Simulators: Virtual Machines of the Past (and Future)
Bob Supnik · Queue · 2004
Simulators are a form of “virtual machine” intended to address a simple problem: the absence of real hardware. Simulators for past systems address the loss of real hardware and preserve the usability of software after real hardware has vanished. Simulators for future systems address the variability of future hardware designs and facilitate the development of software before real hardware exists.