Small-Scale Experimental Machine (SSEM) simulator

The SSEM, also known as the Manchester Baby was the first electronic stored-program computer.

As it is very simple, it is a good subject to study the basic principles of computing.

This program aims at simulating accurately the SSEM while allowing to play with it and tweak it.

Test it

python main.py samples/ssem/fibonacci.asm

The result will appear on the 28th line in binary.

Roadmap

• Assembler language linting
• Assembler to binary
• Run the program
• Make the assembler generic by extracting the language definition
• Read binary representation files (.snp)
• Improve readability (display option)
• Interactive interface
  • Use curses
  • User input
  • Display modes
  • Scroll in store with arrows when terminal is too small
  • Fix visual bugs
• Improve interactive interface
  • Handle screen resize
  • Accurate speed execution
  • Help window
• Unit and functional tests (partially done)
• Implement breakpoints: automatically stop at a given condition
• Implement other machines with this engine
• Save user preferences

Documentation

Documentation

Bibliography

David Tarnoff, "Programming the 1948 Manchester Baby (SSEM)" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7ozlF5ujUw

Chris P Burton, "The Manchester University Small-Scale Experimental Machine Programmer's Reference Manual" http://curation.cs.manchester.ac.uk/computer50/www.computer50.org/mark1/prog98/ssemref.html

Computer Conservation Society, "SSEM - Technical Overview" https://computerconservationsociety.org/ssemvolunteers/volunteers/introframe.html

David Sharp, "Manchester Baby Simulator" https://davidsharp.com/baby/

Brian Napper, "The Manchester Small Scale Experimental Machine -- "The Baby"" https://web.archive.org/web/20081013180637/http://www.computer50.org/mark1/new.baby.html#specification

License

This program is licensed under the MIT license.