is not plugged into the built-in serial
port.  Queries to ReadySoft revealed that they have no plans to
modify A-Max to work with any modems not directly connected to
the serial port.
Due to a lack of certain lines in the Macintosh serial cable standard
(such as that used for carrier detect,) 9600 baud is the maximum
attainable under A-Max.  Also, if you have problems getting your
modem to work under A-Max, check to see if you have your modem
dip-switches set to allow the computer to specify DTS.  A-Max does
not always set the voltage properly on this line, so disallow computer
selection.

Should I Buy A-Max Or An Actual Macintosh?  What Are The
Cost/Benefit Comparisons For A-Max vs. An Actual Mac?
--------------------------------------------------------
(Be aware that this is a loaded question which asks for personal
opinion.  The following response reflects this.)
If you already have an Amiga or are wary of buying a Mac because
you sort of want an Amiga, I would recommend A-Max II.  It is an
impressive piece of software.  A-Max is not a total replacement
for buying a Mac--if you ONLY want a Macintosh and have no intention
of using the Amiga side, get a Mac.  If you need a color Mac,
A-Max will not fit the bill; it emulates a Mac Plus, which is
not color.  But A-Max is a wonderful solution for the buyer who
cannot decide between an Amiga and a Mac and does not have the
money for both.  Buyers do not make a great sacrifice in choosing
A-Max over an actual Mac, owing to A-Max's high degree of
compatibility and speed, and to the Amiga's versatility.

So, in short:
   Buy (or at least strongly consider) A-Max if:
     * You already own an Amiga and want a Mac
     * You don't own either an Amiga or a Mac, and want both.
   Buy a Mac if:
     * You only want a Mac and don't need or want an Amiga.

As for the benefits/costs of getting A-Max vs. an actual Mac:
The Mac you could get for the price of A-Max (assuming you already
own an Amiga) would not measure up performance-wise.  According
to MacWeek, the market price for a used Mac Plus is $560 and a
complete A-Max package is approx. $400.  A-Max gives you two
machines in a box, so you save desk space.  But that is the LEAST
of the advantages.  You also get a FASTER Mac;  A-Max runs 14%
faster than a Mac Plus, or about the same as a Mac SE (see the
section on Speed Comparisons.)  A-Max on an Amiga 3000 has been
timed as faster than a Mac II.  If you don't mind interlaced mode
(or even better, if you have a flickerFixer, an A2320, or an A3000)
you can run A-Max in 640x400 screen resolution, so you get a larger
screen than a Mac Plus, SE, or Classic.  You can even run it in
overscan mode (672x460) so the horizontal screen size is greater
than a Mac II, and vertical is nearly as large.  You can also set
the two screen colors, (which are obviously only black and white
on a Plus/SE/Classic) to any two colors you desire.  For example,
some writers have claimed that yellow on blue is the most soothing
combination of colors for the eyes; A-Max allows you to choose such
a combination if you agree.

Of course, there are tradeoffs to getting A-Max.  Not all software
runs on A-Max; many commercial games will not run.  Many people
would argue that if you own an Amiga, the games are better on the
Amiga side, so this may not be a consideration, but it does bear
stating.  There is also the consideration of interlace flicker.
A basic A-Max package may cost only $400, but to eliminate flicker
a user could spend another $250 on a display enhancer and $300 more
on a monitor to connect to the enhancer.  These are options though,
and it depends on the individual whether a $14 polarized screen
filter will suffice to reduce flicker or whether the $550 display
enhancer/monitor combination is better.  But compatibility and
display are the only two major costs of purchasing A-Max over
a Mac Plus.

Interestingly, you do not considerably sacrifice support from
Apple in buying A-Max vs. a Macintosh.  Unlike Commodore, who
supplies a toll-free customer support hotline and Commodore
Express service for its customers, Apple supports its owners
entirely through its dealer network.  Theoretically, an A-Max
owner can get support from an Apple dealer just as a Mac owner
can, so A-Max owners need not feel they have lost the "Apple
connection" in not buying a Mac.

How Much Of The Amiga's Memory Can Be Used By A-Max?
----------------------------------------------------
There seems to be a rumor circulating that A-Max can only use 1
megabyte of the Amiga's RAM and so will only give you a 1 megabyte
Macintosh.  Quite simply, this is not true.  My A2000HD, for
example, has 7 megs and A-Max II uses all of it.  A-Max DOES
incorrectly report the amount of RAM available once in Macintosh
mode.  Reports of incorrect RAM have varied from reporting 512K
more than it should to up to 5 megabytes more than it should.
This inconsistency does not hinder performance though; if you
try to load a piece of software that requires more RAM than is
actually available (but that A-Max seems to report IS available),
the A-Max will catch itself and report the RAM deficiency.

According to ReadySoft, A-Max II v2.06 can use up to 12 megs of
Amiga RAM.  See the section on "What problems were corrected
with version 2.06," below.

How Does A-Max Use The Second Amiga Mouse Button?
-------------------------------------------------
It doesn't.  The right mouse button has no function in A-Max mode.

How Do You Run A-Max As An Option From The Startup Sequence?
------------------------------------------------------------
A utility called "CLIXECUTE" will allow you to run A-Max from
the startup sequence by holding the left mouse button.  This
utility is available from jeremym@freezer.acs.udel.edu.

What Video Modes Can A-Max Use?  Is A Special Monitor Needed?
-------------------------------[m[24;36H[K[A------------
A-Max can be used with any monitor that can be connected to the Amiga.
The standard Macintosh display, such as that used by the Mac Plus, SE,
and Classic, is a 512 x 342 pixel resolution display.  A-Max lets you
choose the Macintosh screen size you want to emulate, with choices
ranging from the basic 512 x 342 through 672 x 460.  A-Max also lets
you choose, independently of the Mac screen size, the Amiga video mode
you want to use. In order to produce a Macintosh screen with a resolution
larger than 200 vertical pixels, A-Max provides numerous options:
  1) A-Max will use a 640 x 200 display to show part of the Mac display
     and will scroll the screen when you move the pointer to a portion
     not currently displayed.
  2) Similar to #1, but will jump to the undisplayed portion instead of
     smooth scrolling to it.
  3) Use a 640 x 400  interlaced display to provide enough resolution
     to show the entire screen at one time.
  4) Use an interlaced overscan display to provide enough resolution to
     display a 672 x 460 Macintosh screen.

Most users find that options 1 and 2 are much too distracting to use
regularly.  But unless you own an A3000 or some type of display
enhancer, options 3 and 4 produce a flickering interlaced display
which you will also likely find distracting.  There are solutions
though.  I recommend using option 3 or 4 and getting some kind of
display enhancer to reduce or eliminate interlace flicker.  For months
I used an A2002 monitor with a polarized display filter to reduce the
flicker.  This produced a darker, yet usable and very inexpensive
solution; such polarized filters cost only $10-$15.  Another possible
solution is to use an A1080 medium-persistence monitor, which greatly
reduces flicker because the phosphors on its tube take longer to fade
than normal display tubes.

Now that Commodore's A2320 display enhancer is available, it is a
high-quality solution that should be considered by every serious
A-Max user.  Using an A2320 or a flickerFixer with an "el-cheapo"
VGA monitor yields good results, and makes your Amiga-side look much
better too.

Of course, there is the solution suggested by AmigaWorld; wear
polarized sunglasses while using A-Max.  ;-)

How Do You Change The Default Colors?
-------------------------------------
Two different methods of changing the screen colors for A-Max are
described below.  Thanks for these go out to their authors, Harry
Meyer and Mike Powell.  Please contact the authors of these methods
if you have any questions, as I have not (as of this writing) had a
chance to test either of these methods.  Their e-mail addresses are
listed after their files.

1)
  I have a workaround for the problem of wanting different colors within
  A-Max than are set within Amiga preferences.  My solution is to launch
  A-Max from an IconX script.
  1) Copy SetPrefs from Amicus disk 18 into dh0:c.
  2) Generate the file BlackBackGnd by setting the A-Max colors desired
     with Preferences, cd'ing to dh0:devs, and copying system-configuration
     to BlackBackGnd.
  3) Go back to Preferences and change the colors back to those you desire
     for AmigaDOS.  While you are at it, modify an icon for use with the
     IconX script, as the A-MaxStartup icon is the wrong type for an IconX
     script.
  4) Use the following IconX Script to use the new settings and run A-Max:
        SetPrefs dh0:devs/BlackBackGnd
        dh0:A-MaxStartup
  
  If you have Clixecute pointing at an A-Max start script, you'll probably
  want to add the SetPrefs line to that one, too.
  
  SetPrefs lets you change WorkBench with preferences from any file in
  any directory, rather than just the default sys:devs/system-configuration
  file.  AC's Guide to the Amiga says that SetPrefs is on FFish157 as well
  as AM18, and that it was written by Martin Hippele.  I don't have FFish157,
  but the doc on my copy of AM18 says it's from Willy Langeveld (now of VLT
  fame).
  
  I can also have a separate file, script, and icon to give me red text
  on black for when I want to want to show off to my amateur astronomer
  friends with my planetarium simulator.  Red light doesn't kill the eye's
  dark adaptation, but the non-color Macs can only put out blue-white light.
  
  Harry R. Meyer  hrmeyer@ucselx.sdsu.edu
  
2)
  For those who asked about the permanent modification of AMAX-II
  screen colors... (if you are of tired of blue on white... :-)
  
  Keep in mind that this modification is for AMAX-II ONLY.  NOT the
  original AMAX, and further, there have been some updates since
  I came up with this, so it might not work on the newer versions
  (although it probably will).
  
  Do this at your own risk, and be sure that you use a BACKUP copy
  of the file, not the original...
  
  Get your favorite sector editor (NewZAP is a good one), and
  open the file "A-MaxStartup".
  
  You need to find the code 005A (Hex) in sector 97 of the file.
  This code appears in three places in the file, so be sure you
  find the one in sector 97...
  
  Simply replace this code segment in the format - 0RGB - where
  R= Red value, G= Green value, and B= Blue value.  Always leave
  the first '0' alone.
  
     Ex:  For Black, replace the 005A with 0000.
          For bright blue, set it to 000F etc.
  
  This alters the DEFAULT setting for the FOREGROUND color for AMAX-II.
  
  Sorry, but I didn't look for the code that sets the background
  color (currently white... probably 0FFF)  it's in there somewhere.
  
  So, when done, save the changes then start AMAX!  Be sure to
  select the DEFAULT button for Color.
  
  Good luck,
  
  Mike Powell   mikep@hpmwtd.HP.COM


What Printing Options Are Available From A-Max?
-----------------------------------------------
A-Max, like any other computer system, offers an assortment printing
options, of both low and high quality and varying expense.

For those seeking an inexpensive solution, A-Max has an ImageWriter
emulation mode which allows you to print to an Epson compatible
printer while the Mac software thinks it is printing to an ImageWriter.
The output from this method is not up to full ImageWriter quality
(the output is stretched vertically), but is close, and is certainly
acceptable for those who merely need rough-draft quality output.

Higher quality output can be attained with a variety of methods.  An
Apple LaserWriter (or compatible) will readily connect to the Amiga's
parallel port, but simply selecting the LaserWriter driver from Chooser
seems not to work; the printer will seem to be processing, then it will
suddenly be idle, and will not print.  The problem appears to be with
LaserPrep.  Some users have reported that they have overcome this
problem by installing the System 7 LaserWriter driver.
While LaserWriters provide 300 dot-per-inch resolution, are fast,
and support PostScript, they are quite costly.  There are 3rd party
PostScript printers on the market now, many costing less than $2000,
such as the Epson EPL-7500.  However, unless they come with their
own printer drivers, these printers will suffer from the same
incompatibility as the Apple LaserWriter when you try to drive
them with the LaserWriter driver.

Another high-quality option is to purchase a printer driver package
that lets the Macintosh (A-Max) print to non-PostScript printers.
"JetLink Express," the package recommended by ReadySoft allows a
 Macintosh / A-Max to print to numerous laser  and dot-matrix printers.
Using JetLink Express, which costs about $85 from most Macintosh mail-
order catalogs, one can obtain 300 dpi laser printer output from LaserJet,
DeskJet, InkJet, BubbleJet, Epson, NEC, Toshiba, Xerox, and other printers.

Comparable to JetLink Express are packages such as "MacPrint" and
"Freedom of Press."  ReadySoft cannot confirm that either of these
two products are compatible with A-Max II, but several users have
reported successfully printing from A-Max II with them.

JetLink Express or MacPrint?
----------------------------
I have tested both JetLink Express and MacPrint with a LaserJet
IIP.  Both packages let A-Max users print using 1) Fonts built
into the printer or on a printer font cartridge, 2) Adobe Type
Manager and Adobe Type 1 fonts, and 3) fonts provided with the
package.  Most users will want to use either 1 or 2, and should
decide which of the two they would use more often, because that 
will be the primary deciding factor on which to choose.  MacPrint
has more features for handling printer-based and cartridge-based
fonts, and should be used if the user will be using those fonts.
However, if the user will be primarily using Adobe Type Manager
and wants to print using Type 1 fonts, MacPrint often produces
flawed, corrupted pages.  JetLink Express is vastly superior in
Adobe Type Manager support, and has specific commands that make
sure it Rgets out of the wayS and lets ATM do its job.

A public domain Deskjet driver for the Mac is available on FTP
site sumex-aim.stanford.edu (36.44.0.6) that is compatible with
A-Max 2.06.  For lack of a DeskJet printer, I have not tested this
driver with A-Max.  If someone has, please let me know if it was
compatible.

What Do All These Accessories for A-Max Cost?
---------------------------------------------
Here is a list of all the necessary items and of some optional
ones you may wish to purchase.  Be aware, of course, that many
of the optional items will also be of use on the Amiga side, so
aren't just for use by A-Max.
Prices are constantly fluctuating, so the prices listed below
are sure to be incorrect by the time you read this, but here
goes anyway:

                          Optional or
   Item                   Necessary?         Approx. Price
   -------------------------------------------------------
   A-Max II                   N                 $125
   Mac 128K ROMs              N                 $150
   Mac Floppy Drive           O                 $200
   Polarized Screen Filter    O                  $12
   A2320                      O                 $250
   flickerFixer               O                 $325
   VGA monitor                O                 $350
   JetLink Express            O                  $85

How Fast Is A-Max Compared To An Actual Macintosh?  Can A-Max
Be Accelerated?  What Accelerators Are Compatible with A-Max?
-------------------------------------------------------------
My personal tests (which agree with tests run by other A-Max users)
show that A-Max running on an unaccelerated 7.14 MHz Amiga 500 or
2000 runs about 14% faster than an actual Mac Plus.  This is roughly
equal to the speed of a Mac SE.  Any accelerator you add to your
Amiga side will likewise increase the speed of the A-Max side.  A-Max
will recognize 68020 and 68030 CPUs and 68881 and 68882 math
co-processors.

According to ReadySoft, every Amiga accelerator available on the
market as of this writing is compatible with A-Max.  The only
accelerators ReadySoft has ever experienced trouble with were the
first generation CSA processor accelerators.  CSA's currently
sold Mega-Midget racer products are third generation and are 100%
compatible with A-Max.

A-Max running on Amigas with 68030 CPUs will think they are running
under a 68020 CPU.  The popular belief on this subject is that A-Max
deliberately misreports the CPU in order to increase software
compatibility.

Thomas Tombs (tombs@ee.rochester.edu) at the University of Rochester
ran speed tests on A-Max II and posted the following results:

"Here are the results I got with my A3000-25/50 under AMAXII running
 'Speedometer 2.5' compared to various Macs running the same program:

 Note: Values in parentheses indicate Floating point unit was NOT used.
       Higher values indicate better performance except for the Sieve
       and Savage tests.

                        A3000/25/50     MacIIci      MacIIcx       MAC+
                      ------------------------------------------------------
KWhetstones/sec.        882.4(39.4)        -        588.2(60.3)   (7.37)

Dhrystones/sec.         2871(2717)         -        3736(3816)    (768.8)

Sieve (sec.)            3.70(3.83)         -        6.00(5.98)    (40.03)

Savage Cum. Error       7.988e-10          -        7.988e-10    (2.297e-11)
                        (2.297e-11)        -        (2.297e-11)    -
Savage Time (sec.)      8.52(71.43)        -        11.13(40.27)  (385.4)
Savage Iterations       25000(5000)        -        25000(5000)   (5000)

CPU test                  (6.40)         (5.15)       (4.25)       (.87)
Math test               95.27(5.24)      (9.79)     95.27(7.82)   (1.02)
Hard disk test             2.69           3.42         2.95         -
Performance rating        (5.42)         (5.73)       (4.96)        -

Will use of a 68040 accelerator cause any problems with A-Max II?
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Yes, it will cause problems.  ReadySoft will have to comment on
the compatibility of the A-Max Emulator itself; I will comment on
what I know about running Macintosh software on an '040.

There is not currently a release of the Macintosh system software that
is fully 68040 compatible, although 6.0.x versions can be modified to
be T040 compatible, and such patches are what Mac T040 vendors are
supplying with their products.  Apple is working on an official T040
compatible release right now in order to have software to run on their
pending '040 boxes.  System 7.0.1b9 is their most current '040 compatible
version.  As we all know, System 7 will not run on A-Max.

Current manufacturers of '040 boards for the Macintosh provide software
patches to make current Mac systems work with their products.  However,
these patches can't totally fix some software.  MacWeek had an article
on '040 compatibility recently, and listed some software packages that
were totally, partially, and not '040 compatible.  Some software works
fine as-is, some needs to be patched, some cannot be fixed.  Stuffit
Deluxe, Aldus Freehand, QuicKeys, MacDraw II, Pyro! 4, Suitcase II, and
Super Boomerang are all examples of software that ARE T040 compatible.
GOfer, Hypercard, MicroSoft Excel 3, and WriteNow are applications that
require the T040 copyback cache to be disabled.  PageMaker, After Dark
2.0, Disk Doubler, and Handoff II require patches to work.  MicroSoft
Word 4.0  and MicroSoft Excel 2.2 are entirely '040 incompatible (real
surprise, huh? ;-).  (Source: MacWeek, 6/4/91, p. 47). You have to test
with each and every piece of software, each init, each control panel,
each desk accessory to check its compatibility, if you are unable to
obtain such info from its publisher.

Instead of a 68040 board, perhaps heavy A-Max users should consider a
GVP 50 MHz '030 board (or compatible; this isnUt a GVP plug).  Avoid
the whole '040 problem.

What Are The Differences Between The Original A-Max and A-Max II?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The differences between A-Max (the original Mac emulator by ReadySoft,
released in 1989) and A-Max II (the update to A-Max which was released
in the late summer of 1990) are entirely in the software, and the
differences are considerable.  A-Max emulated a Mac 512E while
A-Max II emulates a Mac Plus.  A-Max II allows use of hard drives,
emulates digitized Mac sound, offers more memory configuration
options, and version 2.0.6 of A-Max II has now finally corrected the
bugs with printing from A-Max.

One other notable difference is that you could use 64K Mac ROMs
with A-Max, you cannot use them with A-Max II - it requires the
128K ROMs.  This is a software requirement though; the same
cartridge is used.

Why you should get A-Max II if you own the original A-Max
---------------------------------------------------------
* If you own a hard drive, this is the biggest reason.  The Mac, just
  like the Amiga (or nearly any computer) becomes a whole new beast
  when you add a hard drive.  You will wonder how you ever did without it.
* If you intend to print from the Mac side, you won't get good results
  without the newest (March 13, 1991) version of A-Max II.
* If you own an Amiga 3000 with more than 8 megs of RAM, you need the
  newest version to avoid memory problems.
* Some software will run on a Mac Plus but not a Mac 512E.
* Sound, while considered by some to be a luxury, is part of the Mac
  system, and you aren't getting the whole picture with the original
  A-Max, which only emulated the basic Mac "beep."

These are the big reasons.  There are many other less significant
(but possibly important to you) bugs that were fixed between the
versions.  I personally feel that the $54 upgrade price I paid for
A-Max II was well worth it.

What Problems Were Corrected With Version 2.06 Of A-Max II?
-----------------------------------------------------------
The long-awaited version 2.06 was finally finished on March 13,
1991.  This version corrects at least two major bugs, corrects
a long-standing inconsistency with AmigaDOS, and corrects some
unnamed minor bugs.  Quoting from the README file on the disk:

"Amigas with > 8 Mb RAM:
 Version 2.06 functions correctly with large RAM A3000s. The maximum
 selectable Mac system size is 8Mb; the maximum addressable by A-Max
 is 12 Mb.  So if, for example, you have an A3000 with 16 Mb 32-bit
 RAM, and 1 Mb chip RAM (sic), A-Max will at most use 8Mb of 32-bit
 for Mac system memory, 192K of 32-bit for A-Max code, 128K chip RAM
 for A-Max use, and approximately 3.5 Mb 32-bit for the RAM disk.  Of
 course these numbers only apply to the MMU memory mode."

Another problem fixed in 2.06 is a bug that corrupted printouts to a
LaserJet, DeskJet, InkJet, or BubbleJet printer using 3rd party printer
drivers.  Now that this is fixed, it opens the door to A-Max owners who
would like to use inexpensive non-Postscript laser printers and still
obtain high-quality output.  See the printer options section for more
info.

Until 2.06, A-Max II had required that A-Max hard drive partitions be
physically named with the first fo   
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