Editing PearPC

{{short description|PowerPC emulator}}
{{Infobox software
|name = PearPC
|logo = PearPC logo.png
|logo size = 64px
|developer = Sebastian Biallas, Stefan Weyergraf, Cassondra Foesch
|released = {{Start date and age|2004|05|10}}
|latest preview version = 0.6.0
|latest preview date = {{Start date and age|2015|07|12}}
|programming language = [[C++]], [[C (programming language)|C]], [[Assembly language|Assembly]]
|operating system = [[FreeBSD]], [[Linux]], [[Microsoft Windows]]
|genre = [[Emulator]]
|license = [[GNU General Public License]]
}}{{Portal|Free and open source software
}}
'''PearPC''' is a [[PowerPC]] platform [[emulator]] capable of running many PowerPC [[operating system]]s, including pre-Intel versions of [[Mac OS X]], [[Darwin (operating system)|Darwin]], and [[Linux]] on [[X86|x86 hardware]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Legard |first=David |date=2004-05-20 |title=A "pear" of projects plans to offer Mac OS on PCs |url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/2565186/a--pear--of-projects-plans-to-offer-mac-os-on-pcs.html |access-date=2024-03-22 |website=Computerworld |language=en}}</ref> It is released under the [[GNU General Public License]] (GPL). It can be used on [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]], [[Linux]], [[FreeBSD]] and other systems based on [[POSIX]]-[[X11]]. The first official release was made on May 10, 2004.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-10-27 |title=PearPC [E-Maculation wiki] |url=https://www.emaculation.com/doku.php/pearpc |access-date=2024-03-22 |website=www.emaculation.com}}</ref> The software was often used to run early versions of OS X on [[Windows XP]] computers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Choudhary |first=Amita |date=2016-05-08 |title=How To Run MAC OS on PC |url=https://www.engadget.com/2016-05-08-how-to-run-mac-os-on-pc.html |access-date=2024-03-22 |website=Engadget |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Lee |first=Wei-Meng |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IDH1C4m6zoMC&dq=%22pearpc%22&pg=PA3 |title=Running Mac OS X on Windows |date=2006-08-31 |publisher="O'Reilly Media, Inc." |isbn=978-0-596-52843-0 |language=en}}</ref>

== History ==
PearPC was released in May of 2004 by developers Sebastian Biallas and Stefan Weyergraf.<ref name=":2">{{Cite magazine |last= |first= |date=2004-05-10 |title=PearPC, a PowerPC Emulator |url=https://www.wired.com/2004/05/pearpc-a-powerp/ |access-date=2024-03-22 |magazine=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}}</ref> Original releases were noted for being slow and unstable,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kim |first=Arnold |date=2004-05-11 |title=PearPC - PowerPC/Mac OS X Emulation on a PC |url=https://www.macrumors.com/2004/05/11/pearpc-powerpc-mac-os-x-emulation-on-a-pc/ |access-date=2024-03-22 |website=MacRumors |language=en}}</ref> but were still well received by the community.<ref name=":3">{{Cite magazine |last= |first= |date=2004-05-17 |title=OS X Makes Slow Debut on PC |url=https://www.wired.com/2004/05/os-x-makes-slow-debut-on-pc/ |access-date=2024-03-22 |magazine=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}}</ref> On July 6, 2004, Weyergraf was killed by a train, but development continued.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last= |first= |date=2004-07-06 |title=PearPC Co-Author Killed by Train |url=https://www.wired.com/2004/07/pearpc-coauthor/ |access-date=2024-03-22 |magazine=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}}</ref> The last current version of PearPC was 0.5.0, released on July 12, 2015. One of the reasons given for the development slowing down after 2005 was Apple's transition from PowerPC to x86 architecture.

== Features ==
PearPC only runs on x86 systems including Intel and AMD such as Windows, Linux, FreeBSD, and [[ReactOS]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |last= |first= |date=2004-10-26 |title=OS X on a 68K Centris |url=https://www.wired.com/2004/10/os-x-on-a-68k-c/ |access-date=2024-03-22 |magazine=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Nestor |first=Marius |date=2018-05-07 |title=Watch: Mac OS X 10.4 Running in Windows Alternative ReactOS via PearPC Emulator |url=https://news.softpedia.com/news/watch-mac-os-x-10-4-running-in-windows-alternative-reactos-via-pearpc-emulator-521017.shtml |access-date=2024-03-22 |website=softpedia |language=english}}</ref> The emulator features a [[Just-in-time compilation|just-in-time]] (JIT) processor emulation core which [[Dynamic recompilation|dynamically translates]] PPC code into x86 code, caching the results. The original release emulated a [[PowerPC G3|G3 chip]].<ref name=":2" /> The emulator shipped with the ability to run [[Mac OS X Panther|Mac OS X 10.3]], [[OpenBSD]] for PowerPC, [[NetBSD]] for PowerPC, Darwin for PowerPC and [[Mandrake Linux]] 9.1, though it was noted that the emulated operating systems could be up to 40 times slower than the host.<ref name=":0" /> This speed was later brought up, running around 10 times slower than the host.<ref>{{Cite book |last= |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XbxVDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22pearpc%22&pg=PT12 |title=Comparison of virtualization technologies in the Linux system: Linux Virtualization. AL5-002 |publisher=NOITE S.C. |language=pl}}</ref> It could run all the regular Mac applications such as [[Finder (software)|Finder]], [[Safari (web browser)|Safari]], [[QuickTime]], and [[Terminal (macOS)|Terminal]].<ref name=":3" /> The emulator can run Mac OS X versions [[Mac OS X 10.1|10.1]] through [[Mac OS X Tiger|10.4]] but cannot run 10.5 Leopard or above. Support for the [[PowerPC G4|G4 chip]] was later added.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Holwerda |first=Thom |date=2004-05-18 |title=PearPC 0.1: Is It A Miracle? – OSnews |url=https://www.osnews.com/story/7085/pearpc-01-is-it-a-miracle/ |access-date=2024-03-22 |website=OSnews |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Shortcomings==
The current official version of Pear PC is 0.5.0 (released on July 12, 2015). While its PowerPC emulation handles most applications, the project still lacks several components needed for a complete emulation of the PowerPC experience. Sound emulation, [[PowerPC G5|G5 chip]] emulation, [[Apple Disk Image|.dmg]] support, and [[Mac OS X Leopard|OS X Leopard]] support were not included in this release. The installation was sometimes noted as complicated,<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Jepson |first1=Brian |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=09xjqE4nvqAC&dq=%22pearpc%22&pg=PA177 |title=Mac OS X Tiger for Unix Geeks |last2=Rothman |first2=Ernest E. |date=2005-06-01 |publisher="O'Reilly Media, Inc." |isbn=978-0-596-55274-9 |language=en}}</ref> requiring editing of [[Configuration file|configuration files]] and the use of the [[Command-line interface|command line]].<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Gralla |first=Preston |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CNvRtnZUPI8C&dq=%22pearpc%22&pg=PA112 |title=Big Book of Windows Hacks |date=2007 |publisher="O'Reilly Media, Inc." |isbn=978-0-596-52835-5 |language=en}}</ref>
==CherryOS controversy==
{{Further|CherryOS}}
A commercial PowerPC emulator called CherryOS was released soon after the launch of PearPC, in March 2005, claiming to offer more features and greater speed. However, within hours of its announcement, questions were raised about the claims, with some people suggesting that Cherry OS was nothing more than a repackaging of PearPC. According to Cassondra Foesch, a principal author of PearPC, it still contained all or part of the code written for the PearPC Project. Cherry OS also created questions regarding the legality of commercial software developed and marketed specifically to run macOS on the x86 architecture, since Apple's license agreement specifically states that the operating system may only be installed on Apple-labeled computers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shor |first=Susan |date=2005-03-10 |title=CherryOS Emulator Faces Licensing Problems |url=https://www.linuxinsider.com/story/cherryos-emulator-faces-licensing-problems-41273.html |access-date=2024-03-22 |website=LinuxInsider |language=en-US}}</ref> On April 6, 2005, the distribution of Cherry OS temporarily put on hold due to criticism.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dalrymple |first=Jim |date=2005-04-04 |title=Mac emulator CherryOS "on hold" |url=https://www.macworld.com/article/175166/cherryos-2.html |access-date=2024-03-22 |website=Macworld |language=en}}</ref> It was later released as [[open source]] on May 1, 2005.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dalrymple |first=Jim |date=2005-04-05 |title=CherryOS goes open source |url=https://www.macworld.com/article/175191/cherryos-3.html |access-date=2024-03-22 |website=Macworld |language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Comparison of platform virtualization software]]
* [[Hackintosh]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{SourceForge|pearpc|PearPC}}

{{Virtualization products}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pearpc}}
[[Category:Macintosh platform emulators]]
[[Category:Free emulation software]]
[[Category:PowerPC emulators]]
[[Category:Virtualization software]]
[[Category:Assembly language software]]
[[Category:Free and open-source software]]