Since I do not yet have permission to distribute the PAM-37 and H-17 ROM memory dump files needed by the simulator, the download does not include actual memory dumps for the ROMs. Legally and ethically, I can't distribute the copyrighted code without permission, so please don't ask me for it -- find an H-8 and do your own memory dump or get a copy of the ROM listings and transcribe the object code. That's the best I can do until permission is granted. Here's why this is so complicated:

• The H-8 computer was designed by Heath Company which was at the time a division of Schlumberger. They actually contracted the software development to Wintek Corp. Heath was then sold to Zenith Radio (later Zenith Electronics) which created Zenith Data Systems from Heathkit's computer line. In 1981, ZDS obtained a copyright for HDOS 2.0.
• Several years later, Bull HN Information Systems acquired ZDS from Zenith Electronics. Nippon Electric Co. (The 'N' in Bull HN) later bought out their share and became NEC / Zenith Data Systems. (Or was it Zenith / NEC? I forget.)
• There was a merger or joint venture or some kind of corperate intermarrage with Packard Bell which formed Packard Bell / NEC. NEC invested additionally in Packard Bell / NEC, became the majority investor and re-named the company as NEC Computers, Inc., the name the outfit is still operating by.
• Meanwhile, there is a different company operating under the Heathkit (not Heath Co.) name and manufacturing educational products. You can order photocopies of H-8 series kit manuals from them and they apparently hold the trademark for the name "Heathkit", but I believe NEC Computers owns the rights to the Heath Co. computer products (whether they know it or not).
• Following me so far? It looks like the company which currently holds the rights to the PAM-37 code, the H-17 ROM code and HDOS is either

1. Heathkit
2. Heath Co.
3. Wintek
4. Schlumberger
5. Zenith Electronics
6. Zenith Data Systems
7. Bull HN Information Systems
8. NEC
9. NEC / ZDS
10. Packard Bell / NEC
11. NEC Computers
12. none of the above
13. all of the above
14. You pick one. I've got a headache!

Anyway, I am unable to trace the exact ownership for the PAM rom code and I don't know the copyright status of this code anyway -- the PAM-37 listings I have say "Copyright 05/1976 by Wintek Corp." and are included in a manual whose cover page says "Copyright 1982 by Heath Co.", which post-dates the ZDS copyright of HDOS. My listings for the H-17 ROM say "Oct 77 Copyright Heath Co.".

The HDOS listings have the clearest copyright notice. It reads, in full:

Copyright (c) 1980 by the Heath Company, a subsidiary of Zenith Radio Corporation. Portions of the Editor, Assembler, Basic Interpreter and Debug utilities have been derived from software originally developed for the Heath Company by Wintek Corporation of Lafayette, Indiana.

Reproduction of this software, except with the written consent of the Heath Company, is prohibited.

Heath Company disclaims all warranties with regard to this material, including all implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a special purpose.

Note, however, that the above notice is with regards the software listings document (though it may apply to the software itself as a derivative work). The assembly code files which are listed in the document have their own notices, usually simply "Copyright 1980 by Heath Co." and occasionally there is no copyright notice. But for now, I'm going on the assumption that the "Reproduction [without permission] ... is prohibited." clause means what it says and whoever owns the copyright at the moment must grant me permission before I can legally distribute the ROM code in any form as part of the emulator.

If anybody knows who I should contact, please tell me and I will attempt (again) to contact somebody at that company and obtain permission to distribute the code for the PAM and H17 roms and HDOS diskettes. Meanwhile, I will distribute only code of my own creation, including code for obtaining emulator-compatible images of ROMs and diskettes from functioning H8 computer systems, and emulator code images written by others for which I have been given permission to distribute.

I am using the Heathkit trademark without permission in these web pages but I feel that I am using it in a way that is respectful of the company and its products; my use of the trademark does nothing to harm their image and does not interfere in any way with the Heathkit Company's ability to do business. However, if asked to desist, I stand ready to do so.