Getting That Emulation Fix
Tuesday, July 7th, 2009My first emulator experience lead me to imagine a world where all computers were compatible, without hardware, software, or operating system barriers. II in a Mac came out in 1985, but it wasn’t until a few years later that I first used it. As the name implies, II in a Mac allowed Macs to run Apple II software. II in a Mac was pretty impressive even by today’s standards, offering a straightforward interface with graphics representing the emulated hardware.
I did absolutely nothing to make it happen, but to some extent my dream came true. Emulators are available for almost every computer system and game console made over the last 35 years. With emulation it’s possible to enjoy and preserve our digital culture, actively experiencing the history of both hardware and software.
According to Wikipedia, the word “emulator” was first used in 1957 by IBM to describe the hardware and software that allowed their 709 computer to run programs written for their older 704 computer. Since the first emulator is over 50 years old, that should make emulation one of the most established and respectable software genres — yet it is not.
The emulation genre has suffered indignity for decades, most often at the hands of large companies afraid that emulators will hurt hardware and software sales. Apple, Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo have all at some point taken an anti-emulator stance, threatening legal action and trying to intimidate users from running software on anything but the original manufacturer’s hardware.
It was inevitable that the conflict between emulator developers and hardware manufacturers would eventually be tested in court. In 1999 Connectix released the Virtual Game Station, a highly compatible Sony PlayStation emulator that ran full-speed on average Macs and PCs. The VGS was available during the peak of PlayStation popularity, and it required no purchase of Sony hardware to run original PlayStation games. In 2000, Sony sued Connectix for trademark and patent infringement, but lost the lawsuit. (In the end Sony won when they bought VGS from Connectix — and immediately discontinued the product.)
The courts may have upheld the legality of emulators, but that doesn’t mean big business has to like it — except of course, when they’re selling emulated software themselves. If an individual creates an emulator and distributes the emulator for free, corporate policy is that emulation should be illegal because it condones piracy. But if the corporation can make money by selling an emulator to run older software, emulation is suddenly legitimate. Regardless of the business machinations and double standards, emulation is here to stay.
Over decades, many programmers have created many emulators recreating the hardware of many different systems. There are so many variations that finding reliable information can be difficult. Fortunately, EmuWiki provides a centralized repository for emulators old and new. Looking for that Apple II emulator I used on my Mac Plus in 1987? II on a Mac is there, along with hundreds of additional emulators — more than enough to satisfy anyone’s nostalgia quotient.
The one thing EmuWiki seems to be lacking is background for many of the older emulators. The older the software, the less information seems to be available. It sure would be nice to know more about those emulation favorites from years past. If you know some of the background history for a specific emulator, please stop by EmuWiki and fill in anything you can so that we can all appreciate more details about the long history of emulation.
