A9home users can now use 26bit-only software, thanks to a new version of Aemulor. The environment emulator is optimised for AdvantageSix's ARM9 powered computer, and includes 26bit BASIC assembler and module support. The news won't surprise the A9home users who have been busy beta testing the AemulorA9 software.Publisher Neil Spellings said: "Priced identically to Aemulor, it offers all the same features as the Iyonix version to allow you to run your 26bit desktop applications on the 32bit machine. AemulorProA9 will be made available once development of the A9Home is complete and the OS supports all the required features and APIs to allow AemulorA9Pro to offer its full range of features."
The interesting aspect of this development is that AemulorA9 enables 32bit RISC OS 4 users to use legacy 26bit software, which a few years ago seemed impossible. If MicroDigital were still around, AemulorA9 would effectively demolish the Omega's selling point that it could run 26bit and 32bit software. When RISCOS Select was first announced, one of the reasons RISCOS Ltd. gave for not going 32bit was that all the current software applications would be incompatible. In May 2001, ROL boss Paul Middleton said: "Many people still fail to see that even if there was a machine that ran solely in 32bit mode available now, and there was a 32bit version of RISC OS to go with it, there would be virtually no application software to go with it."
Of course, no one foresaw the rate at which software would be made 32bit compatible in the days before and after the Iyonix launch, and the rise of Adrian Lees and Neil Spellings to bridge the chasm between old and modern ARM architectures.
Aemulor began development in the days leading up to the launch of Castle's 32bit Iyonix computer, and eventually appeared in March 2003. When the A9home appeared at the Wakefield show this year, developer Adrian Lees stunned everyone when his ARM9 prototype build of Aemulor more or less worked first time with 26bit Impression.
A free upgrade for existing Aemulor users has also been released. Version 2.32 includes better handling for 26bit applications that launch other software, a fix for handling file types, search-as-you-type in the applications list window, improved module and SWI support, and a number of bug fixes. The team also hope to release a beta version of the Geminus screen acceleration technology on Monday.
Links
Spellings software website - a demo version is available too