First 100 Mac Applications / 1984 Released Software

[Aoresteen]

I've been looking for a list of the first 100 software packages released for the Mac. Any one have such a list?

It would also be interesting to get a list of all Mac software that was released in 1984 (not announced but shipping).

1984 Packages I remember are Chart, Multiplan, File, MacEdge, Helix.

 

[Mac128]

All it takes is time. I have several periodicals from late 1984 listing most everything widely available for the Mac, but alas, simply have not had the time to compile the list. However, it would be hard to say which would comprise the "first" 100 since by the end of 1984, there was a LOT of software available for the Mac. Clearly Apple had learned its lesson with the Mac, which took the failures of both the Apple /// and the Lisa to get across.

This post by gavo attempted to set something up in the WIKI, but I didn't see that any progress had been made, but it's a good idea.

http://68kmla.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3364

http://68kmla.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3383

Maybe some effort from the forum to compile, it will spur me on to get off my can and do it ... in the meantime, those members with some of the early issues of MacWorld would help pinpoint the "first 100" in any case.

 

[gavo]

I've been looking for a list of the first 100 software packages released for the Mac. Any one have such a list?

As Mac128 mentioned, I was interested in something similar, although my slant was software that would work on a 128k Mac, but not necessarily limited to just being released in 1984. I have since modified my notion and started building a (small at the moment) spreadsheet which I have called "Mac 64k ROM Compatible Software". The idea being an extensible list that can be used for a number of purposes just by adding the right fields. Currently the fields I have are

Software,Publisher,Version,Type,128k (Real),512k (Real),Description,License,Other Comments

The 128/512 fields indicate the results of testing the software on these platforms. Anyway, I guess my point is it would be easy to add a "Year Published" field.

I have around 60 entires in this spreadsheet at the moment (not all fields are completed), but my biggest challenge is how to get this onto the net. Ultimately I would like it to be maintained by the community, but am not exactly sure how to achieve that - so I figured I'd just start collecting some information in a spreadsheet and worry about getting it netified later.

If anyones got an idea on how to get a list along these lines onto the net in a manor that allows the community to keep it maintained, let me know and I'll happily send you what I have, otherwise, I'm sure I'll figure it out sooner or later

Cheers,

 

[Mac128]

If anyones got an idea on how to get a list along these lines onto the net in a manor that allows the community to keep it maintained

That's a tough one. My knee-jerk response is to set up a baseportal site like the M0001 Registry database: http://www.mac128.com/m0001

You can force people to register in order to contribute which will cut down on some vandalism, but, as anyone who's ever contributed to a WIKI knows, registering is no guarantee someone won't muck it up. That's why the M0001 Reg. is not editable, only post-able.

This is true even if you were to host a FileMaker database on your own server. Someone would have to police the members allowed to update it.

If I were you, I'd go with the BasePortal model and make it a post-only system that only a few "editors" you decide would have access to to make fixes and changes.

The good news is that you can upload your existing databse as a .CSV file to BasePortal as is.

 

[gavo]

That's a tough one. My knee-jerk response is to set up a baseportal site like the M0001 Registry database: http://www.mac128.com/m0001

Thanks Mac128, I'll take a look at that. I just looked at your M0001 registry BTW and man its grown since last time I checked it! Nice work

Cheers,