Summary of emulators for 8bit acorns

[sydney]

Does anyone else think it would be a good idea to have a sticky thread at the top of the emulators section of the forum with details of all the emulators available? I'm thinking of a list for each system with links to the homepage/GitHub page/whatever of each emulator for that system.
I'm suggesting this as I'm struggling to find an electron emulator for Linux and thought 'Wouldn't it be useful if there was one post with all the details of all the current emulators in it?' I also think it would be useful for all the new members do as to save them lots of fruitless searching.
Developers can post updates in the thread and I'd summarise it all in the top post.
Anyone agree with me or am I on my own?

[lurkio]

I agree. Good idea.

[BigEd]

Sounds good to me. If you'd leave room also to note whether any Windows-based emulators run happily using WINE on Linux or Mac OS that would be good - that's how I often end up running. (When jsbeeb isn't what I need, and visual6502 isn't either...)

[sydney]

I think I'd go further than that Ed and include compilation instructions for each emulator too. I've found installing dependencies to be problematic on more than one occasion so a full 'howto' could be added.

[BigEd]

Perhaps there should be a column that tells us whether we have to build from source or just unpack something??

The most usable projects are surely those which need minimal installation, and the least usable are the ones you have to compile, but you don't have what you need to do that.

[Elminster]

Sounds good to me. If you'd leave room also to note whether any Windows-based emulators run happily using WINE on Linux or Mac OS that would be good - that's how I often end up running. (When jsbeeb isn't what I need, and visual6502 isn't either...)

And Docker. Much more friendly than wine (IMO).

Edit: https://hub.docker.com/r/elminster/

[Pernod]

Sounds good I'd expect compilation instructions to be on a projects Github page, or wherever, which should always be current.

I'd like to see a list of supported machines and peripherals for each emulator, expect a lengthy list for MAME A pros and cons for each emulator may be useful too.

[Elminster]

Sounds good I'd expect compilation instructions to be on a projects Github page, or wherever, which should always be current.

Yes I dont think we want to duplicate the compile instructions, as Pernod says it should be on Github (or code repo of choice), that way lead. A column that links to build insructions/indicates they are available etc.

I suppose for dead projects with poor dodcs you could have a compile doc if someone is willing to maintain it (i.e. if some one was willing to maintain it then would it be a dead project ).

[dp11]

Sounds good I'd expect compilation instructions to be on a projects Github page, or wherever, which should always be current.

I agree they should be current. It might be nice to actually test them. I've often found some extra library or component is needed and for a newbie this is very off putting.

[Elminster]

Sounds good I'd expect compilation instructions to be on a projects Github page, or wherever, which should always be current.

I agree they should be current. It might be nice to actually test them. I've often found some extra library or component is needed and for a newbie this is very off putting.

Could add a column for experience require to get it working. i.e. Easy, Medium, Hard and Linus Torvalds

[sydney]

The problem I've had has been missing dependencies so perhaps instructions on how to install the dependencies rather than compilation instructions. For example, B-em needs allegro5 but the instructions I followed to install it missed out all the audio and other parts so compilation failed.

[Elminster]

I need to publish the auto build scripts for docker. They take a base install of Linux every time and build from scratch so all the dependencies are there.

[BigEd]

You should put up a docker project on github with instructions that get a person from zero to emulation... certainly I won't be playing that game without instructions!

[Elminster]

You should put up a docker project on github with instructions that get a person from zero to emulation... certainly I won't be playing that game without instructions!

It is prebuild. Nothing on github requite, just download image from repository. I did try to explain how to use it in blog, but seemed to have failed. I probably need to do a video, on my todo list.

Edit: But if I published how I built it, it shows he dependacies for people manually compiling.

[BigEd]

(I suppose I'm trying to say that every time you mention docker, you should make it a link to some usable instructions, somewhere. Github, blog, previous post even - so long as they work.)

[colonel32]

And Docker. Much more friendly than wine (IMO).

Edit: https://hub.docker.com/r/elminster/

Was it you who was talking about minimal docker images for the Xilinx tools recently? I can’t see the contents of the above url - I guess I need to make an account first.

I was thoroughly unimpressed with the heavyweight xilinx virtual server when I used it the other week.

[sydney]

It would be possible to add a subforum to the emulators forum for each system or emulator. So a subforum each for atom, beeb and electron or a subforum each for B-EM, Beebem, elkulator, electron etc. Would this be a useful addition? If so which would be the best way to do it? By system or emulator? Am I taking this too far?

[BigEd]

ooh, I'm no fan of increasingly fractal subforums...

[Elminster]

And Docker. Much more friendly than wine (IMO).

Edit: https://hub.docker.com/r/elminster/

Public should be able to see it but maybe a different link, dont think you need an account, or maybe you do, have to check.

Was it you who was talking about minimal docker images for the Xilinx tools recently? I can’t see the contents of the above url - I guess I need to make an account first.

I was thoroughly unimpressed with the heavyweight xilinx virtual server when I used it the other week.

Me and Myelin discussed. The issue is with distrobution for none personal use.

[Elminster]

It would be possible to add a subforum to the emulators forum for each system or emulator. So a subforum each for atom, beeb and electron or a subforum each for B-EM, Beebem, elkulator, electron etc. Would this be a useful addition? If so which would be the best way to do it? By system or emulator? Am I taking this too far?

Is there enough posts individually to split it up into that many sub topics?

[Prime]

It would be possible to add a subforum to the emulators forum for each system or emulator. So a subforum each for atom, beeb and electron or a subforum each for B-EM, Beebem, elkulator, electron etc. Would this be a useful addition? If so which would be the best way to do it? By system or emulator? Am I taking this too far?

And how do you handle MAME/MESS which emulate to some extent pretty much every generation of Acorn machine......

Cheers.

Phill.

[sydney]

It would be possible to add a subforum to the emulators forum for each system or emulator. So a subforum each for atom, beeb and electron or a subforum each for B-EM, Beebem, elkulator, electron etc. Would this be a useful addition? If so which would be the best way to do it? By system or emulator? Am I taking this too far?

And how do you handle MAME/MESS which emulate to some extent pretty much every generation of Acorn machine......

Cheers.

Phill.

There could be a separate "Multi-system" section.

Seems I'm on my own with this so I'll not bother with the individual subforums for now. I'll get on with the sticky post now but I'm probably going to need some assistance as I'm not up to date with the atom side of things.

[Elminster]

On you main post you can change

B-em from

Code: Select all

Windows: Install and run. Linux: Compilation needed. OSX: Unknown

to

Code: Select all

Windows: Install and run. Linux: Compilation needed. OSX: Compilation needed

I use latest B-em version with allegro 5 on Mac. So I know it works.

[sydney]

On you main post you can change

B-em from

Code: Select all

Windows: Install and run. Linux: Compilation needed. OSX: Unknown

to

Code: Select all

Windows: Install and run. Linux: Compilation needed. OSX: Compilation needed

I use latest B-em version with allegro 5 on Mac. So I know it works.

Thanks. To say my OSX knowledge is limited would be an understatement.

[Elminster]

I have beebem on Mac as well but I compiled that years ago and I cant remember what state or how hard it was now. There was certainly a few gotchas. So you might want to do

Code: Select all

Beebem
OSX: Compilation needed (status unknown)

or maybe

Beebem
OSX: Compliations need (advanced)

B2 is easy on OSX when you do that one, as Tom has created an OSX install DMG package.