Editing VMac

{{Short description|Open source 68k Macintosh emulator}}
{{About|the 68k Macintosh emulator|the cryptographic algorithm|VMAC}}{{More citations needed|date=February 2025}}
{{lowercase}}
{{Infobox software
| logo = Vmaclogo white.png
| logo size = 150px
| screenshot = VMac.png
| screenshot size = 250px
| caption = Mini vMac running System Software 7 on [[Ubuntu]]
| developer = Philip Cummins<br />Bill Huey<br />Weston Pawlowski (Windows)<br />Yoav Shadmi (DOS)<br />Richard Bannister (Mac OS)<br />Michael Hanni (Linux)<br />David Bacher (OS/2)<br />Paul C. Pratt (Mini vMac)
| latest_release_version = 0.1.9 (vMac), 36.04 (Mini vMac)
| latest_release_date = {{start date and age|1999|04|26}} (vMac), {{start date and age|2018|10|28}} (Mini vMac)
| discontinued = 1999
| operating_system = [[Microsoft Windows]], [[Linux]], [[Classic Mac OS|Mac OS]], [[NeXTSTEP]], [[OS/2]], [[DOS]], [[iOS]], [[Nintendo DS]], [[Android (operating system)|Android]]
| genre = [[emulator|Emulation]]
| license = [[GNU General Public License]]
| website = {{URL|www.vmac.org}} (vMac, outdated) <br /> {{URL|https://www.gryphel.com/c/minivmac/}} (Mini vMac)
}}
[[File:VMac-System7.png|220px|thumb|vMac 0.1.9 running System 1.1 on [[System 7]].5]]
'''vMac''' is a [[Free and open-source software|free and open-source]] [[Macintosh Plus]] [[emulator]] which is able to run versions of [[System 1|System 1.1]] to [[System 7|7.5.5]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Pratt |first=Paul C. |date=12 October 2011 |title=About Mini vMac |url=https://www.gryphel.com/c/minivmac/about.html |access-date=16 February 2025 |website=gryphel.com}}</ref> It is available for [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]], [[DOS]], [[OS/2]], [[Classic Mac OS|Mac OS]], [[NeXTSTEP]], [[Linux]], [[Unix]], and other platforms.<ref>{{Cite web |year=1999 |title=Platform/Version Status |url=http://www.vmac.org/ver/platform_status.html |access-date=16 February 2025 |website=vMac.org}}</ref> Although vMac has been abandoned, ''Mini vMac'', an improved spinoff of vMac, is still actively developed.<ref name=":0" />

vMac and Mini vMac support [[central processing unit|CPU]] emulation from [[Motorola 68000]] to [[Motorola 68040|68040]],<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Pratt |first=Paul C. |date=3 June 2015 |title=Mini vMac Emulated Hardware Reference |url=https://www.gryphel.com/c/minivmac/hardware.html |access-date=16 February 2025 |website=gryphel.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Mini vMac |url=http://www.penlug.org/MinivMac.html |access-date=16 February 2025 |website=penlug.org}}</ref> display output,<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Strohl |first=Adam |year=1998 |title=Color and Video Support |url=http://www.vmac.org/cgi-bin/suwalski/open.cgi?/home/suwalski/public_html/files/0014.vkb |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031226224926/http://www.vmac.org/cgi-bin/suwalski/open.cgi?/home/suwalski/public_html/files/0014.vkb |archive-date=26 December 2003 |access-date=16 February 2025 |website=vMac.org}}</ref> sound, [[floppy disk]] insert, HFV image files,<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Strohl |first=Adam |year=1998 |title=Disk Images |url=http://www.vmac.org/cgi-bin/suwalski/open.cgi?/home/suwalski/public_html/files/0006.vkb |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031226223959/http://www.vmac.org/cgi-bin/suwalski/open.cgi?/home/suwalski/public_html/files/0006.vkb |archive-date=26 December 2003 |access-date=16 February 2025 |website=vMac.org}}</ref> and more.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Rinaldo |first=Tommy |year=1998 |title=Connecting to Internet via FreePPP and MacTCP |url=http://www.vmac.org/cgi-bin/suwalski/open.cgi?/home/suwalski/public_html/files/0005.vkb |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031226223544/http://www.vmac.org/cgi-bin/suwalski/open.cgi?/home/suwalski/public_html/files/0005.vkb |archive-date=26 December 2003 |access-date=16 February 2025 |website=vMac.org}}</ref> Some vMac ports include extra features such as [[CD-ROM]] support, basic [[serial port]] (SCC) support,<ref name=":1" /> Gemulator ROM board support,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mihocka |first=Darek |date=30 November 2008 |title=Gemulator 9 |url=http://www.emulators.com/gemul8r.htm |access-date=16 February 2025 |website=emulators.com}}</ref> and various performance improvements. Although the website is still in operation, most vMac development slowed to a halt in 1999, and no official releases have been made since. Many of the developer e-mail addresses listed on the website are not currently working.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}

== Overview ==
{{Off topic|date=February 2024}}
'''Mini vMac''', vMac's spinoff, is still being maintained and developed by Paul C. Pratt.  Currently Mini vMac supports [[Macintosh 128K]], [[Macintosh 512K|512K]], [[Macintosh 512Ke|512Ke]], [[Macintosh Plus|Plus]], [[Macintosh SE|SE]] and [[Macintosh Classic|Classic]], with active development for [[Macintosh II]], [[Macintosh Portable]] and [[PowerBook 100]] support. Due to complaints about the rarity of the original [[Macintosh II|II]],{{Citation needed|date=March 2009}} it also accepts [[Macintosh IIx]] and [[Macintosh SE/30]] [[ROM image|ROM files]].

vMac and Mini vMac require a Macintosh Plus ROM file and Macintosh system software to work. Macintosh ROM files are owned by [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] and cannot be legally distributed.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pawlowski |first=Weston |year=1998 |title=Most Common Questions and Answers |url=http://www.vmac.org/cgi-bin/suwalski/open.cgi?/home/suwalski/public_html/files/0001.vkb |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031226222705/http://www.vmac.org/cgi-bin/suwalski/open.cgi?/home/suwalski/public_html/files/0001.vkb |archive-date=26 December 2003 |access-date=16 February 2025 |website=vMac.org}}</ref> However, the Windows and Unix ports of vMac (not Mini vMac) support the Gemulator ROM board from Emulators Inc., which allows users to add genuine MacPlus ROM chips to their [[x86]] machine via an [[Industry Standard Architecture|ISA]] expansion slot. This board can also support ROM chips from other early Macintosh systems, but the publicly released versions of vMac only supported the Macintosh Plus.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}} Macintosh system software is available from Apple's Support Downloads Website.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 2012 |title=DOWNLOAD.INFO.APPLE.COM FTP Site |url=https://archive.org/details/download.info.apple.com.2012.11 |access-date=16 February 2025 |website=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref>

As mentioned, Mini vMac also requires a specific ROM image for the computer emulation desired. A software application for these 68000 Macs may be downloaded from the Mini vMac website for retrieval of a system's ROM image, along with a complete tutorial for locating an old Mac, retrieving the ROM and working with disk images.

== See also ==
{{Portal|Free and open-source software}}
* [[Basilisk II]], an emulator of later 68k Macs.
* [[Executor (software)]], a emulator/compatibility layer for early 68k Macs.
* [[SheepShaver]], an emulator of early PowerPC Macs.
* [[PearPC]], an emulator of PowerPC Macs which can run [[MacOS|Mac OS X]] and various open Unixes.

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{official website|www.vmac.org}} vMac
* {{official website|https://www.gryphel.com/c/minivmac/}} Mini vMac
* archive of [https://archive.org/details/download.info.apple.com.2012.11 Apple's Support Downloads Website]
* [http://emaculation.com/doku.php/mini_vmac_setup Guide to setting up System 6 in Mini vMac for Windows]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060425053301/http://nothickmanuals.info/doku.php?id=minivmac Creating a Mac-on-Stick using Mini vMac]

{{DEFAULTSORT:vMac}}
[[Category:Macintosh platform emulators]]
[[Category:BeOS software]]
[[Category:Linux emulation software]]
[[Category:Classic Mac OS emulation software]]
[[Category:Windows emulation software]]
[[Category:68k emulators]]
[[Category:Android emulation software]]