Is there much interest out there for vintage software?

[Darko66]

I wasn't sure where to post this, but thought the PowerPC community might be the best place.

We are in the process of shutting down our business and cleaning out the office. I think we've kept every piece of software purchased over the last 30 plus years as well as some classic hardware. So, looking at the shelves full of software, I'm wondering if we should just toss it all out or if there are folks out there who might want it. Some of it is probably 68K software on floppys, but there's a lot of PowerPC and Intel stuff as well. It's mostly Adobe/Aldus/Macromedia, but some word processors and various system utilities (Suitcase, Ram Doubler, Disk Doubler, Toast, Screensavers, etc.). Most are in the original boxes with the manuals, but a bit dusty.

Quite shockingly, I also dusted off an old Power Book 520 and it booted up off of the original hard drive. It was pretty lightly used in its day and has just been in a closet for decades, but I'm amazed the drive still works.

Any thoughts on what we should do with all the software? Throwing it all out would be the most time efficient, but I kind of hate to do that if any of it could find a good home.

Thanks

 

[wnlewis]

Any chance you have MacProject Pro or Ashlar Cobalt (a high end 3D CAD package)?

I'm certain that this group would give happy homes to everything that you have.

 

[Darko66]

Any chance you have MacProject Pro or Ashlar Cobalt (a high end 3D CAD package)?

I'm certain that this group would give happy homes to everything that you have.

No nothing that was high-end or would be all that rare – mostly just graphic design stuff.

I have two versions of a 3D program called Eovia Carrara Studio. There's no version on the one box and the other is v3. They have both Mac and Windows discs.

 

[organicCPU]

If logged in to the MR forums, visit the Marketplace for Collectibles. I guess that´s the right place to find happy collectors.

Would be interested to read there what versions of what software you mean.

 

[TheShortTimer]

Any thoughts on what we should do with all the software? Throwing it all out would be the most time efficient, but I kind of hate to do that if any of it could find a good home.

There's bound be takers for everything that you have to offer.

Share a list of what you have - or photos?

 

[f54da]

Upload it to internet archive?

 

[Darko66]

If logged in to the MR forums, visit the Marketplace for Collectibles. I guess that´s the right place to find happy collectors.

Would be interested to read there what versions of what software you mean.

Unfortunately I think members have to have made a certain number of posts (perhaps 250) before they can post on the Marketplace. I fall well short of that since I'm more of a reader here than a poster. The software I have, likely has little value anyway and shipping it out likely wouldn't be practical. I probably need to find a local source to donate it to, but don't know where that would be. I'm in Arizona.

 

[organicCPU]

Unfortunately I think members have to have made a certain number of posts (perhaps 250) before they can post on the Marketplace.

Oh sorry, didn't realize that one needs at least 250 posts and at least 180 days of membership to access the marketplace. Anyway, maybe you can list your items here in the thread, so that others from Arizona can find them. Unfortunately I'm on another continent. You could ask the SMECC in Glendale, too.

 

[Slix]

Definitely don't throw it out! Donating it to a local store might be good, but they could also just throw it out after you donate it, so it's best to find someone here or through something like eBay/Facebook Marketplace to give it to. If the software is all boxed, some of it could be valuable. The Macintosh Garden would be a good place to upload it to if any aren't uploaded there already, if you are able/willing to do that too.

 

[TheShortTimer]

Definitely don't throw it out! Donating it to a local store might be good, but they could also just throw it out after you donate it, so it's best to find someone here or through something like eBay/Facebook Marketplace to give it to.

Agreed. Staff in thrift stores will often dispose of items if they do not understand their purpose.

If the software is all boxed, some of it could be valuable. The Macintosh Garden would be a good place to upload it to if any aren't uploaded there already, if you are able/willing to do that too.

Or able/willing to give the software to people who will upload it.

 

[bryo]

There will absolutely be a ton of interest in that. Where in general are you located? I may be able to point you to some groups who would be interested.

 

[eyoungren]

Where in general are you located?

I'm in Arizona.

 

[B S Magnet]

Definitely don't throw it out! Donating it to a local store might be good, but they could also just throw it out after you donate it, so it's best to find someone here or through something like eBay/Facebook Marketplace to give it to. If the software is all boxed, some of it could be valuable. The Macintosh Garden would be a good place to upload it to if any aren't uploaded there already, if you are able/willing to do that too.

Seconding @Slix and @TheShortTimer :

There A) is demand for vintage stuff, mostly these days for retrocomputing (but also collecting and for sourcing donor parts which cannot be found any other way); and B) for durable goods as old computers, first (and always) upcycle over recycle, whenever the chance permits itself.

The main downside: enthusiasts are more than likely going to be located in another city, and logistics around shipping effectively, without spindling or damage, are a factor ahead of which to plan.

 

[mperkins37]

I used to beta test Carrara, what adobe? I am in Mesa

 

[Darko66]

I will try and go through at least some of what I have this weekend and provide either a list, photos or both.

Thanks everyone for the interest and suggestions so far. To be slightly more specific, I'm in Phoenix, Arizona.

 

[Darko66]

Well that took way longer than I'd hoped.

Here's the list of everything I've come across so far. A lot of junk, but maybe something of worth to someone nearby. I also have a bunch of Type 1 fonts and possibly some Type 3 fonts.

This list is almost entirely 68K and PPC, except for a few that are dual PPC/Intel and the ones that also include a Windows version. By the time Intel came along we had mostly narrowed down to QuarkXPress and Adobe Creative Suite, both of which we want to keep the licenses to and any additional software was likely downloaded. So, we probably won't have any newer software to unload. If there's anything else hiding in our office, it will likely be 68K. I did think I had some older versions of Photoshop that came bundled with scanners, so they might show up.

For the software on floppys, no idea if the disks are still readable. On some where its says "CD", they might actually be DVDs. Don't hold me to 100% accuracy on the list.

Some of the software is obviously upgrades, so not sure if they will install w/o the prior version installed or the prior serial #. That's most likely applicable to the Adobe and Microsoft software. Also, I'm likely going to give my newer Adobe Creative Suite (v6) to a friend, so I'm unsure how that will affect the licensing and we might not be able to release the "CS" versions listed. I'm not even sure if you can still get the newer versions to install, so that might be moot.

 

[B S Magnet]

Well that took way longer than I'd hoped.

Here's the list of everything I've come across so far. A lot of junk, but maybe something of worth to someone nearby. I also have a bunch of Type 1 fonts and possibly some Type 3 fonts.

This list is almost entirely 68K and PPC, except for a few that are dual PPC/Intel and the ones that also include a Windows version. By the time Intel came along we had mostly narrowed down to QuarkXPress and Adobe Creative Suite, both of which we want to keep the licenses to and any additional software was likely downloaded. So, we probably won't have any newer software to unload. If there's anything else hiding in our office, it will likely be 68K. I did think I had some older versions of Photoshop that came bundled with scanners, so they might show up.

Although the licences are still valid on paper, most if not every title and version in your PDF inventory amount to what’s best known as abandonware.

It’s not that any of the software lost utility or value. Rather, it’s that the companies may either be long shuttered, absorbed many times over (e.g., Aldus absorbed into Altsys into Macromedia into Adobe), or the product (like Streamline) phased out as core functions were dovetailed as a tool in another product. In effect, they’re abandoned products. In nearly every instance, it is likely no surviving company (for a few reasons) bothers with knowledge of licence keys on abandonware being shared with the retrocomputing community.

As @Slix noted earlier, almost every title and version listed in your PDF qualifies as strong candidates for the one, non-commercial, community-sourced project making sure abandonware isn’t being lost to time. Not only is the purpose to chronicle the evolution of software across the spread of Macs from inception, but also to permit retrocomputing enthusiasts to try out long-gone software on hardware appropriate for that software (especially for the pre-OS X and even 68K days).

You’ve done a wonderful job listing these. I’m aware several of the bigger name/company titles/versions are already on the Garden. My hope is someone can check your list against the Garden, to find any missing gaps in the latter, and to see to filling those gaps — the software data portions — there for archived posterity. As for the original products in their boxes, those can also be collectible and may sell on a place like eBay.

For the software on floppys, no idea if the disks are still readable. On some where its says "CD", they might actually be DVDs. Don't hold me to 100% accuracy on the list.

No worries.


EDIT to fix a couple of copy editing flubs.

 

[Darko66]

No real interest locally it seems.

Haven't gotten much farther back where there might be some other old software that probably isn't that interesting, but I did come across a pair of SIMM Saver Technologies DIMM Saver / R. They each adapt two 72-pin SIMM modules into a single DIMM module. It's been 30 years so I can't quite remember if they allowed you to increase the amount of maximum ram or just let you double up a couple of smaller modules (2x128MB vs 1x256MB – I don't remember what the old RAM sizes were either, so just an example)

 

[Darko66]

Today's interesting find is a set of the discs Mac Addict magazine sent out in the late 90s. I have CDs 1-26 and 28-39 (Sept 96 through Nov 99, except Nov 98). Not sure what happened to #27. The discs are full of demo software with some full versions. Watching a couple auctions of them, but doubt they actually sell.

 

[kagharaht]

Today's interesting find is a set of the discs Mac Addict magazine sent out in the late 90s. I have CDs 1-26 and 28-39 (Sept 96 through Nov 99, except Nov 98). Not sure what happened to #27. The discs are full of demo software with some full versions. Watching a couple auctions of them, but doubt they actually sell.

OMG. I used to get that Magazine and the CD that came with it. I barely remember it now. I think I have a few of those disc still or I may have converted them to ISO Images when we were doing massive declutterring of our old house.