Fellow (computing)
Encyclopedia
Fellow is an emulator
designed to run software written for the Amiga
computer platform. Released under the GNU General Public License
, Fellow is free software
.
Fellow was released shortly after the first usable release of the Unix Amiga Emulator
(UAE). The competition between the two projects proved to be mutually beneficial. Originally, Fellow ran under DOS
, but was ported to Microsoft Windows
and Linux
. Development on WinFellow ceased in 2005, but was revived with a new release in 2010 to improve compatibility with Windows 7 and Windows Vista
. Development on XFellow has apparently halted after a release in 2003 (based on timestamps inside the archive).
According to its author, Peter Schau, one of the main objectives in writing Fellow was to create an Amiga emulator that could run demos from the 1980s
Amiga demoscene
at full speed. Schau believed that Fellow and UAE belonged to a class of first-generation Amiga emulators, and that more accurate, real-time
emulators would be available in the future. As computing power increased, real-time
performance became achievable. Once more powerful computers were available, UAE became preferable due to its more accurate emulation, whereas Fellow remains popular for older hardware.
Emulator
In computing, an emulator is hardware or software or both that duplicates the functions of a first computer system in a different second computer system, so that the behavior of the second system closely resembles the behavior of the first system...
designed to run software written for the Amiga
Amiga
The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
computer platform. Released under the GNU General Public License
GNU General Public License
The GNU General Public License is the most widely used free software license, originally written by Richard Stallman for the GNU Project....
, Fellow is free software
Free software
Free software, software libre or libre software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions that only ensure that further recipients can also do...
.
Fellow was released shortly after the first usable release of the Unix Amiga Emulator
Unix Amiga Emulator
UAE is a computer emulator which emulates the hardware of the Commodore Amiga range of computers. Released under the GNU General Public License, UAE is free software.-History:...
(UAE). The competition between the two projects proved to be mutually beneficial. Originally, Fellow ran under DOS
DOS
DOS, short for "Disk Operating System", is an acronym for several closely related operating systems that dominated the IBM PC compatible market between 1981 and 1995, or until about 2000 if one includes the partially DOS-based Microsoft Windows versions 95, 98, and Millennium Edition.Related...
, but was ported to Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
and Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
. Development on WinFellow ceased in 2005, but was revived with a new release in 2010 to improve compatibility with Windows 7 and Windows Vista
Windows Vista
Windows Vista is an operating system released in several variations developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablet PCs, and media center PCs...
. Development on XFellow has apparently halted after a release in 2003 (based on timestamps inside the archive).
According to its author, Peter Schau, one of the main objectives in writing Fellow was to create an Amiga emulator that could run demos from the 1980s
1980s
File:1980s decade montage.png|thumb|400px|From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, Columbia, lifted off in 1981; American President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev eased tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the end of the Cold War; The Fall of the Berlin Wall in...
Amiga demoscene
Demoscene
The demoscene is a computer art subculture that specializes in producing demos, which are non-interactive audio-visual presentations that run in real-time on a computer...
at full speed. Schau believed that Fellow and UAE belonged to a class of first-generation Amiga emulators, and that more accurate, real-time
Real-time computing
In computer science, real-time computing , or reactive computing, is the study of hardware and software systems that are subject to a "real-time constraint"— e.g. operational deadlines from event to system response. Real-time programs must guarantee response within strict time constraints...
emulators would be available in the future. As computing power increased, real-time
Real-time computing
In computer science, real-time computing , or reactive computing, is the study of hardware and software systems that are subject to a "real-time constraint"— e.g. operational deadlines from event to system response. Real-time programs must guarantee response within strict time constraints...
performance became achievable. Once more powerful computers were available, UAE became preferable due to its more accurate emulation, whereas Fellow remains popular for older hardware.