C-64 Emulator App Approved For iPhone, Pulled From the App Store

Andy Chalk

One Flag, One Fleet, One Cat
Nov 12, 2002
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C-64 Emulator App Approved For iPhone, Pulled From the App Store


Just a couple of days after it finally gained approval, a Commodore 64 emulator app for the iPhone has been pulled from the App Store over concerns that users can access the software's underlying BASIC programming language.

Despite its obvious appeal to nostalgic gamers, the very long and drawn-out approval process [http://www.c64iphone.com/]. Apple was apparently worried about the presence of the BASIC programming language and the potential havoc users could unleash with it; after some negotiations, developer Manomio removed access to the BASIC shell and Apple finally gave it the thumbs-up. It became an immediate hit, breaking the top-20 paid games list in most territories within two days.

All was well for a day or so, until some enterprising folks discovered that BASIC wasn't actually removed, just hidden, and that accessing it was a remarkably simple procedure. Needless to say, Apple wasn't too happy about this particular turn of events and responded by immediately pulling the game.

Manomio claims it only recently became aware of the trick and has submitted a new build of the emulator to Apple which properly removes BASIC access. Unfortunately, it didn't arrive in time to keep the emulator from being removed from the App Store, so the studio is now trying to arrange a meeting with Apple to clear up the matter and get the program back on the App Store "as quickly as possible."

Source: Pocket Gamer [http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/iPhone/C64/news.asp?c=15432]


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RRilef

Dangerfield Newby
Jan 5, 2009
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Can someone explain to a non-programmer, why having access to the BASIC would be a bad thing.
 

Megacherv

Kinect Development Sucks...
Sep 24, 2008
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RRilef said:
Can someone explain to a non-programmer, why having access to the BASIC would be a bad thing.
I've just started Software development at college and have programmed a bit of BASIC before, and I don't even know why
 

AceDiamond

New member
Jul 7, 2008
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Ok seriously. I don't even remember how to program in BASIC and I spent 2 years fiddling around with it. I don't even think people would've known that BASIC was being used on the iPhone if Apple hadn't flown off the handle at this.

The lengths that Apple go to over things like this is baffling at times.
 
Feb 13, 2008
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RRilef said:
Can someone explain to a non-programmer, why having access to the BASIC would be a bad thing.
With a C64 BASIC, there was instructions like USR/POKE/PEEK that changed machine code instructions inside the RAM. In real layman's terms, it allowed you to hack the memory very slowly.

Real shame though as some of the C64 stuff was truly stunning.
 

redisforever

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Oct 5, 2009
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Do people that bought it still have it accessible on the phone, or will they get a refund and it gets removed?