Apple to Pull 'iDOS 2' DOS Emulator From App Store

[hot-gril]

As a 20-year veteran of Apple products, Windows 11 is looking more alluring by the day.

Seriously. Microsoft is opening up just as Apple is closing in on itself. I used to be an unapologetic Mac aficionado. Now I'm almost ashamed on behalf of Apple's abhorrent business practices.

I really liked Apple until Jobs died, then I knew the fun was over. Thing is, Windows still sucks IDK about 11, but I've got 10 on a PC here, and it's gotten worse in as many ways as it's gotten better. Super controlling, more so than macOS.

 

[hans1972]

In my country there is a meme/saying, which can be politely translated like this:
"If your choice is limited to two rather similar options, the chance they both are total crap nears 100%"

If you want the original, search for "Escobar's axiom of choice".

But in this case they're really different. Android allows you multiple app stores and you can side load any app.

So if Android and iOS is near equal in all other respects, they are different with regards to this area, and so it would be better to go Android if you want to run any kind of app any kind of developer makes.

 

[hans1972]

So sick of this pointless, useless comment.

How about you contribute something constructive, rather than just rehashing the same tired unconstructive line again and again. We know we know, we have options. But i suspect this isn't the real reason for this tired line being trotted out again and again.

Switching to Android is a constructive advice since it will solve this problem and has for over 10 years.

What isn't constructive is buying a device which are lacking feature and possibilities you need.

 

[hans1972]

Being able to load already bought DOS classic games (which is still have) is pure piracy.

Copying a copyrighted game to a new medium (except for backup purposes) are likely a copyright violation, thus piracy, in the US.

Also most people running old games in an emulator hasn't copied the game from their original diskette but rather downloaded a copy from the Internet which in the US are illegal.

 

[hans1972]

If executing code is forbidden, how is Pythonista a thing?

There are exceptions for developer tools for educational purposes if you can provide the source for the executable code.
So iDOS would probably be allowed if they provided the source code for all the DOS games and allowed the end user to edit the code and compile.

 

[Wildkraut]

Copying a copyrighted game to a new medium (except for backup purposes) are likely a copyright violation, thus piracy, in the US.

Also most people running old games in an emulator hasn't copied the game from their original diskette but rather downloaded a copy from the Internet which in the US are illegal.

Well, I'm in Germany, here you can copy for yourself to any medium, as long you're not removing copy protections e.g. like DRM. Same for backup copies.

 

[aevan]

I do not buy phones that I cannot unlock the bootloader on. If I chose to run an alternative OS on hardware I bought, It's my business. If I want to run an app that corrupts my device, as long as I don't go back to the manufacturer; it's my business.

That is fine, and there are phones like that. I want a phone where no one can run alternative OS on because the only reason you can stop humans from making a mess out of something and using it for bad things is to take away some of their control.

So, let’s keep iPhones as they are, you grab a different phone, everyone’s happy.

 

[hans1972]

Absolute tyranny. Apple can go screw themselves.

THIS is why we need competing app stores on iOS. THIS is why we need sideloading.

Apple has NO BUSINESS forcing us to have crippled devices. It’s MY device. I should be able to install WHATEVER I want on it.

You have NO BUSINESS forcing Apple to have an open store. It's THEIR store. They should be able to deny selling WHATEVER they want.

Respect for private property.

 

[hans1972]

Well, I'm in Germany, here you can copy for yourself to any medium, as long you're not removing copy protections e.g. like DRM. Same for backup copies.

That's how it works in much of Europe.

But can you copy to new devices indefinitely without each time copying from the original? Also you probably need the original medium in your possession. So copying from diskette to hard drive in the 90's, throwing the diskette away, and then keep copying the files from hard drive to hard drive as you get new machines and then copying it to an iPhone or iPad? Would that be legal even in Europe? I doubt it.

I'm pretty sure that most people playing DOS games would even break most European copyright laws since they copied it from the Internet or they don't currently own a license to the game.

 

[hot-gril]

How about you contribute something constructive, rather than just rehashing the same tired unconstructive line again and again. We know we know, we have options. But i suspect this isn't the real reason for this tired line being trotted out again and again.

No, it is the real reason. It's pretty simple. Also, just cause you think Apple has the right to their own OS doesn't mean you agree with their choices. I don't buy their new stuff anymore cause I'm done with their attitude (that 2019 MBP was employer-provided).

 

[hot-gril]

It is interesting that apple doesn't allow user loaded executable code in apps. Yet allows chrome.

But maybe chrome is only allowed because it uses apple's javascript engine.

So if you convert iDos to create webasm byte code and then ran that in apple's javascript engine would it be allowed?

Probably would be allowed if it weren't for the piracy side of it. Though at that point there's no need for an app rather than doing it in-browser.

 

[hot-gril]

Yeah sure f-droid is full of piracy.
Yeah Epic Store is full of piracy.
Yeah GOG Store is full of piracy.
Being able to have a Gecko powered original Firefox Browser is pure piracy.
Being able to to have a Browser to load up uBlock is piracy.
Being able to compile binary with alternative compilers is pure piracy.
Being able to load already bought DOS classic games (which is still have) is pure piracy.
Being able to run my own CDN and Store is pure piracy.
Being able to even run stuff like brew.sh would be pure piracy.
Being able to run a decent terminal is pure piracy.
Being able to emulate Windows Games over something like Wine or Steams fork aka. Proton is pure piracy.
Being able to have a native clearly more performant Game Streaming App for XBox Cloud, Stadia, Geforce NOW is also pure piracy.
etc.

I could keep typing down the list till by fingers starts bleeding with non-piracy related sideloading benefits.
Sideloading would clearly benefit all users.

This is a big list of the many random places you have to go to to download stuff on a PC and the many things people do on PCs that they rarely care about doing on phones. Except you left out the ones that are piracy.

 

[lolOwO]

Absolute tyranny. Apple can go screw themselves.

THIS is why we need competing app stores on iOS. THIS is why we need sideloading.

Apple has NO BUSINESS forcing us to have crippled devices. It’s MY device. I should be able to install WHATEVER I want on it.

its your device. its not your software. im not sure why you think you have the right to use the force of the law to make apples software engineers modify their OS to suit your needs.

and you CAN install whatever you want on it, if you find out a way to hack into the phone. you can use your big brain intellect to modify whatever you want in the phone. just dont demand someone else to do it for you

 

[Maconplasma]

I've been using retroarch and other opensource emulators on Android for years. Apple needs to get over this control complex and give power users that know what they're doing the option to sideload apps.

And how is Apple supposed to know who a power is and who is not one? And how is side-loading apps something a power user does? Honestly it sounds like non-Apple equipment better suits you.

 

[Maconplasma]

Absolute tyranny. Apple can go screw themselves.

THIS is why we need competing app stores on iOS. THIS is why we need sideloading.

Apple has NO BUSINESS forcing us to have crippled devices. It’s MY device. I should be able to install WHATEVER I want on it.

LOL what? Apple is a company that sells products. They can't force anyone to do anything. It's your decision as a consumer to choose the products you want to use. Apple has every right and business to decide how their software is used because it's licensed to the user, not purchased.

 

[Mockletoy]

There is no competition. Either use iOS with with Apple's forced rules on what you can or can't do or use Android and sell your soul to Google and other data collectors. Not to mention that horrid OS GUI and UX. Pick your poison.

Bingo. That's basically where I am. Apple is doing a lot of things lately that really annoy me and I'd love to vote with my wallet and vacate the walled garden. Problem is, everything else is even worse. Most of it way worse.

Which is why a duopoly might as well be a monopoly. Consumers are just as screwed.

 

[chilly willy]

I’m personally cool with walled garden for iOS and my iPhone. I do also like to be able to do things outside the garden my phone lives in. So I accepted limits to iOS ( and Mac/MacOS as far as certain software I use for things like gaming) and built a gaming PC. I guess I see my Apple stuff as my primary vehicle, and PC is my pickup truck for certain tasks. I don’t feel need to use emulation software to play my favorite old games , but I can on PC if I want to. Yes, I know point is using it on iPhone, but there are some options besides leaving Apple completely. I don’t really play games on my iPhone, but I have friends that do and may well use this app. I hope there’s a way of that can be found to provide this kind of thing for iPhone users that Apple will accept - and does not violate copyright law.
Apparently there is a ton of stuff that’s “abandoned”, but who knows, maybe some of my attorney brethren who practice copyright law will see a ton of new business now that this has come to light. 😆

 

[Wildkraut]

This is a big list of the many random places you have to go to to download stuff on a PC and the many things people do on PCs that they rarely care about doing on phones. Except you left out the ones that are piracy.

You forgot that it's also about the iPad.

 

[Wildkraut]

That's how it works in much of Europe.

But can you copy to new devices indefinitely without each time copying from the original? Also you probably need the original medium in your possession. So copying from diskette to hard drive in the 90's, throwing the diskette away, and then keep copying the files from hard drive to hard drive as you get new machines and then copying it to an iPhone or iPad? Would that be legal even in Europe? I doubt it.

I'm pretty sure that most people playing DOS games would even break most European copyright laws since they copied it from the Internet or they don't currently own a license to the game.

Well, it's sometimes a grey zone.
No you don't always need to have the original medium in possession, but i think you must have some valid excuses in case it becomes relevant someday, why you don't own it anymore. E.g. if your house burns down and you restore backups from some cloud backup, thats main the purpose of having a backup, but people are creative. Music, Video and Books you can copy too and these can be even given to closer friends.
EU is not so strict like the US. E.g. here in Germany you can legally resell used digital, split volume licenses, or OEM versions of Windows and other Software, too. while in the US it's not allowed.

 

[4743913]

You have NO BUSINESS forcing Apple to have an open store. It's THEIR store. They should be able to deny selling WHATEVER they want.

lol. do they bake cakes?

 

[AstonSmith]

I purchased this program yesterday. I typed in the following command:

Mount s ~/

Then I typed in

Dir S:

Yikes! I can see why Apple pulled it down :O

It's not as bad as it looks. The application can only access files within its own private container, which is normal for any app. You can mount root and see some of the directory structure, but pretty much everywhere is inaccessible.

I bought this back in 2015, but removed it soon after. I have reinstalled it because it's about to vanish, but I guess I don't have a pressing need for DOS on-the-go.

 

[MacPro2006VBox]

It's not as bad as it looks. The application can only access files within its own private container, which is normal for any app. You can mount root and see some of the directory structure, but pretty much everywhere is inaccessible.

I bought this back in 2015, but removed it soon after. I have reinstalled it because it's about to vanish, but I guess I don't have a pressing need for DOS on-the-go.

I mean look at Minecraft… it allows you to sideload worlds, resource packs and behavior packs. The way iDOS works is no different in the sense it’s self contained.

 

[hot-gril]

You forgot that it's also about the iPad.

iPad is a different story from iPhone. They're kinda pointless devices, and I hope they merge them into the Mac line.

 

[Maconplasma]

iPad is a different story from iPhone. They're kinda pointless devices, and I hope they merge them into the Mac line.

That's quite a bold and powerful statement to make. You're probably going to get a few replies disagreeing with you.

 

[Wildkraut]

iPad is a different story from iPhone. They're kinda pointless devices, and I hope they merge them into the Mac line.

lol it is surely not a PC replacement as Apple loves to advert, but calling an iPad a pointless device is BS. More likely macOS will become locked like ipadOS/iOS. If no law comes to the rescue, I give it max 3-5 years, then it’s gameover with macOS sideloading.