Abandonware applications sorted by release date

Abandonware DOS is not only about games. Some of the most fondly remembered software for old PCs is an application. These applications, both for DOS and early versions of Windows, played pivotal roles in shaping the personal computing landscape. They introduced users to various productivity tools, multimedia experiences, and the potential of GUI-based interfaces.

Sort by:

Acrobat Reader 1

DOS1993 utility

Acrobat Reader was the first of a family of application software developed by Adobe Inc. to view, create, manipulate, print and manage Portable Document Format (PDF) files. Acrobat Reader 1 was released in 1993 for DOS and Mac.

After Dark

DOSWindows XP/98/95Mac OS1993 utility

Borland Paradox 4.5

DOSWindows XP/98/951993 database

Data Perfect 2.6

DOS1993 database

EducAtlas 1993

DOS1993

NCSA Mosaic

Windows XP/98/95Windows 3.x1993 browser

NCSA Mosaic was one of the earliest web browsers to appear on the market. It was developed at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. NCSA Mosaic was released in 1993 and is credited with being the first widely-used graphical web browser with a user-friendly interface.

Novell DOS 7

DOS1993 file management, utility

Paint Shop Pro 3.11

Windows XP/98/95Windows 3.x1993 graphics editor

Paint Shop Pro 3 is an early version of PaintShop Pro, which is a graphics editing program known for its user-friendly interface and a range of features that cater to both amateur and professional graphic designers. Paint Shop Pro 3 was released in the late 1990s and represented one of the early stages in the evolution of the software.

The Patcher 6.1

DOS1993 utility, gaming software

Visual Basic 3

Windows XP/98/95Windows 3.x1993 programming

Visual Basic 3 (VB3) is a programming language and integrated development environment (IDE) released by Microsoft in 1993. It is part of the Visual Basic (VB) series, which is known for its ease of use and rapid application development capabilities. Visual Basic 3 was a significant step forward in the evolution of the Visual Basic language and...

Borland DBase 5

DOS1994 database

Fast Tracker 2

DOS1994 sound software

Microsoft Diagnostics 3.01

DOS1994 utility

Norton Utilities 8

DOS1994 file management, utility

F-Prot

DOS1995 utility

F-PROT is an antivirus developed by FRISK Software International. The name "F-PROT" stands for "FRISK-PROActive," emphasizing its proactive approach to virus detection and prevention. F-PROT Antivirus is designed to protect computer systems from various forms of malware, including viruses, worms, Trojans, and other malicious software.

Impulse Tracker

DOS1995freeware sound software

Impulse Tracker was a popular music tracker software developed by Jeffrey Lim in the late 1990s. Impulse Tracker utilized a tracker-style user interface, which was common in the demoscene and among enthusiasts of chiptune and electronic music. The interface is characterized by a grid of rows and columns where users input note and instrument da...

Arachne WWW

DOS1996freeware browser

Arachne is a graphical web browser for DOS. Arachne was developed by Michal Polák and released in the early 1990s as a text-mode web browser with limited graphical capabilities. Arachne allowed DOS users to browse the World Wide Web in a graphical, though quite basic, manner. It supported features such as displaying images, handling lin...

Music Time Deluxe

Windows XP/98/951996 sound software

NeoPaint 3.2

DOS1996 graphics editor

NeoPaint 3.2 is a raster-based graphics editing software designed for DOS. It is a lightweight yet powerful alternative to more complex image editing programs like Photoshop. NeoPaint offers a range of features for creating, editing, and enhancing images, including tools for drawing, painting, photo retouching, and animation.

Adventure Game Studio (AGS)

Windows 10/11LinuxMac OS1997freeware gaming software

Adventure Game Studio (AGS) is a software development tool that enables users to create point-and-click adventure games. It was originally created by Chris Jones and has been used by game developers to produce a variety of 2D adventure games. AGS provides a scripting language, a visual editor, and various other tools to simplify the game developmen...

HTML Tads

Windows XP/98/951997freeware gaming software

Netscape Navigator 4

Windows XP/98/95Windows 3.x1997 browser

Netscape Navigator was one of the earliest web browsers that played a crucial role in popularizing the World Wide Web. It was developed by Netscape Communications Corporation and released in 1994. Netscape Navigator was among the first graphical web browsers that allowed users to navigate the internet using a graphical user interface rather than a ...

Norton Commander 5.5

DOS1998 file management

Norton Commander was one of the most popular and influential file management applications ever released for MS-DOS. Introduced in 1986, it featured an innovative, dual-pane interface that allowed users to perform tasks like copying, deleting, moving, and previewing files with ease, eliminating the need to type every command manually. This side-by-s...

Magic: The Gathering Interactive Encyclopedia

Windows XP/98/951999 gaming software, collectible card game

Magic: The Gathering Interactive Encyclopedia is an abandoned "educational" application and turn-based strategy game based on he Magic: The Gathering collectible card game. MTG: Interactive Encyclopedia was developed by Wizards of the Coast and released in 1999 for Windows XP, 98, 95. The base application contains Magic cards up to the Mercadi...

Ace 2.02

DOS2001 utility

ScummVM

Windows XP/98/952001freeware gaming software

DOSBox

Windows XP/98/95LinuxMac OS2002freeware emulator

DOSBox is an open-source emulator that allows you to run software and games designed for the MS-DOS operating system on modern computers. As you probably already know, MS-DOS was a popular operating system used in the 1980s and early 1990s. DOSBox emulates the necessary hardware components and provides a DOS-like environment, allowing users to...