What is emulation?
The New American Dictionary's second definition of emulation is, "imitation of another".
I need more than that.
In computer science emulation is the creation of programs to act exactly like something else. For example a TV static emulator is a program. When you run is all it does is display a scrambled picture of black and white pixels, and produces a "KKKKKKKKSSSS" sound.
Why to people emulate?
There are many reasons for emulation and they vary. However the most common one(s) are nostalgia and preservation of old technology. Take the TV static example. It is useless, but look around. Modern TV's don't have static. They improved the TV by removing the static by replacing a very weak signal with a blue or black screen. The nature of technology and the myth of consumerism unfortunately boots out anything old. This leads to abuse of technology and weakens its appreciation. Those to have experience TV static have moments when they experience it and may even yearn it in the static less world. Emulation allows for these forgotten things and ideas to return, and be used and appreciated again.
What does this have to do with video games?
One of the most popular things to emulate are old video games. Practically every arcade ever made, the Atari's, Nintendo's, Sega's, and old DOS, Mac, and Windows games are emulated.
So how do I play old video games?
First you need that emulator that is the console of the game. For example, Jnes is a NES emulator, you would download that program from the Jnes or an emulator site. Next you would get a ROM file. A rom is a file that represents the cartridge or CD of a game, for example "duck_hunt.nes". Somewhere/how the emulator with load/open the rom and then with whatever controls you can play the game the rom represents.
Is their anything other neat things about emulators?
Yes, thanks to having emulators on computers it is easier to manipulate the data of games.
Is emulation legal?
I don't know exactly. I have heard arguments on both sides. For the legal side, emulation is an educational excursion. Programmers learn how to do so, and with something they enjoy. Since the manufacturer of games and consoles do exist or make the products any more they cannot loose profits from emulation. Emulators archive lost soft and hardware which is commonly lost. Emulators are legal in that if a person has the physical console and game, they are virtual using is someplace else/sharing it with other people, and so forth. On the negative side emulation is stealing from the companies since it is the mass replication and binary archiving of products without their explicit consent. The only definite fact I have is that the emulators are legal but the roms are in question.
What do I do then?
Make your own choice you ignorant #)(*$. Emulation is somewhat the same as the file sharing of Napster. At first it involved the personal effort of individuals trying to regain and appreciate something lost and share it with other people. However being so good it grew to be shared with everyone, and drew the attention of companies who demanded too much of the user. (It's "fair use", you #$)* @#!];'s.) However since video games aren't that essential to the industry of the US compared to music, it hasn't received any immediate attention yet. Also emulation is an extream hobbiest pursuit unlike mp3's which any idoit can rip. Just follow what the rom and emulator sites state and you should be fine.
OK, do you have emulators or roms?
No, however I have many links to good emulator and rom sites. They actually lead to the emulator and rom files. Quite often if you search for emulator and rom site you will go around in circles getting download form the top 100 emulator/rom sites, or vote for the top emulator/rom site. All the meanwhile getting bombarded with advertisements. These links don't have that $4|+.
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