Macenstein

Posted by Dr. Macenstein

Programmer Marc S. Ressl has developed an Apple II emulator called AppleIIGo, available as a Mac OS X widget, a webpage Java applet, and a mobile phone midlet. Using the widget, you can play such Apple II classics as “Lemonade Stand ” (One of Apple’s first games), Arkanoid, Tetris 2, and of course, Oregon Trail.

However, there is one caveat to using AppleIIGo, as the site explains:

“To fully use AppleIIGo you need an Apple ][, Apple ][+ or Apple //e ROM image. This ROM image is copyrighted by Apple, and you must be licensed to use it. If you own an original Apple II you are implicitly licensed to use the software in the ROM of that machine. You do not need to make a copy of your ROM, as ROM files can be found on the Internet.”

To that end, Ressl is nice enough to include links to all the various Apple II ROM images and games you might want, but he writes (with a wink, if that’s possible):

“For your convenience you can see below a link to the Asimov FTP archive. Under no circumstance should you use any Apple II ROM image if you are not legally entitled to do so.”

RIGHT.

Well, we certainly doubt Apple is worried about protecting the intellectual rights of the Apple II series of ROM images, but just in case, we recommend if you have any interest in this, download it sooner than later. Just the fact that Tetris is involved could bring down the wrath of law firm Norris McLaughlin & Marcus, PA, who earlier this year attempted to (thanks MariusTh) shut down the makers of Tetris-clone-maker “Quinn”.

Thanks to Macenstein reader Heather S for sending that one in!