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Anyone know of a non-GPL alternative to Unicorn (the CPU emulator)?

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  • 1
    Why does GPL matter here?
  • 0
    @Demolishun I'd preferably like to link against it and use it as a library without having to license my code as GPL.
  • 1
    @junon Can you make a wrapper that is licensed under GPL? Then control this separate program using another program? Or do you need the tight integration (like for video rendering)? Essentially I am saying you could turn the library into a command line app.
  • 0
    @Demolishun Yeah that's exactly what I've been planning on doing. Just wondered about an alternative that didn't make me go through that extra trouble (I already have to write javascript bindings too).

    It's a shame too because the owner said it'd be licensed under LGPL if it weren't for a dependency on one (!!) QEMU source file, so since QEMU is GPL therefore the entirety of Unicorn must be as well.

    EDIT: Oh and the other requirement for GPL compliance if I were to bundle it in binary form (aside from the license and whatnot, which of course isn't an issue) is to make the application work if the GPL stuff were to be deleted from the installation.
  • 1
    @junon Yeah, I tend to avoid GPL'd projects due to this. If you do the wrapper route just make sure you have separate projects for them. It will avoid confusion and allow someone else to build upon the wrapper program, and perhaps helping you out in the future.
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    @Demolishun Yeah I was planning on creating a process that opened a pipe and creating a protocol for submitting commands to it, releasing it on my GH and GPLing it.

    Then the consuming application would still be closed-source and non-GPL.

    Also, if some lunatic wanted to actually switch out the implementation for their own version, they'd be welcome to do so.
  • 4
    @junon We use gem5 for all of our simulation stuff (and ramulator for memory simulation). It's made for computer architects so it works at the microarchitecture level, so it might be too detailed for you. I think it's MIT licensed.
  • 3
    @RememberMe Ooooof yes, this is what I was hoping for. Actually it looks like it might even be *better* suited for what I'm looking to do.

    Thank you thank you thank you. <3
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