OTHB@SRI-KL.ARPA (02/02/84)
From: Jon L. Spear <OTHB@SRI-KL.ARPA> I am not sure what possessed me to do it, but I just bought an Apple Macintosh. Nifty machine, but a dirth of software -- no programming language available yet (to users). Has anyone done Z80 or 8080 emulators for the 68000 so that they could run the thousands of CP/M programs in the world? I am not too concerned with the obvious media problems. The question is whether it is feasible to write an emulator that would fit in the 128K RAM, allow a reasonable size TPA, and run CP/M programs at a speed close to that of a 2MHZ Z-80. (emulated on the 8MHZ 68000). With a Z-80 costing only a few bucks, a hardware solution might be much more reasonable. Comments? --Jon -------
SHahn@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA (02/02/84)
From: Sam Hahn <SHahn@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA> Are you sure the 68k is actually running at 8Mhz, and not 5 Mhz, as I thought? -------
alt@ecsvax.UUCP (02/08/84)
Allow me to quote from the Feb. '84 issue of BYTE.
"However,one class of add-on card will not work using this scheme:
(MacIntosh's virtual slots) processor cards like the Microsoft
Softcard, which allow a computer to run another processor's
software. Such cards require full access to the data and address
lines and will not work via a serial "virtual slot." As a result,
despite some rumors to the contrary, the MacIntosh will never
use IBM PC- or MS-DOS-based software." pg.43
Unless I'm reading this incorrectly I don't believe that a hardware solution
to CP/M emulation is in the offering. In my humble opinion I think Apple
really blew it concerning the expansion slots.
---Larry