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The Commodore 64 vs. the iPhone 3G S
Harry writes "The unfortunate news about Apple rejecting a Commodore 64 emulator from the iPhone App Store inspired me to compare the C64 to the new iPhone 3G S, in more detail than any rational person is likely to compare them, ever again. If nothing else, it's a snapshot of just how far technology has come since the C64's release in August of 1982."
Good overview of the two technologies.
One point of correction the iPhone has successful run Apache so it can be used as a web server (for what it's worth). Here's a related article -
http://www.modmyi.com/forums/native-iphone-ipod-touch-app-launches/2665-apache-iphone-how-cool.html
MOS Technology VIC-II; no 3D capability
True, but at the time, 2D hardware features were as much a bullet-point as 3D acceleration today, and the C64 had some quite impressive 2D tricks up its sleeve.
No kidding!!! What do you say at this point?
It used a 6510, which is a modified version of the 6502 with an extra IO port.
It's quite clear that an emulator is OK as long as it can only run the app sold with it, and not arbitrary code.
It's okay to use this device that you've bought for running Apple-approved software, but not for running arbitrary code. That's not FUD, it's Apple's policy. If you're happy with a device that has this kind of restriction, then that's great, enjoy yourself.
I am TheRaven on Soylent News
I think you have to buy the development key ($99) to deploy to a physical phone, but you can write whatever you like and deploy it to your phone. You can deploy to as many as 50 different phones without going through the app store or buying a site license.
I don't remember for sure - you might even be able to deploy to a phone that's physically connected to your Mac without paying anything.
I agree that you're nowhere near as free on the iPhone as we were on the C64, but it's just wrong to say that we can't run any code we like on our phone.
I think it's also worth pointing out that there are huge potential exploits on a phone that weren't there on a C64. E.g. I could distribute a free app that eventually calls a 1-900 number I own, with no modem sticking out the back for you to disconnect.
I have written and distributed an iPhone app (and written C64 apps), so I'm not just spouting BS.
Except it's not clear. There's a Brainfuck interpreter, as well as a Z-machine interpreter. Both execute arbitrary code which can be downloaded from a remote source, or entered right on the device itself.
Well... you can check this and then answer that yourself...
Well if you really want to nitpick, the 300 bits per second should be 300 baud. But hey, I guess all nitpickers aren't perfect.
/^([Ss]ame [Bb]at (time, |channel.)){2}$/
http://www.gamebase64.com/ This database has 20000 games. Those are just the ones they've found and it doesn't even include actual applications, only games. The total number of programs for the C-64 is probably far more than 50000.
Apple rejects anything they think will turn them away from the phone's operation or make changes to it.
PUT IT ON ANDROID and WM. You Won't be rejected there.
No Flash
No competitive Browsers
No File Exploring
No downloading to the phone
and people say I should get an iPhone, there's a couple of reasons NOT to.
"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." -Dr. Seuss