[LINK] Emulation: IBM System 370 etc.

[Robin Whittle]

In "Re: [LINK] OpenBSD: The most secure OS around" Carl Makin wrote:

> Anybody know of a System 370 emulator?


  http://www.conmicro.cx/hercules/

This runs under Linux, amongst other things, and then you can run Linux
on the 370!   On modern PCs, I imagine it runs faster than many
mainframes.   I rather like this pattern of things going through stages:


1 - Undreamed of.

2 - Thought of, but in the too-hard basket.

3 - Eventually, one is built in the lab.

4 - Initial production at very high prices.

5 - Larger scale production, perhaps including ubiquitous adoption.

6 - Generic production of lookalikes and workalikes.

7 - They become hard to get, or very cheap on a second-hand basis.

8 - Someone emulates them in software, and gives the software away 
    for free.

9 - Hardly anyone remembers what it was, with the exception of its 
    software emulation.

This applies not just to mainframe computers.   MIDI controlled
synthesisers come to mind, as well as computers and video games. 

Most people probably think that "MIDI" (Musical Instrument Digital
Interface) means some kind of file format or sound-card noise-maker. 
But it is a unidirectional serial data protocol, with a defined 5 pin
DIN connector and optical isolation, for one instrument (or computer)
talking to another.  It was defined in August 1983 and has survived to
this day with only minor additions.   


A friend of mine is working on an emulator for a 1960 model mainframe
too - well before 360 and 370 days.

Google "System 370 emulator" finds other URLs of interest, such as:

  http://linas.org/linux/i370.html

  - Robin