Is It Emulation or Not -- the Dilemma

[desiv]

How do you mean? Are you talking about running software in an emulated environment or talking about running that software natively on the hardware?

So, by "natively," you mean PPC opcodes only running on a PPC system.
Yep, that's native.
68k opcodes running on a PPC?  There's some level of emulation.

Now, as I've said, if it's done well, it doesn't matter what it's called.
It's very kual.  I just think it's very kual emulation.  ;-)

desiv

[desiv]

I like the way you said cool as kual. It makes you sound badass.

Only because "RAD" makes me sound too old..  ;-)

desiv

[desiv]

I just found out that Direct 3D is not yet implemented.

http://wiki.winehq.org/WineD3DOnWindows

Not only do they have it, they have ported it back to Windows..  ;-)

desiv

[desiv]

This "issue" is pointless if the emulation is flawless.

I agree with that..  
(Although I enjoy the technical discussions...)
I mean, in an "emulation turning test," if you put an emulated system into an original case and no one could tell the difference, would it matter?

Of course, it sounds like MorphOS (and others???) have taken it beyond that and improved upon it.  So you get improvements because of modernization with very good compatibility.

I think that's really kual ( <--for you Kesa!! ).  
Of course, for me, I'm into Amiga for a retro feel and the "I can't believe you can do that with XX year old technology."

But I really appreciate how nice the NGs appear.
(And I reserve the right to get into the NGs at some time in the future.. ;-)

I do think it's funny when I use the word "emulation" and it's taken as a bad thing.
I know sometimes it's used that way by some.  But really, I appreciate how seamless this works, and I think it's great...

I also really appreciate WinUAE/AmigaForever.  WinUAE is a great "complete emulator" and AmigaForever is a great package for it..
I recommend them a lot.  And I use them quite a bit for staging and testing.
 
But I realize the differences (more so from the information I've gained in these threads) in how the emulation is being used in MorphOS versus some of the other platforms.  If anything, it makes me appreciate MorphOS all the more.

desiv

[desiv]

PPC opcodes running on a PPC system, is running native.

If you have a 68k program and you recompile it into being PPC instead, then you will have PPC opcodes running on a PPC system, fully native.

Both the above is how MorphOS does it. In other words, fully native.

Yes, we all know that.. ;-)

If you on the other hand constructs a piece of program with the aim to mimic a physical 68k CPU through SW and run 68k opcodes using that, then you would have emulation.

er..  OK..  Not sure why anyone would ever do that ..  But thanks for that... :crazy:

The real question is (and as far as I know really has always been the question) how does it run applications designed for the 68k Amiga (not with the aim to "mimic" anything, but with the aim to run on a 68k Amiga, as that's what they were when the software was released).

Obviously, if the option is available to re-compile, that's great.  But it's frequently not the option.

However, the question about the different emulation layers in MorphOS has been answered already here..

Thanx,

desiv

[desiv]

Why? Because you for some reason would want to recreate a working model of some hardware using software. Emulation! In this case some kind of a "virtual" 68k CPU.

I'm not sure where you keep getting this idea from?

While I appreciate emulation, especially when done correctly.  It's a wonderful technology.
I don't generally use emulation for my Amiga related fun.  (Just for some prep and testing)

What I don't understand is why you are so petrified of emulation being tied to MorphOS.

Emulation is a technology.  MorphOS uses it when it needs it.
It's very very smart in the way it minimizes it's use, yet leverages it when needed.

I think that's a good thing.  Yet you seem to keep being bothered by the thought...

That's interesting...

desiv