What does the "Arch" in "RetroArch" mean?

RetroArch
#1

What does the “Arch” in “RetroArch” mean? ( Sorry for the copy and paste )

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#2

I think it has something to do with arch Linux.:smiley:

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#3

I don’t see why! RetroArch has nothing to do with Arch Linux?

#4

Yeah just a guess, maybe it just sounds cool

#5

I just assumed it was just short for “architecture”? Like “general architecture you can use for implementing retro games across systems”

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#6

I think your probably right :grin:

#7

This begs the question, should the “ch” at the end of RetroArch pronounced as a “ch” or “k” sound though.

#8

I think it’s related to Noah’s Ark … Arch is Ark in many languages (Fr…)

It’s about saving the old games…

#9

It’s arch, as a fancy structure that supports bridges and other buildings. But it’s retro.

Or maybe it’s related to the lost Ark, from Indiana Jones. It’s an Ark with retro goodies inside instead of ghosts that make your face melt.

But yeah, it’s probably architecture.

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#10

I have always thought that it is “Archive”. You know, RetroArch is an archive of retro stuff.

#11

I assumed it meant “Architecture” as such I’ve always called it retroarK.

Also because saying retro"arch" sounds stupid to me lol :stuck_out_tongue:

But only the amazing people behind this amazing software could answer this question. Let us pray to the gods of mount Libretro, that they may shine their wisdom upon us lowely players.

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#12

I say arch as in archway.

#13

Only the initiated have ears to hear the true meaning of it.

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#14

I like the Architecture/Ark meaning duality.

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#15

Recent conversations on discord have confirm the pronunciation is Arch as in “archway”.

Please spread the word to any and all YouTubers…

As for meaning…its a secret

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#16

I wanna settle something

Is it pronounced arrch or ark?

#17

Arch, see above post. It has been confirmed:)

#18

This is exactly what I thought.

#19

Here’s your history lesson: http://www.knowyourmobile.com/games/nvidia-shield/21220/nvidia-shield-retroarch-ultimate-retro-gaming-combo

It was a command line-based application targeted at mainly a very techy UNIX audience. I became involved a year after Themaister had announced this on the Arch Linux forums. We met each other back in late 2010 during a chance occurrence because we wanted to port bSNES to the PlayStation 3, which had just been jailbroken. We wanted to basically see if bSNES could run at full speed. Eventually we got it running – it wasn’t full speed though because the PS3’s main CPU (the PPU) turned out to be as “fast” as a Pentium 4 2GHz CPU. But that’s another story.

(snip)

Anyway, a year later we decided to fork libsnes because its custodians (byuu and co) felt compelled to turn it into something we didn’t agree with, so since we had already heavily invested in libsnes and had written all sorts of ports for it already, we decided it was in our best interests to fork it and safeguard the current API. So, libsnes became libretro, SSNES became RetroArch, and since then, my main focus has been on making sure RetroArch is ported to as many platforms as possible. At the same time, I have also had a heavy hand in making sure that a wide variety of emulators are available on it.

Thread: RetroArch Interview