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The Mac SE Simulator ("WebSE") at myoldmac.net which attempts to simulate an old Mac within an interactive Flash animation is a curiously flawed rendition of System 7 on a M68000 (a.k.a. 68k) computer that nevertheless engenders pleasant feelings of nostalgia.

Realistically, I wouldn't want to run System 7 on a Mac SE because 32 Bit Color QuickDraw would be wasted on the tiny 2-color screen and the memory demands and cpu requirements would tax the 4MB RAM and 8Mhz processor severely. I don't know why the programmer didn't emulate System 6.0.8 which would have been more appropriate to the platform.

Most of the icons are drawn correctly, but it doesn't take a discerning eye to catch the anomalous references to the "Alt" key, missing menus and strange menu options (Where is the Edit Menu? Where are the Labels options?). Going deeper into the simulation one quickly finds inappropriate icons (folders that use application icons) and fake applications that jarringly disrupt the simulation by opening new web pages when clicked. Windows have an eccentric System 7.5 "WindowShade" effect and both system alerts and application menus display in German sometimes.

One highlight of the simulation is the selection of games. Pong, Breakout, Space Invaders, Tetris, Asteroids and Snake are all playable. The games are reasonably accurate and fun to play. Although MacWrite and MacDraw are also present, they are not fully functional.

Classic Mac emulators are available for Mac OS X, Linux and Windows. Software for the emulators is ubiquitous. Such solutions offer an almost perfect reproduction of the 68k computing environment. For most people, it simply isn't worth the trouble, but if you really want to experience a 68k Mac, emulators are a great choice.

The WebSE lacks authenticity and has some discordant moments, but it is a nice diversion for a few minutes and it's just a click away. Check it out.