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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMy James Garner Connection
Way back in 1994, I created a Windows shareware program that people could use to create business cards to be printed on card stock paper and pre-perforated business card paper from various manufacturers. It was probably my most popular application, and really got my little shareware company, OsoSoft, started on a good road.
I wrote the software because I couldn't find a way to create sheets of business cards with all of the fonts, graphics, etc. that I could use in Windows 3.1 and later in Windows 95. Like most of the shareware applications I created, it started as something I needed that wasn't available in the software market at the time. It survived through several versions and updates over the next few years.
So, what does this have to do with James Garner? When I decided to market the program as shareware, it needed a name. I thought about it for a while and suddenly remembered The Rockford Files TV show. In at least a couple of episodes, Garner opened the trunk of his car, pulled out a small printing press, and then created some business cards on the spot to suit what he was about to do. Since my software could create as few as ten business cards on a sheet of card stock, I decided to name it Rockford Business Card Maker. The filename for the executable was ROCKFORD.EXE
Few people understood the allusion, but enough did to convince me that I made the right choice. The software was very popular with downloaders and I got enough people who actually registered and paid for it after trying it that it was financially successful on a limited basis as well.
After the program was on the market for a couple of years and had gotten reviewed in a few magazines, I received a letter one day from Garner. He wrote that someone had sent him a copy of the program, and that he had a good laugh at the homage to the Rockford character and his car trunk printing press. Made my day, that letter did.
I'm long out of the shareware business, but that was one of the highlights for OsoSoft.
CaliforniaPeggy
(149,618 posts)Very clever of you to think of that connection.
And even cooler that you got a letter from Garner!
MineralMan
(146,308 posts)He was very nice in the letter, and got a kick out of the reference to that small part of the TV show.
CaliforniaPeggy
(149,618 posts)ScreamingMeemie
(68,918 posts)"While working on a project on the Disney lot, EIGHT SIMPLE RULES filmed on the stage next door. James Garner used to sit outside the stage on a chair reading and yelling at passersby whose actions rankled him be it parking like an idiot or spitting on the ground. You don't mess with Jim Rockford.
I'm going to miss that old coot."
MineralMan
(146,308 posts)sarge43
(28,941 posts)He'll throw rocks at you
MoonRiver
(36,926 posts)I'm loving all the James Garner posts and threads!
progressoid
(49,990 posts)angstlessk
(11,862 posts)When I was about 10...my best friend and I would take turns being 'Maverick's' girlfriend...we would spend hours pretending...we 'loved' Maverick...and I am so sad at his death.
P.S. we did not pretend to love him (we did), only being his 'girlfriend'
MineralMan
(146,308 posts)navarth
(5,927 posts)pnwmom
(108,978 posts)Hekate
(90,683 posts)The Traveler
(5,632 posts)Ya know, I think I actually used that little program way back when ...
Trav
MineralMan
(146,308 posts)It was the first of its kind.
The Traveler
(5,632 posts)Know you said you aren't publishing shareware anymore ... but still in the profession?
Sometimes, I think I would like to let go of programming ... but I don't think programming will ever let go of me.
Trav
MineralMan
(146,308 posts)and just released all of the software into the public domain. It stopped being fun.
The Traveler
(5,632 posts)If it stops being fun, I'll find something else to do, too.
Trav
Omaha Steve
(99,632 posts)Congrats.