Re: running IIGS software on a Mac??

[dempson@actrix.gen.nz (David Empson)]

In article <33ctup$q2l@usenet.ins.cwru.edu>,
Greg D. Friedland <gdf2@po.CWRU.Edu> wrote:
> 
> 	Several years ago I upgraded from an Apple IIGS to a
> Mac LC. I no longer have the IIGS (it went in the trash
> several years ago) but by some weird quirk of fate I 
> still have the master disks for some of its software
> (Bard's Tale I,II,III). Is there any way I can run Bard's
> Tale on the LC?

Not the IIgs versions.  You could run Apple II versions, if you had
the Apple IIe card.

> 	I have heard about the Apple emulation card for the 
> LC but would rather not spend lots of money since 
> these games are the only IIGS software that I still 
> have.

I didn't think Bard's Tale II and III were released for the IIgs.
I've only seen Bard's Tale I.  There were II+/IIe/IIc versions of all
three.

(The IIgs versions would be on 3.5" disks, the IIe versions on 5.25"
disks.) 

The Apple IIe card is not particularly expensive.  You also have to
get a 5.25" drive, if you want to access any Apple II 5.25" disks.
The drive plugs into the connector on the IIe card.  You can access
Apple II 3.5" disks using the LC's internal 3.5" drive.

> 	I would rather have some software (preferably 
> freeware/shareware) to do the trick. I have also heard 
> about the II-in-a-mac software for emulating an Apple 
> II. However, this software costs around $130 and 
> according to many people is very slow.

It only supports black and white output (it was written to work on a
Mac Plus, or similar machines), and I think it only emulates an Apple
II+ (can someone correct me if I have this wrong?)

> 	I have transferred the IIGS files onto the LC using
> Apple File Exchange, however, the LC doesn't
> recognize any executable files among them. They
> are just displayed as documents.

You cannot execute programs written for another computer unless you
have an emulator.  (A minor exception is interpreted languages, such
as Logo, which may be portable to another Logo implementation.)

Executable programs are written in machine language (or a compiled
high-level language, producing machine language output).  To execute
these programs requires the microprocessor, hardware and software
environment of the computer for which they were written.  An emulator
simulates these components, allowing you to run the software on
another platform.

> 	I have heard about the freeware Apple II emulator
> program STM. Is this software Apple II+ specific
> or will it run IIGS software?

It is an Apple II+ emulator.  You cannot run IIe-specific programs,
let alone IIgs-specific programs.
-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz
Snail mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand