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Cyhist Jan 20 1997 F
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Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1997 14:39:46 -0500
Reply-To: "CYHIST Community Memory: Discussion list on the History of
Cyberspace" <CYHIST@SJUVM.STJOHNS.EDU>
Sender: "CYHIST Community Memory: Discussion list on the History of
Cyberspace" <CYHIST@SJUVM.STJOHNS.EDU>
From: "A. Padgett Peterson P.E. Information Security"
<PADGETT@hobbes.orl.mmc.com>
Subject: Emulation (was Early MicroSoft history)
______________________________________________________________________
Community Memory: Discussion List on the History of Cyberspace ______________________________________________________________________
>I'm pretty sure Gates and Allen were the first to come up with the technique of writing microcomputer software on minicomputers by emulating the micro's CPU in software. That gave them a big edge over other micro developers, which led to Microsoft becoming the major supplier of BASIC for early micros, which gave Gates the contacts he later needed to sell MS-DOS to cloners.
Cannot say for sure when it was first done (anyone have a date on DEC's LSE (Language Sensitive Editor)?). Do know I had a Bendix 930 emulator running on a DG Eclipse c.a. 1980 at General Dynamics and was nothing new then.
Could be wrong (check with Eagle Signal in Davenport, Iowa) but think many programmable controllers such as their EPTAK (1976 ?) had a means to debug offline which would have required an emulator. Can probably trace roots back to the analogue computers of '50s and '60s.
In 1977-78 when I built the first digital afterburning gas turbine engine test stand for P&W, one of the reasons was to emulate a relay-logic engine control "computer" we did not have - anyone here ever a member of the "Futility Aircraft Corporation" ?. Cost $50k and was reconfigurable in comparison to the earlier ones that cost $250k and were dedicated.
Do know that back then we often did what is now "concurrent engineering" and had no hardware available when testing needed to start so we found "other ways".
Warmly,
Padgett
______________________________________________________________________
Reply-To: "CYHIST Community Memory: Discussion list on the History of
Cyberspace" <CYHIST@SJUVM.STJOHNS.EDU>
Sender: "CYHIST Community Memory: Discussion list on the History of
Cyberspace" <CYHIST@SJUVM.STJOHNS.EDU>
From: "A. Padgett Peterson P.E. Information Security"
<PADGETT@hobbes.orl.mmc.com>
Subject: Emulation (was Early MicroSoft history)
______________________________________________________________________
Community Memory: Discussion List on the History of Cyberspace ______________________________________________________________________
>I'm pretty sure Gates and Allen were the first to come up with the technique of writing microcomputer software on minicomputers by emulating the micro's CPU in software. That gave them a big edge over other micro developers, which led to Microsoft becoming the major supplier of BASIC for early micros, which gave Gates the contacts he later needed to sell MS-DOS to cloners.
Cannot say for sure when it was first done (anyone have a date on DEC's LSE (Language Sensitive Editor)?). Do know I had a Bendix 930 emulator running on a DG Eclipse c.a. 1980 at General Dynamics and was nothing new then.
Could be wrong (check with Eagle Signal in Davenport, Iowa) but think many programmable controllers such as their EPTAK (1976 ?) had a means to debug offline which would have required an emulator. Can probably trace roots back to the analogue computers of '50s and '60s.
In 1977-78 when I built the first digital afterburning gas turbine engine test stand for P&W, one of the reasons was to emulate a relay-logic engine control "computer" we did not have - anyone here ever a member of the "Futility Aircraft Corporation" ?. Cost $50k and was reconfigurable in comparison to the earlier ones that cost $250k and were dedicated.
Do know that back then we often did what is now "concurrent engineering" and had no hardware available when testing needed to start so we found "other ways".
Warmly,
Padgett
______________________________________________________________________
