SheepShaver emulates an environment for running PowerPC MacOS and is available as an Open Source software.
One of the most impressive features of SheepShaver is that it allows applications to run at native speeds on PowerPC-based systems without any emulation. However, on other systems, SheepShaver provides the first PowerPC G4 emulator without MMU, enabling the execution of MacOS Classic. Keep in mind that performance with the current CPU emulator using basic just-in-time (JIT) translation techniques is roughly 1/8-th of native speeds.
Currently, SheepShaver supports a range of platforms, including Linux (i386, ppc, x86_64), MacOSX for ppc, Darwin, NetBSD 2.0, FreeBSD 5.3, and Windows for x86. Although the Windows version may be less stable than other platforms, users are encouraged to contribute to the project.
Some of the key features of SheepShaver include support for MacOS 7.5.2 through MacOS 9.0.4, PowerPC G4 emulation on non-PowerPC platforms, copy and paste of text between MacOS and the host OS, file exchange with the host OS via a Unix icon on the Mac desktop, and CD-quality stereo sound output. Additionally, SheepShaver allows for networking via Ethernet and PPP with all Open Transport compatible MacOS applications.
The latest release of SheepShaver includes several improvements, including support for up to 1 GB of Mac memory, improved SLiRP network emulation performance, and bug fixes related to Native QuickDraw acceleration and MacOS 9 installation. There have also been improvements to porting the software to other platforms.
Overall, SheepShaver is a powerful tool for running classic MacOS software on a variety of different operating systems. With its many features and constant improvements, it's an excellent choice for anyone looking to expand their software options.
Version 2.3-0.20060514: N/A