Part of the Peripherals glossary:

In computers, an emulator is a hardware device or a program that pretends to be another particular device or program that other components expect to interact with. For example, using a 3270 emulator, a program written to be used with the 3270 workstation can communicate with and control a personal computer as though it were a 3270. Typically, an emulator is provided when a popular hardware device becomes outdated and no longer marketed but legacy application s exist that still need to communicate with the older device. The practice of using an emulator to make an older program work with a new end-use device is called terminal emulation .

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This was last updated in November 2005
Contributor(s): Dhananjay Gadre
Posted by: Margaret Rouse

Related Terms

Definitions

  • HyperTerminal

    - HyperTerminal (also known as HyperTerm) is a communications and terminal emulation program that comes with the Windows operating system, beginning with Windows 98. (SearchEnterpriseDesktop.com)

  • fax server

    - A fax server (or faxserver) is a system installed in a local area network (LAN) server that allows computer users who are attached to the LAN to send and receive fax messages. (SearchCIO-Midmarket.com)

  • terminal

    - In data communications, a terminal is any device that terminates one end (sender or receiver) of a communicated signal. (SearchNetworking.com)

Glossaries

  • Peripherals

    - Terms related to peripheral devices including definitions about keyboards or mice and words and phrases about printers, monitors, digital cameras and scanners.

  • Internet applications

    - This WhatIs.com glossary contains terms related to Internet applications, including definitions about Software as a Service (SaaS) delivery models and words and phrases about web sites, e-commerce ...

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