The 'Emulation Access Platform', which seeks to "facilitate universal access to our cultural heritage by developing flexible tools for accessing and storing a wide range of digital objects" doesn't seem that exciting. After all, it's part of the The KEEP (Keeping Emulation Environments Portable) Project, (EU Grant Agreement ICT 231954 (£4m)) and operates out of Portsmouth University.
It gets more exciting when you read that computer historians Dr David Anderson and Dr Janet Delve and computer games expert Dan Pinchbeck at the University of Portsmouth are ensuring that part of KEEP will be "the world's first general purpose emulator, a piece of software which can recognise and 'play' or open all previous types of computer files from 1970s Space Invaders games to three-inch floppy discs.
"Other emulators exist which are specific to certain platforms or types of media but the new version will be able to emulate media in any format."
This is, apparently, true emulation. Mr Pinchbeck says, "The difference with emulation is that you are freed from these problems. Every time hardware, software, operating systems or anything else upgrade, the KEEP machine just emulates on this new platform. It means it is as future-proof as these things get."
SPOnG has lined up an interview with the noble boffins - so stay tuned.
For more info on the project go here.
Thanks to TechRadar for the heads-up.
It gets more exciting when you read that computer historians Dr David Anderson and Dr Janet Delve and computer games expert Dan Pinchbeck at the University of Portsmouth are ensuring that part of KEEP will be "the world's first general purpose emulator, a piece of software which can recognise and 'play' or open all previous types of computer files from 1970s Space Invaders games to three-inch floppy discs.
"Other emulators exist which are specific to certain platforms or types of media but the new version will be able to emulate media in any format."
This is, apparently, true emulation. Mr Pinchbeck says, "The difference with emulation is that you are freed from these problems. Every time hardware, software, operating systems or anything else upgrade, the KEEP machine just emulates on this new platform. It means it is as future-proof as these things get."
SPOnG has lined up an interview with the noble boffins - so stay tuned.
For more info on the project go here.
Thanks to TechRadar for the heads-up.
Comments
tyrion 11 Feb 2009 13:40
1/10
So it's like MAME and MESS then?
Joji 11 Feb 2009 13:47
2/10
A damn good idea. It would be nice to have all those classics legally saved from the abyss.
It won't stop folks getting them online though.
It won't stop folks getting them online though.
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TimSpong 11 Feb 2009 14:11
3/10
tyrion wrote:
So it's like MAME and MESS then?
I think their focus is only partially in video games (£4m EU funding - and apparently the boffins are in Paris today to get more funding). It's more of a business focus.
Anyway, we'll find that out when I interview them in Pompeyshire soon.
So, stop your all being cynical and s**t.
Tim
James 12 Feb 2009 06:05
4/10
Wow, who was being cynical? They just asked if it was like other projects..
DoctorDee 12 Feb 2009 07:45
5/10
Tim Smith wrote:
tyrion wrote:
I think their focus is only partially in video games (£4m EU funding - and apparently the boffins are in Paris today to get more funding). It's more of a business focus.
Huh? What. There's nothing in the article to imply that it's at all business related. Nothing about them pimping for EU funding as well as UK funding implies that either.
It would not be unusual for a university to attract large amounts of funding to do research no-one cares about or realise a project no-one needs. It's a long time since I heard ayone bemoaning their inability to run ExecuDesk.
TimSpong 12 Feb 2009 09:36
6/10
James wrote:
Wow, who was being cynical? They just asked if it was like other projects..
Apologies for the tone there - it was a flat attempt at banter back at Tyrion, who I know quite well but of course others are not to know that I know...
Anyway... it was meant in jest. I'm also intending to put MAME-based questions to the good boffins in Pompey when I see them.
Does anybody have anything else they'd like to know?
Cheers
Tim
tyrion 12 Feb 2009 13:40
7/10
Tim Smith wrote:
It's more of a business focus.
That's why I brought up MESS, it emulates a lot of computer systems including the PDP-1 and Lisa2 - not noted games machines.
Tim Smith wrote:
So, stop your all being cynical and s**t.
That's what I'm here for!
TimSpong 12 Feb 2009 13:50
8/10
tyrion wrote:
Tim Smith wrote:
So, stop your all being cynical and s**t.
That's what I'm here for!
Damn it, of course you are. Back in your Smash Cave with you!
Cheers
Tim
Joji 12 Feb 2009 14:29
9/10
Yes, Tim.
Can you find out, if this thingy is only going to run home computers games or arcade games as well?
It would be nice to have them compatible with Neo Rage, Kawaks or Final Burn.
Can you find out, if this thingy is only going to run home computers games or arcade games as well?
It would be nice to have them compatible with Neo Rage, Kawaks or Final Burn.
TimSpong 12 Feb 2009 14:43
10/10
Joji wrote:
Yes, Tim.
Can you find out, if this thingy is only going to run home computers games or arcade games as well?
It would be nice to have them compatible with Neo Rage, Kawaks or Final Burn.
Can you find out, if this thingy is only going to run home computers games or arcade games as well?
It would be nice to have them compatible with Neo Rage, Kawaks or Final Burn.
Consider it asked.
Cheers
Tim