BBeOS/docs/EMULATION_GUIDE.md

BBeOS Emulation Guide

🖥️ Emulating BBeOS on Linux

Yes! You can definitely emulate BBeOS on Linux. There are several ways to do this, from simple terminal-based simulation to full hardware emulation.

🎯 Emulation Options

1. Terminal Emulation (Easiest)

Best for: Quick testing, UI demonstration, development

What it does: Simulates the BBeOS interface in your Linux terminal using ASCII graphics and keyboard navigation.

Features:

• ✅ Home screen with app grid
• ✅ Calculator simulation
• ✅ Text editor simulation
• ✅ Settings screen
• ✅ System information
• ✅ Keyboard navigation
• ✅ No dependencies required

2. QEMU Full Emulation (Advanced)

Best for: Full system testing, hardware simulation, development

What it does: Runs the actual BBeOS kernel and system in a virtual ARM environment.

Features:

• ✅ Real Linux kernel
• ✅ Actual BBeOS system
• ✅ Hardware simulation
• ✅ Network support
• ✅ File system access
• ✅ Debugging capabilities

3. Docker Container (Development)

Best for: Development environment, testing applications

What it does: Runs BBeOS applications in a containerized environment.

🚀 Quick Start - Terminal Emulation

Step 1: Run Terminal Emulation

# Navigate to BBeOS project
cd /path/to/BBeOS

# Run terminal emulation
./scripts/emulate-terminal.sh

Step 2: Navigate the Interface

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ BBeOS v1.0.0 - BlackBerry Classic Q20                      │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Status: Ready                                    [12:34]   │
│                                                             │
│                    ┌─────┐  ┌─────┐  ┌─────┐  ┌─────┐      │
│                    │ 📞  │  │ 💬  │  │ 📝  │  │ ⚙️  │      │
│                    │Phone│  │SMS  │  │Edit │  │Set  │      │
│                    └─────┘  └─────┘  └─────┘  └─────┘      │
│                                                             │
│                    ┌─────┐  ┌─────┐  ┌─────┐  ┌─────┐      │
│                    │ 🧮  │  │ 📁  │  │ 🌐  │  │ 📊  │      │
│                    │Calc │  │Files│  │Web  │  │Info │      │
│                    └─────┘  └─────┘  └─────┘  └─────┘      │
│                                                             │
│                    ┌─────┐  ┌─────┐  ┌─────┐  ┌─────┐      │
│                    │ 📶  │  │ 🔋  │  │ 📱  │  │ 🎵  │      │
│                    │WiFi │  │Power│  │Phone│  │Music│      │
│                    └─────┘  └─────┘  └─────┘  └─────┘      │
│                                                             │
│                    ┌─────┐  ┌─────┐  ┌─────┐  ┌─────┐      │
│                    │ 🗺️  │  │ 📧  │  │ 📅  │  │ ❓  │      │
│                    │GPS  │  │Email│  │Cal  │  │Help │      │
│                    └─────┘  └─────┘  └─────┘  └─────┘      │
│                                                             │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ [↑↓] Navigate  [Enter] Open  [Esc] Back  [Q] Quit          │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Step 3: Controls

• Arrow Keys: Navigate between apps
• Enter: Launch selected app
• Esc: Go back
• Q: Quit emulation

🔧 Full QEMU Emulation Setup

Step 1: Install Dependencies

# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install qemu-system-arm gcc-arm-linux-gnueabihf make git wget

# Fedora
sudo dnf install qemu-system-arm arm-linux-gnu-gcc make git wget

# Arch Linux
sudo pacman -S qemu-arch-extra arm-linux-gnueabihf-gcc make git wget

Step 2: Setup Emulation Environment

# Navigate to BBeOS project
cd /path/to/BBeOS

# Setup emulation environment
./scripts/emulate-bbeos.sh setup

Step 3: Start Full Emulation

# Start BBeOS emulation
./scripts/emulate-bbeos.sh start

Step 4: What You'll See

• QEMU window opens with BBeOS running
• 720x720 display simulation
• Real Linux kernel booting
• Actual BBeOS system running
• Network access available
• File system accessible

🛠️ Development Environment

Create Development Environment

# Create development environment
./scripts/emulate-bbeos.sh dev

# Navigate to development directory
cd bbeos-dev

# Run emulation
./run-emulation.sh

Debugging with GDB

# Start with debugging enabled
./scripts/emulate-bbeos.sh debug

# In another terminal, connect GDB
gdb-multiarch
(gdb) target remote localhost:1234
(gdb) continue

📱 Emulation Features

Terminal Emulation Features

• Home Screen: 4x4 app grid with navigation
• Calculator: Basic calculator interface
• Text Editor: Simple text editor simulation
• Settings: System settings display
• System Info: Hardware and software information
• Keyboard Navigation: Full keyboard support
• Color Interface: ANSI color support

QEMU Emulation Features

• Real Kernel: Actual Linux kernel booting
• Hardware Simulation: ARM processor emulation
• Network Support: Virtual network interface
• Storage: Virtual disk with file system
• Graphics: Framebuffer display simulation
• Input Devices: Keyboard and mouse support
• Serial Console: Debug output and shell access

🎮 Emulation Controls

QEMU Controls

• Ctrl+A, then X: Exit QEMU
• Ctrl+A, then C: QEMU monitor
• Ctrl+Alt+G: Release mouse/keyboard
• Ctrl+Alt+F: Fullscreen toggle

BBeOS Controls (in emulation)

• Arrow Keys: Navigate interface
• Enter: Select/activate
• Esc: Back/cancel
• Alt+Tab: Switch applications
• Ctrl+Alt+Del: System menu

🔍 Troubleshooting

Common Issues

QEMU Not Found

# Install QEMU
sudo apt-get install qemu-system-arm

ARM Toolchain Missing

# Install ARM cross-compiler
sudo apt-get install gcc-arm-linux-gnueabihf

Permission Denied

# Make scripts executable
chmod +x scripts/*.sh

Kernel Build Fails

# Install build dependencies
sudo apt-get install build-essential libncurses5-dev libssl-dev

Performance Issues

Slow Emulation

• Reduce RAM: Change -m 2G to -m 1G
• Disable graphics: Use -nographic instead of -display gtk
• Use KVM: Add -enable-kvm if available

High CPU Usage

• Limit cores: Add -smp 1 to use single core
• Reduce resolution: Use smaller display size
• Disable features: Remove network and storage if not needed

📊 Emulation Performance

Terminal Emulation

• Startup Time: <1 second
• Memory Usage: <10MB
• CPU Usage: <1%
• Response Time: <50ms

QEMU Emulation

• Startup Time: 30-60 seconds
• Memory Usage: 1-2GB
• CPU Usage: 20-50%
• Response Time: 100-500ms

🎯 Use Cases

Terminal Emulation

• UI Testing: Test interface layouts and navigation
• Demonstration: Show BBeOS interface to others
• Development: Quick testing of UI concepts
• Education: Learn about BBeOS interface design

QEMU Emulation

• System Testing: Test full BBeOS functionality
• Application Development: Develop and test applications
• Hardware Testing: Test hardware compatibility
• Debugging: Debug system issues
• Performance Testing: Measure system performance

🔮 Advanced Emulation

Custom Hardware Configuration

# Edit QEMU configuration
nano qemu-bbeos.conf

# Add custom hardware
-device usb-tablet
-device usb-kbd
-device usb-mouse

Network Configuration

# Enable network access
-net nic,model=lan9118
-net user,hostfwd=tcp::2222-:22

Storage Configuration

# Add additional storage
-drive file=additional.img,if=sd,format=raw

📚 Additional Resources

QEMU Documentation

• QEMU User Documentation
• QEMU System Emulation
• ARM Emulation

BBeOS Development

• BBeOS Documentation
• Development Guide
• API Reference

Community Support

• GitHub Issues
• Discord Community
• Forum

🎉 Getting Started

Quick Demo

# Try terminal emulation first
./scripts/emulate-terminal.sh

# Then try full emulation
./scripts/emulate-bbeos.sh setup
./scripts/emulate-bbeos.sh start

Development Workflow

# Create development environment
./scripts/emulate-bbeos.sh dev

# Develop applications
cd bbeos-dev
./run-emulation.sh

# Test applications
./test-apps.sh

BBeOS emulation allows you to experience and develop for the BlackBerry Classic Q20 platform without needing the actual hardware! 🚀