Re: Simulator vs. Emulator Message #8 Posted by Eric Smith on 14 Apr 2005, 8:25 p.m., in response to message #1 by Thomas Okken
With regard to computers, IBM invented "emulation" when they were developing the System/360, introduced in 1964. Each of the original models of the System/360 could emulate one or two of their older, incompatible systems. For instance, the 360 Model 30 could emulate the 1401 or the 1620. The emulators were optional features, and only one (1401 *or* 1620) could be installed.
IBM defined emulation to be simulation of another computer system using either hardware or microcode assistance, or a combination of the two. This is very well documented in the historical record. For instance, read the issue of IBM Systems Journal covering the 360 systems, or IBM's Early Computers by Bashe et al, or A History of Modern Computing by Paul Ceruzzi.
Any HP calculator simulation you run on your Pentium IV or PDA is simulation, not emulation. The Pentium and ARM chips don't have any special hardware or microcode devoted to assisting in the simulation of calculators.
Whether it is a microcode-level simulation, or a more abstract user-level simulation, is a different issue.
As per the original definition of emulation, I refer to Nonpareil as a microcode-level simulator.
Edited: 14 Apr 2005, 8:27 p.m.
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