Finding older versions of particular software can be a real chore, all too often only made possible by the sheer grace and benevolence of their creators. At the same time older versions of software can be the only way to dodge undesirable ‘upgrades’, track down regressions, do historical research, set up a retro computer system, and so on. This is where an archive like OldVersion.com (HTTP only so your browser may shout at you) is incredibly useful, offering thousands of installers for software covering a number of platforms.
Unfortunately, as noted on the website, they recently lost their main source of income in the form of Google advertising. This means that after launching in 2001, this archive may soon have to be shut down before long. Confusingly, trying to visit the blog throws a HTTP 503 error, and visiting the forum currently forces a redirect to a random news site unless you can mash that Esc button really fast, perhaps as alternative advertising partners are being trialed, or due to a hack.
Although these days we have sites like Archive.org to do more large scale archiving, OldVersion.com is special for being focused and well-organized, along with a long and rich history that would be a shame to lose. We have referenced the site in the past for old versions as far back as 2008. Hopefully we’ll soon find out more about what is going on with the archive and what its future will be.
Thanks to [Philip Perry] for the tip.
Silly question – but not even anything like the very old word.exe or powerpoint.. presumably these are pretty ancient?
Those can be found on winworldpc
why was the ad service disabled? That’s the obvious question…
Probably because google has capriciously decided it is finger-waggle-worthy to provide downloads of old unsupported software after years and years. Or maybe somebody uploaded something naughty and they accidentally approved it and google flagged it. Good luck to them ever figuring out what the basis of the decision was.
Or, someone decided to inform google that the website was providing “copyright” material and providing ad service could lead to google being involved in a copyright case, or DMCA, and google decided it was easier to drop the website than fight regardless of validity of complaint.
“Never attribute to malice what can be sufficiently explained to stupidity.”
Nothing of value will be lost.
FYI this website is hosted in russia. Whatever you downlad, consider it’s likely using FUD packer/obsfuscators to include additional “functionalities” in your good old software (:
Its IP shows as being hosted on amazon AWS.
https://www.whois.com/whois/oldversion.com
Organization: Domains By Proxy, LLC
Does not inspire confidence.
Domains by Proxy is a GoDaddy subsidiary. Literally everyone uses a proxy service for their domain because they don’t want a thousand spam email and calls.
What’s with the racism against Russians?
Russia isn’t a race, its a country. They have been waging war against the rest of the western world for most of the decade and hosting many of the worlds hackers. But I’m sure you knew that.
The Russian government did those things, not the Russian people. I see no indication that OldVersion is associated with Putin, so I assumed the original comment was stereotyping Russians as a whole. Not the government, not the political system, not the land itself, but the people who live there. What else would you call that but racism?
And who elected this government into power? Mysterious snake-headed garden gnomes from space? Or ruzzian people? Don’t pump yourself full of soybean oil bro.
I took a quick look through the software lists and there does not seem to be anything of real note that can’t be found elsewhere with a bit of searching.
Even if the guy hosting it has absolutely no malicious intent, if he or his family is in Russia, he can be conscripted to do what you are worried about and also under orders to never say anything about it under threat of harsh imprisonment or death for him or his family. Most people put in that position would just follow the order.
This is why you shouldn’t have a dominate advertiser like Google to be your only way of having advertising revenue, there are other ad agencies like Google they could depend on, ones that can be trusted and not just track every user, where they’re going who referred them etc….
I’m sure the vintage computer community could rebuild a lot of this. I have unopened box sets of word for zenith PC, and several drawers of diskettes. I’ve misplaced my CD tower.
Very sympathetic to a labor of love and needing to pay for it. Requesting donations, stating you’ve had some, but not stating the goal amount is a red flag for people trying to scam more money than they can justify for the requested need. Its just not good form.