AppleWin
Encyclopedia
AppleWin is an open source
software emulator
for running Apple II
programs in Microsoft Windows. AppleWin was originally written by Mike O'Brien
in 1994 ; O'Brien himself announced an early version of the emulator in April 1995 just before the release of Windows 95
. Development of AppleWin passed to Oliver Schmidt and is now maintained by Tom Charlesworth. AppleWin originally required a minimum Intel 486 CPU and is written in C++
.
AppleWin has support for most programs that could run either on the Apple II+
or the Apple IIe
. By default, AppleWin emulates the Extended Keyboard IIe (better known as the Platinum IIe) with built-in 80-column text support, 128 kilobytes of RAM, two 5¼-inch floppy disk
drives, a joystick
, a serial card
and 65C02
CPU. AppleWin supports lo-res, hi-res, and double hi-res graphics modes and can emulate both color and monochrome Apple II monitors; later versions of AppleWin also can emulate a television
set used as a monitor. Both 40-column and 80-column text is supported.
AppleWin can emulate the Apple II joystick (using the PC's default controller), paddle controllers
(using the computer mouse), and can also emulate the Apple II joystick using the PC keyboard. AppleWin can also use the PC speaker
to emulate the Apple II's sound if no sound card is available (does not work under NT-based Windows versions). Full screen mode is available through the use of DirectX
. Features added to the latest versions of AppleWin include Ethernet
support using Uthernet, Mockingboard
and Phasor
sound card
support, SSI263 speech synthesis, hard drive disk images, save states, and taking screenshots.
and DOS 3.3
disk image formats as well as copy-protected programs copied with "nibble copiers" to a disk image.
Specifically, AppleWin recognizes .BIN, .DO, .DSK, .NIB, and .PO filename extensions as Apple II disk image files along with reading disk images from compressed (.zip / .gzip) files. Disk images may also be optionally "write protected" if they are mounted as "Read Only."
Open source
The term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...
software emulator
Emulator
In computing, an emulator is hardware or software or both that duplicates the functions of a first computer system in a different second computer system, so that the behavior of the second system closely resembles the behavior of the first system...
for running Apple II
Apple II
The Apple II is an 8-bit home computer, one of the first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products, designed primarily by Steve Wozniak, manufactured by Apple Computer and introduced in 1977...
programs in Microsoft Windows. AppleWin was originally written by Mike O'Brien
Mike O'Brien (game developer)
Mike O'Brien is one of the three co-founders and current president of ArenaNet and the leader of the Design and Content teams for Guild Wars. Previously, he worked as a company director and a lead programmer at Blizzard Entertainment where he developed the 3D rendering engine of Warcraft III: Reign...
in 1994 ; O'Brien himself announced an early version of the emulator in April 1995 just before the release of Windows 95
Windows 95
Windows 95 is a consumer-oriented graphical user interface-based operating system. It was released on August 24, 1995 by Microsoft, and was a significant progression from the company's previous Windows products...
. Development of AppleWin passed to Oliver Schmidt and is now maintained by Tom Charlesworth. AppleWin originally required a minimum Intel 486 CPU and is written in C++
C++
C++ is a statically typed, free-form, multi-paradigm, compiled, general-purpose programming language. It is regarded as an intermediate-level language, as it comprises a combination of both high-level and low-level language features. It was developed by Bjarne Stroustrup starting in 1979 at Bell...
.
AppleWin has support for most programs that could run either on the Apple II+
Apple II Plus
The Apple II Plus was the second model of the Apple II series of personal computers produced by Apple Computer, Inc. It was sold new from June 1979 to December 1982.-Features:...
or the Apple IIe
Apple IIe
The Apple IIe is the third model in the Apple II series of personal computers produced by Apple Computer. The e in the name stands for enhanced, referring to the fact that several popular features were now built-in that were only available as upgrades and add-ons in earlier models...
. By default, AppleWin emulates the Extended Keyboard IIe (better known as the Platinum IIe) with built-in 80-column text support, 128 kilobytes of RAM, two 5¼-inch floppy disk
Floppy disk
A floppy disk is a disk storage medium composed of a disk of thin and flexible magnetic storage medium, sealed in a rectangular plastic carrier lined with fabric that removes dust particles...
drives, a joystick
Joystick
A joystick is an input device consisting of a stick that pivots on a base and reports its angle or direction to the device it is controlling. Joysticks, also known as 'control columns', are the principal control in the cockpit of many civilian and military aircraft, either as a center stick or...
, a serial card
Serial port
In computing, a serial port is a serial communication physical interface through which information transfers in or out one bit at a time...
and 65C02
WDC 65C02
The Western Design Center WDC 65C02 microprocessor is an upgraded CMOS version of the popular NMOS-based MOS Technology 6502 8-bit CPU — the CMOS redesign being made by Bill Mensch of the Western Design Center...
CPU. AppleWin supports lo-res, hi-res, and double hi-res graphics modes and can emulate both color and monochrome Apple II monitors; later versions of AppleWin also can emulate a television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
set used as a monitor. Both 40-column and 80-column text is supported.
AppleWin can emulate the Apple II joystick (using the PC's default controller), paddle controllers
Paddle (game controller)
A paddle is a game controller with a round wheel and one or more fire buttons, where the wheel is typically used to control movement of the player object along one axis of the video screen...
(using the computer mouse), and can also emulate the Apple II joystick using the PC keyboard. AppleWin can also use the PC speaker
PC speaker
A PC speaker is a loudspeaker, built into some IBM PC compatible computers. The first IBM Personal Computer, model 5150, employed a standard 2.25 inch magnetic driven speaker. More recent computers use a piezoelectric speaker instead. The speaker allows software and firmware to provide...
to emulate the Apple II's sound if no sound card is available (does not work under NT-based Windows versions). Full screen mode is available through the use of DirectX
DirectX
Microsoft DirectX is a collection of application programming interfaces for handling tasks related to multimedia, especially game programming and video, on Microsoft platforms. Originally, the names of these APIs all began with Direct, such as Direct3D, DirectDraw, DirectMusic, DirectPlay,...
. Features added to the latest versions of AppleWin include Ethernet
Ethernet
Ethernet is a family of computer networking technologies for local area networks commercially introduced in 1980. Standardized in IEEE 802.3, Ethernet has largely replaced competing wired LAN technologies....
support using Uthernet, Mockingboard
Mockingboard
The Mockingboard is a sound card for the Apple II family of microcomputers built by Sweet Micro Systems. The standard Apple II machines never had particularly good sound, especially when compared to competitors like the SID chip-enabled Commodore 64...
and Phasor
Phasor (sound synthesizer)
Phasor is a stereo music, sound and speech synthesizer created by Applied Engineering for the Apple II family of computers. Consisting of a sound card and a set of related software, the Phasor system was designed to be compatible with most software written for other contemporary Apple II cards,...
sound card
Sound card
A sound card is an internal computer expansion card that facilitates the input and output of audio signals to and from a computer under control of computer programs. The term sound card is also applied to external audio interfaces that use software to generate sound, as opposed to using hardware...
support, SSI263 speech synthesis, hard drive disk images, save states, and taking screenshots.
Supported Disk Images
AppleWin supports ProDOSProDOS
ProDOS was the name of two similar operating systems for the Apple II series of personal computers. The original ProDOS, renamed ProDOS 8 in version 1.2, was the last official operating system usable by all Apple II series computers, and was distributed from 1983 to 1993...
and DOS 3.3
Apple DOS
Apple DOS refers to operating systems for the Apple II series of microcomputers from late 1978 through early 1983. Apple DOS had three major releases: DOS 3.1, DOS 3.2, and DOS 3.3; each one of these three releases was followed by a second, minor "bug-fix" release, but only in the case of Apple DOS...
disk image formats as well as copy-protected programs copied with "nibble copiers" to a disk image.
Specifically, AppleWin recognizes .BIN, .DO, .DSK, .NIB, and .PO filename extensions as Apple II disk image files along with reading disk images from compressed (.zip / .gzip) files. Disk images may also be optionally "write protected" if they are mounted as "Read Only."