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The Commodore 64 vs. the iPhone 3G S

Posted by timothy on from the next-week-chocolate-torte-vs.-charles-manson dept.

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."

16 of 238 comments (clear)

  1. The developers are spreading FUD by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's quite clear what Apple approved was selling individual C64 games or apps individually that used an emulator underneath. Not a full fledged emulator that would let you program your own games, or play whatever C64 software you have.

    Apple probably read their website and realized their goal was quite different then what they were told earlier.

    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.

    1. Re:The developers are spreading FUD by Sockatume · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I do wonder about Apple's policy there. Ostensibly, it's to stop you running an unapproved app by running it in an emulator, but they're perfectly happy to approve apps which pull down arbitrary and equally unapproved content from the web.

      --
      No kidding!!! What do you say at this point?
  2. Price comparison by furby076 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The iPhone 3G S has 4,000 times the RAM (256MB) for one-third the price (with an AT&T contract)

    Your price comparison is not really good. You should compare an uncontracted iphone price (500 or 600) to that of a c64. The contract lock is worth money - especially considering how much you buy to maintain your service. THen again you get more from the contract (phone service, access to the internet, etc). So a better comparison is the straight phone price to the c64 price.

    --

    I do not support "The Man". I also do not support your irrational stupidity
  3. Re:Missing categories... by blinking_at · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Attached Physical Keyboard

  4. Unfair comparison -- didn't include FREEDOM by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    They forgot to include FREEDOM. You were free on the C64, no one could stop you from making applications, running them and distributing them freely to friends, who in turn, without big brother watching, could distribute your creations as well. You're not even allowed ot run a python interpreter on the iphone.

    And don't tell me about jailbreaking, jailbreaking is a DMCA violation and if AT&T catches you, you will be kicked off their network. You don't have control of your device, with the C64 you did.

    1. Re:Unfair comparison -- didn't include FREEDOM by LWATCDR · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Calm down.
      I agree not only could you write any code you wanted for free but Commodore included the scematics of the C-64! At least they did with mine but I had an early one.
      Not only that people disassembled the kernel and wrote books that included the listing and nobody sent them a take down notice!
      That was simpler time full of Compute and Byte magazine and taking your best girl to see ET and WarGames.

      --
      See my blog http://ilovecookes.blogspot.com/ for light hearted technical information.
  5. The only comparison that matters by h4rr4r · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The only comparison that matters is you could write and run your own code on the C64 and you cannot on the iPhone.

    1. Re:The only comparison that matters by Tom · · Score: 2, Insightful

      You can. You just need to either jailbreak it, or become an iPhone developer, which is ridiculously easy.

      --
      Assorted stuff I do sometimes: Lemuria.org
    2. Re:The only comparison that matters by LihTox · · Score: 2, Insightful

      The only comparison that matters is you could write and run your own code on the C64 and you cannot on the iPhone.

      Hmm, I would have thought another important distinction would be that one of them fits in your pocket, and the other is the size of a breadbox, not including the monitor.

      Not to dismiss the calls for greater openness on the iPhone, which I fully support, but I can't help but imagine what a typical C64 user back in the day would think about this conversation. "Wait, you want to run a program on your WHAT? Your PHONE? Does your program have to be all in numbers, or what? Can I program with a rotary dial?" (I know most phones were touch-tone at the time, but we still had a rotary dial.)

      It's just funny. :)

  6. Re:Flash and Java by Serious+Callers+Only · · Score: 3, Insightful

    isn't the C64 emulator a sandbox?

    ActionScript and Java run in a sandbox, but they're rejected too.

    Javascript or Brainfuck also run arbitrary code in a sandbox, but they're not rejected.

    Welcome to the topsy-turvy world of the Apple app store, where any app could be removed at any time, because they could all be interpretted as infringing some part of the SDK rules.

  7. The emulator thing has an easy acid test by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Can you create your own app store, and cut Apple's 30% (what is their cut of every app sold?) out of the equation? Don't assume because an app is free, download and popularity data isn't worthless.

    If yes, reject app. If no, move to some other random criteria.

    The emulator clause is clearly spelled out in the developer agreement.

  8. Re:You *can* write & run your own code on the by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    You can deploy to as many as 50 different phones without going through the app store or buying a site license.

    I'm trying to image a C64 developer proudly crowing, "We're allowed to sell 50 copies!"

  9. Re:Nice comparison by Hatta · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Wouldn't it be more appropriate to compare the iPhone 3GS to the Apple IIgs?

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    Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!
  10. Could have made me an iPhone customer! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Wow, this would have gotten me to buy an iPhone! I didn't think anything could. Thanks for turning me away, Apple.

  11. I LUV MY C64! by sxmjmae · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I saved and saved to get my C64. Way better than that stupid VIC 20.

    I have hundreds games for it. About a dozen or so game that I enjoy so much I keep my C64 around and 'load' it up so I can play them. A emulator for the Iphone/touch would be something I would love to have and pay for it - provided it had the games I love to play.

    --
    My Sig indicates the end of the comment I posted.
  12. Re:Oh well... by The+Slashdot+Guy · · Score: 2, Insightful

    You don't already have one?