There are 3 modes: basic, slideshow, and text. Normally it chooses a mode randomly, but you can override with the -basic, -slideshow, or -text options.

In basic mode a simulated user types in a Basic program and runs it.

In slideshow mode it chooses a number of images from the image source you configured into XScreenSaver and displays them within the limitations of the Apple ][ display hardware. With only 6 available colors, you can only make out the general shape of the pictures.

In text mode it displays the output of a command or the contents of a file or URL (via the default xscreensaver-text(1) program, which can be overridden with -program).

In text mode, it is also a fully functional (if anachronistic) vt100 terminal emulator.

-window

Draw on a newly-created window. This is the default.

-root

Draw on the root window.

-mono

If on a color display, pretend we're on a monochrome display.

-install

Install a private colormap for the window.

-visual visual

Specify which visual to use. Legal values are the name of a visual class, or the id number (decimal or hex) of a specific visual.

-basic

Choose basic mode

-slideshow

Choose slideshow mode

-text

Choose text mode

-program sh-command

In text mode, the command to run to generate the text to display. This option may be any string acceptable to /bin/sh. The program will be run at the end of a pipe, and any characters that it prints to stdout will be printed on the Apple ][ display. If the program exits, it will be launched again after 3 seconds. Default: xscreensaver-text(1).

In text mode, apple2 emulates a vt100 terminal running on a 40x24 uppercase-only screen.

For example:

apple2 -text \
       -program 'cat /usr/src/linux*/README | fold -sw40'
apple2 -text -program 'ping apple.com'
apple2 -text -program 'ps -e'
apple2 -text -program 'od -txCz -w7 /dev/urandom'
apple2 -text -program 'cat /dev/random'
apple2 -text -fast -program 'xemacs -nw -q -f life'
apple2 -text -fast \
       -program 'xemacs -nw -q --eval "(hanoi 5)"'

You can also use apple2 as an extremely lo-fi replacement for the xterm(1) and gnome-terminal(1) terminal emulators:

apple2 -text -fast -program tcsh

-pty

In -text mode, launch the sub-program under a pty so that it can address the screen directly. This is the default.

-pipe

In -text mode, launch the sub-program at the end of a pipe: do not let it address the screen directly.

-esc

When the user types a key with the Alt or Meta keys held down, send an ESC character first. This is the default.

-meta

When Meta or Alt are held down, set the high bit on the character instead.

-del

Swap Backspace and Delete. This is the default.

-bs

Do not swap Backspace and Delete.

-fast

Normally, characters are printed at the speed of an original Apple][ computer; however, when using this program as a terminal emulator, the novelty of those 300 baud characters might wear off. You can use the -fast option to speed things up a bit.

Any characters typed on the apple2 window will be passed along to the sub-process. (Note that this only works when running in "window" mode, not when running in -root mode under xscreensaver.)

DISPLAY

to get the default host and display number.

XENVIRONMENT

to get the name of a resource file that overrides the global resources stored in the RESOURCE_MANAGER property.

TERM

to inform the sub-process of the type of terminal emulation.