If you want something done by hand, I made kind-of the same thing in JavaScript ages ago. (actually, no I just looked and I made the emulator part in Haxe)
[Edit]
Taking a look at the other posts, I think that the user is using AI, but also sincere in their intention of learning by making things. You will get people at all skill levels posting to Show HN: So I don't necessarily think it's a bad thing that they are posting something that doesn't require a lot of skill. Some of these beginner efforts are quite well received.
AI moves the bar somewhat, for what a beginner can do. In an ideal world, they would also clearly indicate their methods to avoid confusion or making people feel like they have been tricked. In their defence, this too, is an attribute of beginners. They have yet to learn the expectations of the community.
It get's even more complicated with AI of course, because the expectations of the community on this are rather in flux right now. To an extent, we're all beginners when it comes to what can be made with AI, how to use it, and how to present it.
To be clear, my main issue, if any, is the misleading headline. People have posted Show HN things they've used AI to help build (partially or completely). However, saying this is from scratch if it isn't is straight up lying. Moreover, the fact that this is on the front page is likely due that claim, so the reality of it is important context for readers, I imagine.
It seems this was posted while I was editing my comment. Essentially I agree, but feel like you have to make allowances for beginners in both coding and in how they conform to community expectations.
I can see how someone using AI would consider something made from scratch differently. Similarly, in the past using a batteries included language wouldn't have counted as from scratch to someone who had to write most of their support code themselves. Go back further and you'll probably see people considering the idea of using a compiler written by someone else as not from scratch.
Unless you want to go full NAND to Tetris, the notion of from-scratch is contextual. Maybe it's shifting under our feet.
If you want something done by hand, I made kind-of the same thing in JavaScript ages ago. (actually, no I just looked and I made the emulator part in Haxe)
https://k8.fingswotidun.com/static/ide/?gist=ad96329670965dc...
You can load programs from gists. Save to local storage, maybe some other features, it's been a while.
Assembler is at https://github.com/Lerc/AvrAsm Emulator is at https://github.com/Lerc/kwak-8
[Edit] Taking a look at the other posts, I think that the user is using AI, but also sincere in their intention of learning by making things. You will get people at all skill levels posting to Show HN: So I don't necessarily think it's a bad thing that they are posting something that doesn't require a lot of skill. Some of these beginner efforts are quite well received.
AI moves the bar somewhat, for what a beginner can do. In an ideal world, they would also clearly indicate their methods to avoid confusion or making people feel like they have been tricked. In their defence, this too, is an attribute of beginners. They have yet to learn the expectations of the community.
It get's even more complicated with AI of course, because the expectations of the community on this are rather in flux right now. To an extent, we're all beginners when it comes to what can be made with AI, how to use it, and how to present it.