eXoWin9x emulation requirements

[Torinde]

in addition to save/restore memory and CPU state - what about snapshot capabilities like Virtualbox, e.g. for the HDD/CD images, configuration changes, etc.? To have a "ROM-like" frozen state (snapshot) and subsequent storage changes to be recorded in a subsequent-state-file(s). User to be able to "merge" or not those back into the ROM frozen state (or in a copy of that).
A better description is at the emulator requirements for eXoWin9x.

Originally posted by @Torinde in #313 (comment)

Related to https://github.com/dosbox-staging/dosbox-staging/projects/7#column-10278621

From the interview:

• master Win98 install, with each game installing to its own child image. This would allow any changes to the OS folders (or the C: at all) to be captured by the child\diff image.
• dynamic images. report to the OS that there is plenty of free space available without having to make a custom image for every single game that has exactly the amount of space we need for the installed product.
• emulator that has the horsepower needed.

My comments on the horsepower:

• Period in question - Win9x mainstream support ends in 2003, extended support in 2006, latest game I find that works under Win9x - Age of Empires III
• CPU: hypervisor core, for example based on virt86 as discussed at Linux KVM (x86 virtualization) support joncampbell123/dosbox-x#1089
• GPU: multi-threaded 3dfx emulation Voodoo 4 and 5 emulation 86Box/86Box#2909 joncampbell123/dosbox-x/discussions/3867
• GPU: hypervisor QEMU-3dfx mod VMware SVGA/SVGA II and VBoxVGA emulation joncampbell123/dosbox-x#3405
• separately, nice to have - emulation of Aureal3D and EAX. Add Soundblaster Live! support 86Box/86Box#2795 Aureal Vortex sound cards emulation 86Box/86Box#2911 Aureal 3D and EAX sound emulation joncampbell123/dosbox-x#3597

[kcgen]

Thanks @Torinde.

Windows 9x (and related era hardware) is out of scope - see: https://dosbox-staging.github.io/about/

[Torinde]

Oh, sorry. I got carried away by seeing that you track explicitly in a project the "eXoDOS features" and I remembered that interview where Win9x was mentioned as needing more from emulators than what's available already.