132 lines
8 KiB
Markdown
132 lines
8 KiB
Markdown
---
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layout: page
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title: About PCx86
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permalink: /docs/about/pcx86/
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redirect_from:
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- /pc/
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- /pcjs/
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- /docs/about/pcjs/
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---
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About PCx86
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---
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PCx86 is a IBM PC/XT/AT simulator written entirely in [JavaScript](/modules/pcx86/). It's designed to load and run
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fast, it works well in all modern web browsers (both desktop and mobile), and it's easy to customize. It is part of
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the [PCjs Project](https://github.com/jeffpar/pcjs), an open-source project on [GitHub](http://github.com/).
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Check out the [Demos](/#demos) on the home page, and all the other PCx86 [Application](/apps/pcx86/), [Disk](/disks/pcx86/),
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and [Machine](/devices/pcx86/machine/) demos, including an [IBM PC Dual Display System](/devices/pcx86/machine/5150/dual/64kb/)
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demo of multiple monitor support, and [IBM PC XT "Server Array"](/devices/pcx86/machine/5160/cga/256kb/array/) and
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[Windows 1.01 "Server Array"](/devices/pcx86/machine/5160/ega/640kb/array/) demos of multiple machines running side-by-side.
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### Features
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+ Build your own IBM PC, PC XT, and PC AT simulations using simple XML machine configuration files.
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You decide how much RAM you want, how many disk drives, which disk images to include (and which should be
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pre-loaded), what kind of video adapter (MDA, CGA, EGA or VGA), serial ports, mouse, and more. See the
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[Documentation](/docs/pcx86/) for details.
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+ Excellent IBM hardware compatibility ensures all the original IBM BIOS ROMs operate properly, and that the
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machines run at their original speed. Even obsolete hardware, such as the original PC XT hard drive controller,
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is supported.
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+ The CPU component is easily configured to emulate an 8088, 80186, 80286, or 80386. A target speed can also
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be specified, and in some cases, even specific CPU *steppings* (including specific errata) can be enabled.
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+ Similarly, the FPU (floating-point) component can be configured to emulate an 8087, 80287, or 80387; however,
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only 8087 support is complete at this point.
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+ The modular design allows you to specify which components to enable, and which external controls
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to display for each component. You can choose the size of the display window created by the [Video](/docs/pcx86/video/)
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component, add **Halt** or **Speed** buttons to the [CPU](/docs/pcx86/cpu/) component, display clickable "DIP Switches"
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for the [Chipset](/docs/pcx86/chipset/) component, or even design your own [Control Panel](/docs/pcx86/panel/).
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+ The UI includes a responsive design that tailors itself to your browser and device, and support for touch events
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and soft keyboards means you get the best possible emulation experience -- better than any other browser-based
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emulator currently available. It almost feels like your DOS and Windows mouse-based applications have been rewritten
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to work with your iPad or iPhone -- almost. Please note, however, that some mobile devices provide better support than
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others.
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+ A fully-integrated [Debugger](/docs/pcx86/debugger/) is available. Disassemble code, set breakpoints on
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memory write/read/execution addresses, dump and edit memory, dump disk sectors, enable/disable categories of diagnostic
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messages, and view instruction history, cycle counts and more. The Debugger does not rely on CPU breakpoint
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instructions or the trace flag, and does not alter the machine state in any way, allowing you to debug anything,
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including 8086 debuggers.
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+ Machines created with the [Computer](/docs/pcx86/computer/) *resume* property set will save their entire machine
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state using your browser's local storage, so that any changes are preserved when your browser closes, including
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disk modifications. Any files you create or modify *inside* the machine will still be there when you return.
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TIP: To restore a diskette's original contents, simply press the "Download" button again.
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+ Machine states can also be dumped (using the built-in [Debugger](/docs/pcx86/debugger/)), saved as JSON files, and
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pre-loaded into a machine, bypassing the normal boot process. You can even combine a pre-defined state with the
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"resume" feature, preserving any changes you make to the machine's original state.
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+ Most modern web browsers are supported, including IE (v9.0 and higher), Edge, Safari, Firefox, Chrome and Opera,
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and no JavaScript extensions (typed arrays) or third-party libraries are required. Safari is recommended for iOS
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users, Chrome or Firefox for other platforms.
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### Future
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PCx86 has been been steadily evolving for almost 4 years now, in much the same way that the PC architecture evolved,
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first with the 8088-based IBM PC in 1981, then with the 80286-based IBM PC AT in 1984, and finally the 80386 and the
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first 32-bit PC architecture introduced by COMPAQ in late 1986.
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PCx86 will remain focused on 1980's era hardware and software, so there are currently no plans to move beyond the
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80386. Some of the PCx86 demos do include software from the 1990's (eg, DOS 5.0, Windows 3.x, and Windows 95), but the
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project's priority is older software, especially software that is difficult and sometimes impossible to run on newer
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hardware.
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Some of the features planned for future releases include:
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+ Improved FPU compatibility, with accurate cycle counts
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+ Improved Video compatibility (eg, custom EGA and VGA fonts)
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### History
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A more [complete list of releases](https://github.com/jeffpar/pcjs/releases) is on GitHub, but here are some highlights:
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+ v1.20 added 8087 coprocessor (FPU) support, [OS/2 improvements](http://www.pcjs.org/blog/2016/02/08/),
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and new Disk/Machine [Save Options](http://www.pcjs.org/blog/2016/02/17/).
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+ v1.19 improved 80386 compatibility and added support for [Windows 95](http://www.pcjs.org/blog/2015/09/21/).
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+ v1.18 added basic 80386 CPU functionality and [COMPAQ DeskPro 386](http://www.pcjs.org/blog/2015/04/16/) emulation.
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+ v1.16 added support for [OS/2 1.0](http://www.pcjs.org/blog/2014/12/04/), the Microsoft/IBM multitasking operating
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system introduced in December 1987 for 80286-based machines.
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+ v1.15 introduced [IBM PC AT](http://www.pcjs.org/blog/2014/09/13/) (Model 5170) emulation.
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+ v1.14 added basic [EGA Support](http://www.pcjs.org/blog/2014/07/30/) and the ability to run Windows 1.01
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in color.
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+ v1.13 introduced manifest files that describe software packages that can be used with PCx86.
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More information on software manifests is available [here](/apps/).
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+ v1.12.1 coincided with the first release of the new PCjs web server running on [Node.js](http://nodejs.org).
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The new server includes ROM and disk image conversion APIs, as well as a
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[Markdown](http://daringfireball.net/projects/markdown/syntax) module that supports link extensions
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for embedding C1Pjs and PCx86 machine files in Markdown documents and automatically converts "README.md"
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files into "index.html" web pages.
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+ v1.11 improved the *embedPC()* and *embedC1P()* functions, so now you can embed XML machine configuration files
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that reference other configuration files, such as an external [Keyboard](/docs/pcx86/keyboard/) or
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[Control Panel](/docs/pcx86/panel/) XML layout. It does this by building the entire XML configuration internally,
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rather than relying on XSLT's *document()* function, which doesn't seem to work in all JavaScript XSLT processors.
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+ v1.10 fixed embedding in Internet Explorer 11 (Microsoft removed "MSIE" from their default user-agent string).
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The ability to embed multiple PCs on a single web page is now supported as well.
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+ v1.08 added soft-keyboard support, which isn't quite finished (sticky-shift and auto-repeat will be added in a future
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version), but it's good enough for use on iPads. Browse [IBM PC Machine Configurations](/devices/pcx86/machine/) for
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machines that include a soft-keyboard.
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+ v1.06c added support for user-defined diskette images. Select "Remote Disk" from the diskette list, click
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"Download", and enter a URL at the prompt. See **Creating PCx86-Compatible Disk Images** in the
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[PCx86 Documentation](/docs/pcx86/) for more information about supported disk images.
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+ v1.05b added support for webkitAudioContext, bringing your simulated IBM PC's speaker to life. Relive the thrill
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of running MUSIC.BAS and listening to those classic tunes. *Sound support is still experimental*.
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