Java-Based x86 Emulator

jaavaaguru writes "Researchers at Oxford University have produced a Java-based x86 emulator that they hope will be useful in testing applications and learning about viruses without damaging the host, utilizing the robust sandboxing that Java provides. They have an online demo available that boots DOS and has some games to play. Being purely Java, this emulator should be able to run on almost anything, including cell phones." The code is not yet available outside the Oxford community; the developers are said to be working on a suitable general license. In the meantime the code can be licensed on a case-by-case basis.

Interesting, but

[dreamchaser]

I can only imagine that this will make even Bochs look fast in comparison!

Still, I'd love to tinker with this from a 'gee whiz' standpoint.

So...

[mriya3]

... now we should say: "x86 assembler: write once, run everywhere (slow as molasses in January)" ?

Java x86 emulator speed

[christurkel]

Java only: snail speed
Java+DOS: Snail with ball and chain
Java+DOS on non x86: Snail nailed to the table

So it runs DOS eh?

[ookabooka]

But can it run Linux. . .?

Why did they use Java? It would have been faster in C++.

I for one welcome our new old x86 overlords.

Did I miss any?

Re:How's the efficiency?

[Anonymous Coward]

two words: minesweeper

Re:So it runs DOS eh?

[HoosierPeschke]

In Soviet Russia x86 emulates Java?

Re:Comparisons to other emulators?

[badfish99]

A java based emulator doesn't need to be ported.
That's the huge advantage of java. Just port the 100 meg or so of JVM, throw in a faster processor and a few more gigs of memory, and it'll run on anything.

My intepretation

[Excelcia]

An interpreted language being used to write an opcode interpreter.

For an encore, perhaps they can write a JVM in BASIC.

WARNING: Performance implosion imminent due to recursive interpretation.

Re:can you run java in the x86?

[Citizen of Earth]

The next question would be: can you run java in the x86 emulator that runs an other emulator that runs java, that runs another emulator.

...written in XSLT.

Re:Interesting, but

[shaitand]

'Java is capable of runtime optimisations not possible with statically compiled languages like C++.'

And with them it can perform almost as fast as C in some fringe cases.

Re:What do you do when it crashes?

[Eudial]

I was playing around with DEBUG.COM and ran "OUT 20, AX"...and now it's apparently dead. A lot of things don't seem to work - e.g. "mode 80,20". Even "dir c:" when the current drive is "a:" seems to hang. I wonder how complete the hardware emulation is. Can you run Windows 3.1 on this? How about programs that probe for a joystick?

It isn't dead! For crying out loud, it's java! It's still processing the instruction... Come back in September for the result.

Re:can you run java in the x86?

[Cyberax]

Yes.

The next step is to get rid of hardware altogether.

Re:can you run java in the x86?

[Pseudonym]

It's turtles all the way down, I tell you!

Re:Interesting, but

[ConceptJunkie]

Ridiculous! Java can perform NOPs as fast as any compiled language.

Re:can you run java in the x86?

[timeOday]

Linux on emulated hardware can be faster than Linux on real hardware:

There you go, a perpetual speedup machine. Run enough layers of Java on X86 on Java on X86 and supercomputers will be replaced by Cyrix 386s.