From: c...@informatik.rwth-aachen.de (Bernd Schmidt)
Subject: Amiga emulator available (not a hoax!)
Date: 1995/08/30
Message-ID: <421jqo$91h@news.rwth-aachen.de>#1/1
X-Deja-AN: 109163087
organization: RWTH -Aachen / Rechnerbetrieb Informatik
newsgroups: comp.emulators.misc

I have uploaded uae-0.1.tar.gz to sunsite.unc.edu:pub/Linux/Incoming. 
The file should move to pub/Linux/system/Emulators in a few months time.

"UAE" stands for "The Unusable Amiga Emulator". It is a partial software 
emulation of the Amiga hardware. It is far from usable, since some vital
features are missing, and it is way too slow. However, it should put an end
to arguments that it can't be done. There is quite a bit of room for
improvements, I expect a full (usable) emulation can be done in about five
years time. Don't complain, C64 emulators need a P90, too, to run at full
speed, and an Amiga is somewhat more complex.

Although this is not a hoax emulator, it can't do more than that: It can
currently just display the Kickstart logo. I have not been able to get the
disk support working yet. Maybe someone would like to help me, I am rather
busy with other projects. The sources are there...

UAE runs on Unix systems with the X Window System. I am developing it using
Linux, but I have also been able to get it to run on a HP Apollo and a Sun
Sparcstation. You need a C++ compiler, or you have to make small modifications
to turn it into a C program (nothing major). You also need to transfer a
Kickstart ROM image to your PC.

The following parts are emulated:
  - MC68000 CPU: Almost done, some rare instructions (ABCD, ...) are not
    emulated yet.
  - Blitter: If there's no bug, it ought to be complete.
  - Copper: Not much to emulate here
  - Timers: I think these are fully working, too.

Not done properly:
  - Playfield (display) hardware: Only black & white graphics, no dual
    playfield support, no HAM.
  - Sprites: None.
  - Sound: None.
  - Mouse, Keyboard, Joystick: None.
  - Timing: The CPU and blitter cycles are counted, but I have not bothered
    yet to adjust the timing to match the characteristics of a real A500
  - Floppy disk: Broken.

I think the hardest parts are done, except the disk support, debugging and
speed improvements.

Just as a side note: Maybe it might be easier to turn this into an Atari ST
emulation first, and debug that. I think the ST has considerably less hardware
complexity. If some ST experts would like to work on that, please feel free
to contact me.
Otherwise, mail me if you have comments, bug reports or enhacements.

Regards,

Bernd Schmidt
c...@pool.informatik.rwth-aachen.de