Virtual Apple 2
August 22, 2004
Platform: Javascript
VirtualApple is a website that boasts over 1100 disk images of Apple II, IIe, and IIgs games and other software. Through the use of an ActiveX application and an Apple IIgs emulator, you can now enjoy Apple II software from years gone by, and do it all online using Microsoft IE and Windows—though, ironically, there is no current support for Macs. There is nothing to download and install, the browser handles everything. It's a great way to relive a little bit of computing history. Click.
Take for instance, Karateka, one of the more impressive games for the Apple II, released in 1984 and created by Jordan Mechner of Prince of Persia fame. Click.
is there any IP / copyright illegality with this? I mean it screams infringment!
I imagine there is some copyright law being broken somewhere amidst the piles of disk images available on the VirtualApple site. However, as with all things in a capitalist economy, it all comes down to money, and there probably is not a lot of money to be made off the Apple II anymore.
From the perspective of digital preservation, I believe the project has merit. I'm not about to go out and buy a 20+ year old system, nor the software to go with it—assuming it's even available anymore. Therefore, as long as there are sites that make it easy for me to relive a little history, I'm going to take advantage of it. Otherwise, these great old programs might be lost forever.
I think it's great. I was actually looking for some of the games for the Apple ][e... I'm stoked that someone is archiving them. This is a website that should be preserved for as a historical snapshot of the beginning of computer games. Yeah the arcades had stuff, but the Apple ][ games were a big step in the development of PC (and XBox type) games.
As of 2-4-06 it appears that someone has hijacked the VirtualApple.com domain name. The website is now a front for a sales-oriented site.
Does anyone know where the Apple emulation site went?
The domain changed from virtualapple.com to virtualapple.org. The links above have been changed accordingly. Thanks, Bill! =)
Update