New additions to retroarchive.org...

[geneb]

First up is the addition of Crescent Software's entire product line. The company produced a number of good library suites in the late 80s and early 90's. Note these are all DOS products - the Windows product line was sold in the early 90's.

http://annex.retroarchive.org/crescent/index.html

When the documentation arrives, I'll be paying the IA to get it all scanned. It's a lot cheaper than me buying a Scribe scanner or building a DIY version.

Next up is a HUGE CD-ROM and FTP site archive I've been working on.

http://www.retroarchive.org/cdrom/index.html

What I've done here is pull CD-ROMs from the Internet Archive and make them easily browseable. I've also extracted the contents of each of the zip, etc. files and created index files for those as well. The goal was to make the material more easily accessible for both us meat bags and search spider bots.

This is going to be a long term project that will end when I've either exhausted the available CD-ROMs on the IA, or I die, whichever comes first.

There's a number of holes in the sets that are on the IA - if you've got a disc that would fill a hole, please consider making an ISO of the disc and upload that along with a photo of the disc to the IA and then let me know so I can get it processed.

Thanks!

g.

 

[austfox]

Many thanks for that. I used PDQ in the 90’s and still have the disks. However, I think a couple of my Graphics Workshop disks are not readable, so it will be good to recreate them.

Steven.

 

[Trixter]

I'm very curious how much the software asset purchase price was.

 

[geneb]

You're welcome Steven!

Trixter: I paid $500 for it. Yay Visa...*coughs*

g.

 

[Shadow Lord]

You're welcome Steven!

Trixter: I paid $500 for it. Yay Visa...*coughs*

g.

That is a sweet price. I looked but did not see the compression libraries. Were those included as well?

I wonder if the Sierra assets are up for sale... I just want everything before KQ VIII. You know before it all went downhill... :D Maybe vivendi takes Discover....

 

[Trixter]

$500

Not too bad. There's some good assembly source in there.

That is a sweet price. I looked but did not see the compression libraries. Were those included as well?

Yep, they're there. I even saw the LZW assembly source.

I wonder if the Sierra assets are up for sale... I just want everything before KQ VIII. You know before it all went downhill... :D Maybe vivendi takes Discover....

You can be almost completely sure the original assets for anything before 1987 are lost (the bootable games, the Apple II games, etc.). I'm skeptical the DOS-era stuff survived either (and if it was ever transferred, it was probably on QIC-40 tapes or something and is rotting in a warehouse). Most current rights holders of 30-yr-old games don't physically possess them -- and in fact many have been caught using pirated versions for their official distributions.

 

[geneb]

I suspect that if he had no manuals left that it would have been much less or even zero and that the price I paid is simply "make it worth the effort" money to pack up the manuals for each product and ship them to me.

Ethan is a really nice guy and I could tell he was pretty flabbergasted that anyone even cared about his old DOS stuff after so many years.

I'm also trying to chase down the VB6 stuff that Crescent produced - I suspect the company that purchased the Windows version assets in the 90's is a dead company. All the trademarks are dead.
If anyone reading this has any of the Crescent VB6 stuff, please contact me - in fact, if you've got /any/ MS-DOS or VB6 libraries you want to see preserved, contact me.

tnx.

g.

 

[Shadow Lord]

Yep, they're there. I even saw the LZW assembly source.

Cool, I have to go back and take a second look.

You can be almost completely sure the original assets for anything before 1987 are lost (the bootable games, the Apple II games, etc.). I'm skeptical the DOS-era stuff survived either (and if it was ever transferred, it was probably on QIC-40 tapes or something and is rotting in a warehouse). Most current rights holders of 30-yr-old games don't physically possess them -- and in fact many have been caught using pirated versions for their official distributions.

I agree. Heck I am pretty sure Sierra itself didn't have the assets in the 1990s. Its just like Disney. Nobody thought anyone would want this stuff so it was all thrown away after the movie or cartoon came out. It wasn't until Eisner that Disney started holding on to history and memorabilia (at least according to Al Low :D). Companies just didn't think like that and many still don't.


However, it would be nice if any assets available and the rights went to a group interested in preserving them. Then suddenly the community will start donating stuff they have been squirreling away for years. You probably know better then me how much stuff is held unofficially by collectors compared to the actual companies.

 

[Al Kossow]

Companies just didn't think like that and many still don't.

That certainly isn't true in Hollywood.
Disney pioneered generational reissues.
The problem is there is no revenue case for software on dead platforms.
Game assets are a completely different issue, and if you read the recent
Library of Congress decision on DMCA exceptions, game companies are the
ones that complain the loudest about anything that they consider to be their 'IP'.

 

[Shadow Lord]

That certainly isn't true in Hollywood.
Disney pioneered generational reissues.
The problem is there is no revenue case for software on dead platforms.
Game assets are a completely different issue, and if you read the recent
Library of Congress decision on DMCA exceptions, game companies are the
ones that complain the loudest about anything that they consider to be their 'IP'.

Al,

I should have been more specific: many technology companies still don't think like that. For example does Apple itself own an original Apple I?

Yes, Hollywood has seriously changed. As I stated earlier Disney came around when Eisner took over and now they are all milking the collectible market for what its worth. However, with tech it is always about getting you to buy the next new expensive thing. Got to keep the money churning.

 

[Unknown_K]

Old DOS game Franchises do get rebooted once in a while (XCOM for an example). I think Command and Conquer is getting a new game.

 

[ngtwolf]

You can be almost completely sure the original assets for anything before 1987 are lost (the bootable games, the Apple II games, etc.). I'm skeptical the DOS-era stuff survived either (and if it was ever transferred, it was probably on QIC-40 tapes or something and is rotting in a warehouse).

As someone who recently try to recover all 7 of their QIC-40 and later tape backups from the mid 90's with a 0% success rate, I can sympathize with that.

 

[Santa]

Hi,

I am new to the forum, and not sure how much help I may be. I have lots and lots of old computers, parts, and software that I have collected. Apple ii, original Apple Laptop, had an orig Mac from 1984 rollout but need to ask wife if her friend ever returned it from several years ago. Nec monitors, other monitors, Apple printers, drives, tons of old software in binders and drawers, and some original still in boxes 5.25 & 3.5. Modems, boards, drive face plates, a little bit (or a lot) of probably about almost everything. I was in computer retailing and distribution for about 25 years.

That is the good news. Now for some of the bad. My wife and I are downsizing. We have emptied 2 storage areas so far but have not emptied or gone through all the boxes yet or even all the cabinets yet. and we still have 3 large storage areas to go. If you have some particular needs, I "MIGHT" know where it might be and might be able to get to it, but would let you know the chances for a quick turn around or not. Some of the stuff I might be ready to post next week or two. Sorry for the scatter thoughts, but I am 71 and thoughts come when they do...I think i may have the copy card someone was looking for. I do have one here somewhere that you flipped a switch on it to copy the software. Just don't remember if it was in PC or Apple right now.

I have some very rare pieces that I have saved for 30+ years. Especially from Apple and Macintosh. Original Apple Mac colored glass first authorized Dealer's light. Original 1984 Mac TV Super Bowl commercial (yup...the hammer one) on Apple VHS tape released to dealers on original Mac rollout in 1984....I was there.

I will probably sell most of the items i have since we are downsizing. I probably have 15-20+ computers, 12-18 monitors, 12 printers, etc, etc. I may not sell every item as some are sentimental and historical...but will have to see. So sorry this is long winded, but I know some of you are really focused collectors, and just wanted to give a rough sampling of some of the things I happen to have. Let me know if you have specific needs, and I can let you know if I have it and have seen it recently or if it is still out in my quicksand patch...lol. I don't always check my email so it might take me a bit to get back to you, and i will try to keep checking the forum too. Just normally don't have any time left in the day to do that much, but will keep trying. Don't think I don't have it or am ignoring you. Just haven't found the time break to respond.

Look forward to hearing from anyone who has a need for some of the older to the ancient stuff. I hope I can help you.