Keatah

IMHO changing chipsets and processors doesn't necessarily mean you have to have a new lineup/name. The 2021 MACs are likely to have ARM chips since intel has fallen far behind the energy efficiency curve and generally stagnated overall. But they will remain MACs because of the philosophy behind them. The IIgs philosophy was to be a bridge computer or that's how the public took it. Since Apple was in turmoil about its path forward at the time I don't know wtf they were thinking. It was different that's for sure.

Howabout save time and just tell us?

It just masks the more advanced features. It doesn't process 6502 instructions through a faster processor. "Emulation" doesn't apply here.

There is NO emulation in the IIgs. The Apple II circuitry is alive and well in the form of the MEGA II chip. Just like how the II & II+ chipcount was reduced to make the //e - same thing here. The //e chipcount was reduced to make the MEGA II.

Software programed around the original Apple II roms & firmware & memory map can't use any of the enhanced hardware like 3200 colors or the 16-bit mode or the Ensoniq hardware. For that you have to switch over to the "gs" side of things. And from there you can't access stuff like Applesoft Basic ROM and the vast library of II, II+, and //e software. 2 computers in one, with significantly different capabilities. And any company can call any product by any name if they want to.

Any mod can be non-destructive. Just depends on how you choose to do the work. Desoldering and lifting out parts instead of cutting them permanently. Executed with a bit of thought, every mod can be undone and the unit returned to stock. I hate that mod where they tell you to cut out the RF modulator and break off the connector. Just desolder it instead!!

These repackaging projects are a dime-a-dozen.

Thing is the II side can't really access any of the gs stuff.

And dark it was indeed. Things like C64 and Atari 400/800 began to mean nothing to me. Absolutely nothing. I was an idiot-sucker at the time and got into the Amiga. 1985 - 1993 maybe. Having grandiose visions of computer animation stuffed into my head by advertising. Constantly, fervently, searching for the right software that would let me do what I saw in the ads. But fail. Fail after fail. At length I discovered I would need much more than a stock A500 to do anything. Thousands of dollars would need to be spent. Eventually I gave up on that eco-sphere and thankfully the PC was there to "rescue" me away from mediocrity & frustration. When I got Microsoft Arcade and Activision's ActionPacks I knew I had the right platform. The $2300 I spent on a (1992-1993) 486 machine was suddenly worth it. And coincidentally the ActionPacks focused on the VCS! That was really nostalgic. Playing games from my 1977 cartridge-based system on a modern-day business computer! How fantastic and cool was that! And it was all generic hardware seemingly being sold everywhere. The 486 was just barely fast enough to crudely emulate the VCS - no doubt many liberties were taken to get the speed up. But it worked and I was blasted back in time. It was even MORE amazing that I found some rom images that weren't in the ActionPacks. Maybe even right from here at AtariAge! By renaming the files I recall getting things like Combat and Flag Capture and Video Pinball to work. But that was just the beginning of what would become 3 decade long renaissance. I think I also had an SMS around 1987-1988. I tried getting into it out of a desire to build up a 2nd "collection" of console games. The cost was utterly prohibitive and being the completist I was, utterly hopeless too. Would have spent thousands upon thousands. My SMS never amounted to much more than a handful of carts and cards. I never understood why they had both a card slot and a cartridge slot..? As far as MAME goes, it was a 2nd renaissance! This time it was for arcade machines and games I hadn't played in 15 years were slowly but surely becoming available. And not all too soon. I was getting bored of the arcades. My local hangout was sliding downhill and nothing good happened there after 11pm or so. Besides it was getting expensive to be spending $5 a week on tokens for games increasingly falling into disrepair. And those fighting games, ugh!

I never really had full appreciation for the VCS when it was in its prime in 1978-1984. Didn't develop it till 2012'ish or later by reading about how it worked and all the limitations imposed and tricks available. Mostly learned about it by watching Emulator Stella development. Like I said earlier, my parents and grandparents thought it was a baby game. For babies. Whatever. And in the 90's I never developed any interest in the N64 or PS1. Nothing much beyond experiencing the jealousy of the "rich" kids and grown-ups having walls of cartridges for it. I wasn't interested in cutesy games or sports games. And anything "Mario" was at the bottom of my list. Anyways, it didn't matter. PC was coming out with 3D cards and ever faster processors and a variety of simulation style games and stuff. Eventually PC would do an end-runaround all the early consoles I couldn't afford; both by native software and emulation. And content I was!

Yes. Altirra + laptop from wal-mart.

It's a bastardized hybrid that's confusing and kludged together. The machine can't get out of its own way. It has some of the essence of a II, but certainly not enough to call it a II at heart. The "gs" in IIgs doesn't even apply to the II portion of the machine. It's its own separate underpowered system.

Where do you think you would put it? I personally like emulators (and other programs for that matter) to always store their configuration in the local program folder with the main executable itself. Makes for easy portability and access and just plain'ol simplicity. Just a comment. It's of course your gig.

Which is what ebay wants! Straight away.

I wouldn't have gotten out of playing VCS in the late 80's if my parents and grandparents weren't calling it a baby game and that I should grow up and get a job. Eventually I was thrown out of the basement.

Eliminating dupes and excess accessories is a great way to bring a collection into focus and liven it up - whether by necessity or want. Removing excess bulk is another good thing. This doesn't mean you can only have 1 or 2 systems. Have as many as you can comfortably display and operate without frustration.

Great move! Once you're down to something manageable you'll enjoy what you have 10x more than ever before. What is it you want to keep?

I always set up the fireplace when I plan on doing emulator organizing and updating. Or when reading. Or doing ebay. Setting a mood makes for great nostalgia years later. I used to do big rubbermaid tubs. But now with the downsized and organized (mostly) Apple II stuff, smaller mid-size tubs work. I also don't limit myself to rubbermaid exclusively. There's all kinds of neat organizers to be had from the hardware store and wherever else. But whatever I pick I always make sure there's a little un-used space left, about 20% or so, to add items from time to time or"update" something.

Sounds nice. That's the way to do it. And without having to explain to strangers the why's and how's of what its all about. I STILL got Apple II shit from the turn of the century that I have NOT opened up yet. Still in the now-rotting boxes ebay sellers shipped it to me in.. Should be fun.

And proud of it!

It felt wrong to put the Apple II on the floor in front of a cheap television. The sophistication lifted the machine above the ignominy of being a mere console. Besides, having a keyboard on the floor is also, again, not ergonomically correct.

But. Profits from ads stating your (a hypocritical company's ads) doing eco things! Fuck'em all! Besides, anything "eco" doesn't last long and oftentimes needs 2x or 3x to do the same job.

And nothing worthwhile to put in them.