Webtagr - Technology News Summarizer

A Transputer Emulator in JavaScript: A 90s OS Reborn in Your Browser

2025-04-04

A developer has ported their C-based Transputer emulator to JavaScript. Surprisingly fast, this emulator comes pre-loaded with a full-blown operating system from Spring 1996, including a C compiler, assembler, 3D modeler, and ray tracer. Users can experience this retro OS directly in their browser, running commands and even attempting to self-compile the C compiler! This showcases the advancements in JavaScript JIT compilation and the developer's passion for retro technology.

A 16-Year-Old's Transputer OS: A 1995 Retrocomputing Odyssey

2025-03-13

In 1995, a 16-year-old author built a self-contained operating system for a Transputer using only 128KB of RAM. This ambitious project included a basic OS, text editor, Small-C compiler, and assembler. He painstakingly extended the compiler, eventually running complex programs like a chess program from the IOCCC and a ray tracer. A 3D polygonal modeler was also developed. Years later, the author revisited this project, detailing the challenges of restoring the OS, including byte order issues, memory management, and floating-point errors. The article culminates in a successful emulation of the OS and provides instructions to rebuild it. This story showcases impressive ingenuity and perseverance in the face of limited resources.

Teenager Builds Nearly Complete Pascal Compiler for Transputer in 1993

2025-02-05

In 1993, a 14-year-old author, leveraging his father's expensive Transputer chips, successfully built a nearly complete Pascal compiler over several months. This involved mastering Pascal, compiler principles, and Transputer programming. The project started with an assembler, followed by porting and improving a Tiny Pascal compiler, culminating in the compiler's self-compilation. This feat showcases the author's coding talent and persistence, while also highlighting the Transputer's potential and limitations in parallel computing.