Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!usc!apple!prw
From: prw@Apple.COM (Paul Wenker)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc
Subject: Re: Apple ][ emulation
Message-ID: <47236@apple.Apple.COM>
Date: 10 Dec 90 18:08:01 GMT
References: <1990Dec9.020034.1617@mercury> <9604@pasteur.Berkeley.EDU>
Organization: Apple Computer Inc., Cupertino, CA
Lines: 56

Before I get into this, I should warn people that I'm not exactly impartial
on this topic.  I'm part of the development team for LC's Apple IIe Card.

In article <9604@pasteur.Berkeley.EDU> c60a-cz@danube.Berkeley.EDU.UUCP (Donald Burr) writes:
>(Re: II in a Mac)
>
>II in a Mac is a fun little toy to play with, but if you want serious
>Apple II emulation, forget it.
>
>First off, you have to convert disks, through a null-modem cable hooked
>between a II and a Mac, before you can use them.  You can, however, mount
>an 800k-formatted 3.5" floppy directly, if you're using a SuperDrive.
>(the new 1.44M floppys that are in the newer machines)

This is more than just an inconvenience.  There is no way to convert copy
protected software, which includes probably 90% of all published software for
the IIe.

>The emulator itself is extremely slow, because it emulates a 6502 (not
>65C02), entirely through software.  On a Plus or Classic, it crawls.
>On an SE/30, it's a little better.
>
>The program maps slots to their Mac equivalent; slot 1 is the printer
>port, slot 2 is the modem port, slot 5 and 6 are disk drives, etc.

The slot configurations are hard coded.  Programs that rely on a different
configuration are out of luck.  It's also missing a few potentially useful
"cards" like the Memory Expansion Card and an AppleShare Workstation Card.

>It has 80-colum and graphics emulation built-in (lo-res and hi-res).

It also does 40-column text, but not double hi-res.  It is also limited to
black and white graphics.

>I ported several AppleSoft baSICK programs onto it, and ran them, success-
>fully, but they crawled.  I even ran a BBS system on it, which was written
>half in ML, half in BASIC, AND IT ACTUALLY WORKED!!  slow as molasses
>however.
>
>If you just wnat something to fool around with, then II in a Mac is ok.
>But if you want to do some serious application running, like AppleWorks
>or the like, then forget it.

"II in a Mac" does work, albeit slowly.  It also has the advantage that it will
run on any Mac, not just an LC with a card.

>______________________________________________________________________________
>Donald Burr, Univ of California, Berkeley | "I have a seperate mail-address
>INTERNET: c60a-cz@danube.Berkeley.edu     | for flames and other such nega-
>      or: 72540.3071@compuserve.COM       | tive msgs; it's called /dev/null."


=========================================================================
Paul Wenker				UUCP: prw@apple.com
Apple Computer, Inc.			AppleLink: PAUL
"All opinions are my own, etc."