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The man behind one of the best ZX Spectrum emulators, SpecEmu, has passed away, we're sad to report.
News of Mark Woodmass' death was posted on the Spectrum Computing forum a couple of days ago. Also known as 'Woody' or 'Woodster', he will always be remembered for his work on SpecEmu, which has been championed for its accuracy and compatibility.
"SpecEmu became the benchmark for those seeking the most faithful experience possible to the original hardware, thanks to its optimised assembly code and meticulous attention to technical details," reads a post breaking the sad news on elmundodelspectrum.com.
"In addition to SpecEmu, Mark developed numerous technical tools related to emulation, tape formats, Z80 processor testing, and utilities that have helped many other developers and users over the decades. He was always willing to help anyone who asked," adds the tribute.
As well as working on SpecEmu, Woodmass also created games for the ZX Spectrum, including Boom Bot, Scumball 2, Lost! and Super Crap Invaders.
The thoughts of everyone at Hookshot Media are with Woodmass' family and friends at this difficult time.