A tribute to Abandonware

[lazarus]

Okay, everyone says I got it wrong, and vaporware isn't what I always heard it is, so I'm changing it, but I'm changing the entire message.

So there. :P

Re-edit: Scott pegged it, I got the word wrong. :D

You know what abandonware is. It's primarily encountered in the gaming world. It's programs, particularly games, that just aren't publiched anymore. But you can't find them if you want them. And you can't copy them, that'd be stealing. So they're floating out there, in the ether...

For instance, anybody remember Lemmings? I LOVED that game. Spent hours and hours and hours playing it. Why can't I buy it? Why can't I at least go to the company's website and FTP it for 5 bucks or something?

Total Annihilation and its two expansions. Great RTS game, my favourite of all time. Out of print, you might luck out and find it somewhere, maybe EBay or a junk bin in a gaming store.

Populous. The original Populous. Another time eater, spent many nights playing that one.

So, how hard would it be for these companies to set up an FTP and just let people download them for a nominal fee to pay for storage and bandwidth? It's not like they're making any money anymore.

Let us have our abandonware!

[TrogL]

1. That's not vapourware

Vapourware is software that is promised by the manufacturer but never actually published. In ORACLE's case, it's a feature that is SURE to be in the next release so they won't deal with any problems associated with it in the current release.

[htuttle]

2. The way I've always heard it used, that's not vaporware

Vaporware is software that is hyped up, but never released.

The ill-fated Copeland operating system that Apple canned before they bought NeXT would be an example, but not a particularly good one, since several seeding releases did make it out the door.

Game wise, Halo for Mac would be the best example I can think of (unless they FINALLY get around to releasing it).

There's LOTS of qualifiying examples in vertical markets in the corporate world.

What you're describing is just old software. Check Kazaa! (I have to do the same thing looking for ROM files for the Mame arcade emulator...).

[lazarus]

5. Wow

I've always heard it referred to as vaporware. Hmm.

I'm scared to death of ever downloading another program on Kazaa. The only time I downloaded a game, it turned out to be something that trashed my registry and caused me to wipe my hard drive to fix it.

How does one make sure it's a real game, and not a virus or something?

[htuttle]

7. Easy

Get a Mac.

:evilgrin:

(Caveat: One time, many, many years ago, somebody DID circulate a Mac game that was a trojan horse for the MDEF virus. That was the last time I heard of it being done on the Mac, however).

[tridim]

8. Maybe "Etherware" is a better term?

As in, floating up there in the ether.

I'm sure you know this, but you can get all these games and play them on emulators if you look hard enough. As for virii, just get a virus scanner and scan the files you DL before extracting. I use AVG anti-virus, works every time.

[a_random_joel]

3. A special gift for you... Enjoy!

http://www.the-underdogs.org/

If you don't already know about this...

[lazarus]

11. sweet

Thanks!

[Deja Q]

4. I thought vaporware was...

software that is promised by bg-mouth corporations, but don't deliver as expected or don't deliver at all.

Microsoft ALWAYS did this back in the days of competition (e.g. OS/2, other PC OSes, Macintosh, Amiga, Atari ST, and all the other brands). They used it to help themselves.

Windows 2000 Pro was vaporware because Steve Ballmer said "Windows XP was what Windows 2000 Pro was supposed to be", even though WIn2000 did eventually get released into the market.

There was a website once, "Boycott Microsoft", that I think had a feature on vaporware too...

Though your definition makes sense too.

Also, vaporware for dead platforms or isn't commercially viable ain't worth $5 per download. Maybe $1. Besides, a few ex-Amiga developers have put their games into public domain, for FREE. The game "Battle Squardron" is one such game...

[DS1]

6. Duke Nukem 4Ever = Vaporware

It will go down in history books if it ever shows up.

[scottcsmith]

9. The correct term is "abandonware" n/t

[lazarus]

10. Thank you, Scott

That was what I was looking for.

Hopefully I can edit again. :D