Hardware vs Simh (and FPGA)

On Fri, Apr 26, 2013 at 12:45:10PM -0400, Mouse wrote: I certainly get that. For me it's a matter of categories. I can't get the source code or schematics for my microwave oven, but while I'd certainly enjoy having them, it's fiiiine. It's just an appliance. It's irritating being denied full access to my own property, but I bought it to heat food, which it does. Same with my car's ECU, my musical tuner, digital watch, and don't get me started on the (*&^!@#*% TiVo which has had the wrong DST rules for several years now because I won't pay the protection fees for a piece of hardware I bought free and clear (for $400 for chrissake!). But at the same time, I've got a multi-lifetime backlog of stuff that IS open to hackery, and new interests cropping up all the time, and it's obvious I'll never get around to even 1% of it. So I gave up ages ago -- someone else can be in charge of web browsers and traffic lights and printers and PCB autorouters and all the infinite stuff that I wouldn't have the energy for even if well commented source code (plus build tools) were served up on a platter. Reinventing the wheels that DO interest me is already a full-time job. But I guess everyone draws the line in a different place... John Wilson D Bit