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Retro Roundup: Old Computers Emulated Right In Your Browser

Posted by timothy on from the just-don't-start-wopr dept.

An anonymous reader writes: If you ever wanted to program an Altair, an Apple I, or a COSMAC ELF you may think you either have to buy one (expensive now) or load and configure simulation software. However, there's a slew of browser-based emulators for everything from a PDP-11 to Windows 1.0 out there. Some use Java, but many use Javascript and many perform better on a modern PC then they did in their original. If you want to learn some history or just want to finally play with the computers you saw in the magazines 35 years ago, these are great fun and slightly addictive.

4 of 78 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Why run LUDDITE computers in APPS? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Interesting

    It's a waste alright. 4ghz cpus for what? To emulate old 8 and 16 bit machines in javascript? what a waste.. there are already better native emulators out there that run locally and provide much better experiences.

  2. related: My native FLEX / 6809 machine emulator by fyngyrz · · Score: 4, Interesting

    My native FLEX / 6809 machine emulator (for Windows XP and at least several Windows versions on up... don't use Windows any more, so I dunno. :)

    Late-70s / early-80's machine era.

    Front panel, graphics card, single stepping, lots of software including assemblers and compilers. Stable.

    If you ever used 6809 Flex, you'll be right at home. Otherwise, probably don't bother.

    --
    I've fallen off your lawn, and I can't get up.
  3. Re:Bunch of whiners in this discussion so far by ArhcAngel · · Score: 3, Interesting

    What I found most humorous was when I was working for a Delphi remanufacturing shop. GM's Delphi A/C Delco design engineers actually baked dummy circuits into their ECM's. They did nothing but if a component in the circuit went bad the entire unit failed. I think I repaired more dummy circuits than actual working circuits on that ECM.

    --
    "A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it." - K
  4. Re:TRS-80 Basic by ag0ny · · Score: 3, Interesting

    That's actually how I learnt to code as a child, using MSX-BASIC. I'm now 40 and still using MSX computers (real hardware, though the emulators are useful for development).

    If you're interesting in learning to code for these things (they're Z80-based, like the TRS-80), I'm writing a course about coding with the MSX-C compiler. 26 chapters released so far:

    http://www.lavandeira.net/rele...

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    My site