Simulators

Simulators (also known as emulators) let you run software intended for a different computer on your computer. (See also these Dusty Decks articles that mention simulators.)

Computer History Simulation Project
Bob Supnik leads this Internet-based collective of people interested in restoring historically significant computer hardware and software systems by simulation. They have made available simulators for a variety of machines by Data General, DEC, GRI, IBM, Interdata, Hewlett-Packard, Honeywell, MITS, Royal-Mcbee, and Scientific Data Systems, plus software kits and some papers on simulation.
The Edsac Simulator
Martin Campbell-Kelly developed this simulator. “The EDSAC was the world’s first stored-program computer to operate a regular computing service. Designed and built at Cambridge University, England, the EDSAC performed its first calculation on 6th May 1949.”
SILLIAC Emulator
David Richard Green developed this emulator for SILLIAC, which was was Sydney University’s almost-exact copy of the University of Illinois ILLIAC. Green’s web site includes a 1958 SILLIAC Programming Manual and links to SILLIAC and ILLIAC software.
UNIVAC I and II Simulator
Peter Zilahy Ingerman developed this simulator. “The UNIVAC I was the first commercially available computer, and I programmed it between 1957 and 1963. I wrote this simulator for it with the explicit permission of UNISYS Corporation.”
Atlas Univac Scientific 1103A emulator
Leif Jon Harcke developed the Atlas emulator for the Univac Scientific 1103A.
s709 IBM 709/7090 simulator
Paul Pierce developed this simulator for the IBM 709 and 7090 computers. “It passes the 709 diagnostics on cards but not all of the 7090/94 diagnostics, particularly some tape diagnostics, and won’t boot IBSYS.” s709 has been a starting point for other people developing simulators for the IBM 704/709/7090/7094 series.
s709 IBM 709/7090/7094 simulator
Dave Pitts started with Paul Pierce’s s709 and added features necessary to run IBSYS.
IBM 7094 Emulator
Rob Storey developed this simulator for the IBM 7094, starting from scratch. It has an operating “GUI” simulation of the console (lights and switches) and peripherals.
Hercules IBM System/370, ESA/390, and z/Architecture Emulator
Jay Maynard maintains this website for Hercules, which is “an open source software implementation of the mainframe System/370 and ESA/390 architectures, in addition to the new 64-bit z/Architecture.”
Virtual AGC and AGS
Ron Burkey developed this simulator for the Apollo Guidance Computer and Abort Guidance System.
Desktop CYBER Emulator
Tom Hunter developed the Desktop CYBER Emulator. “The software provides a reasonable emulation of a ‘typical’ CDC CYBER 6600, 7x, 17x based system including common peripherals such as console, tape and disk drives, card reader, printer and terminal multiplexer.” Cyber1.org is a group of people who are making available a public PLATO system running on Desktop CYBER.
KLH10 PDP-10 Emulator
Ken Harrenstien developed KLH10, which emulates a KL10B PDP-10 processor. TOPS-10 and ITS distributions are available for it. Here are notes on compiling it, and links to setting up ITS.
The SIMH Altair 8800 simulator
Peter Schorn has created a simulator for the Altair 8800, with many enhancements. Versions of the simulator for running on the PC, the Macintosh, and the Sharp Zaurus are provided. Peter includes many packages of software including the CP/M operating system, several programming languages (including the original Microsoft Basic), applications (dBase, Wordstar, Multiplan, SuperCalc), games (including Adventure), as well as links to related web sites.
Z80pack emulator and crossassembler for Unix
Udo Munk has created:

  • Generic Z80 CPU emulation with ICE like user interface, similar to hardware emulators from Zilog and Mostek
  • Z80 cross assembler to bootstrap a Z80 system from a UNIX host
  • Emulation of a complete system for running CP/M 1, CP/M 2, CPM 3 and MP/M 2 (bootable OS disk images included)
Lisp Machine simulators
Lambda Unlimited hosts several Lisp Machine-related projects, including Brad Parker’s MIT CADR simulator, for which he’s tracked down MIT Lisp Machine source code.

3 thoughts on “Simulators”

  1. There’s also KLH10 which emulates the venerable KL10B processor from the PDP-10 heydays.

  2. Hola, ¿Habéis entrado al pacman desde el emulador play station portable? Me lo he obtenido de todo emuladores y va perfecto, no es algo asombroso de gráficos pero pasas el rato.

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