Source code
Source code is any collection of computer instructions written using some human-readable computer language. The source code is often transformed by a compiler program into low-level machine code understood by the computer. Alternatively, an interpreter can be used to analyze and perform the outcomes of the source code program directly on the fly.
Software, and its accompanying source code, typically falls within one of two licensing paradigms: open source and proprietary software. Software is open source if the source code is free to use, distribute, modify and study, and proprietary if the source code is kept secret, or is privately owned and restricted.
Porting software to other computer platforms is usually prohibitively difficult without source code. Without the source code for a particular piece of software, portability is generally computationally expensive.Template:Citation needed Possible porting options include binary translation and emulation of the original platform.
Licensing
Emulator software may be open source or closed source. There are many advantages for console emulators:
- Abandoned open source projects can be picked up by other dev teams. Abandoned closed source projects cannot be updated
- Easy forking and customization of projects
- Allows others to examine the source code and offer input, or to fix bugs
Many of the most successful emulation projects are ones that are open source.
Languages
Include stuff about the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Assembly
Java
C++
References
- (VEW04) "Using a Decompiler for Real-World Source Recovery", M. Van Emmerik and T. Waddington, the Working Conference on Reverse Engineering, Delft, Netherlands, 9–12 November 2004. Extended version of the paper.
