An Apple of another color. (SoftPC 1.21, from Insignia Solutions Inc, computer software that emulates an IBM PC XT on an Apple Macintosh) (Software Review) (evaluation)

An Apple of another color

SoftPC 1.21 Insignia solutions Inc. 787 Lucerne Drive Sunnyvale, Calif. 94086 (408) 446-2228 List price: $595

+ Quite compatible, software-based PC XT emulation; easy file transfer between DOS and Mac portions of hard disk; most Mac desk accessories can be used in PC applications.

- Doesn't operate in background under MultiFinder; mouse emulation difficult; currently emulates only CGA graphics mode; requires high-powered Mac hardware.

The history of software that emulates one computer while running on another--on any system short of a Cray--has not been auspicious. Previous emulators, running on Macs and other machines, have worked, but just barely.

SoftPC, a programming tour de force, is an exception to this sorry history. It does a commendable job of emulating a 640-Kbyte IBM PC XT equipped with a CGA on Macintosh hardware.

But before you rush out and buy any PC emulator--hardware or software--you should think hard about just why it is you want to emulate an IBM PC on your Mac. Depending on the answer to that question (and on the hardware you already own, as well as budget constraints), you may find your needs better met with one of the hardware emulator boards or even with a PC or clone connected to your Mac. However, SoftPC will often be the emulation of choice. The more we used it the more we liked it.

Hardware

SoftPC requires highpowered hardware to operate: at a minimum, either a Mac II or an SE equipped with a 68020 accelerator card (we tested it …