KEGS, the popular Apple II GS emulator, has just been updated to version 1.21. This latest release includes some key updates. Version 1.21 fixes a few known issues that users have reported which cropped up in version 1.20, including a bug that caused the emulator to hang after ejecting 3.5″ disks. This problem was caused by a debug statement that was accidentally left in for the release.
In addition, the new version also addresses an issue with French keyboards, where keys would repeat indefinitely.
The KEGS emulator, primarily developed by Kent Dickey, has been a favorite among retro computing enthusiasts for many years, providing a way to experience the classic Apple II GS computer on modern hardware. The emulator is free to download and use, and the source code is available on the project’s website at: https://kegs.sourceforge.net
To use KEGS, you must obtain a ROM image. Instructions on generating the ROM file will be provided later, but other emulator pages offer directions on creating one. Unfortunately, transferring files from an Apple IIgs to a non-Apple machine is tedious, and non-Apple machines cannot read the 800K 3.5″ disk format. One method is to create ShrinkIt disk archives of the desired 5.25″ or 3.5″ disks and then transfer the .SHK files to your computer via modem/serial line transfer or other means.
Once you have the .SHK files on your computer, extract the disk image from the archive using nulib. Then, modify the “config.kegs” file to specify the image’s location, and you’re ready to use KEGS. Nulib is similar to tar: “nulib tv foo.shk” lists the archive and “nulib xv foo.shk” extracts the disk image. If you have .BXY files, use “nulib xb foo.bxy” to extract the files.
KEGS is a highly accurate Apple IIgs emulator that can run on most Unix/Linux systems or Mac OS X computers at speeds ranging from 400MHz to 750MHz.
