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Help Needed: Early Macintosh Software (1980's) 400k / 800k Preservation Project

Hey all!

Link to 26 Programs Recovered (Drexel University, Oregon State University and Dartmouth)

Over the last few months I have been working on a personal preservation project to document and capture early Macintosh software that was written in the educational space. As of writing this I have been able to successfully preserve 26 programs and have downloaded the content from ~200 400 and 800k disks that were given to me from alumni.

I'm making this post as in my work I found an article from August 1986 discussing Kinko's Academic Courseware Exchange (ACE 1986-1989) which was a catalog that College Professors could submit the programs developed for their courses for sale! Based on this article I know that in 1986 Drexel University submitted multiple pieces of software and I have only been able to recover 4 from the list so far.

If you or a parent or a friend or anyone has floppy disks from the 1980s please let me know if they need to be preserved! I have multiple preservation setups now (Macintosh 512K, Macintosh Plus X2, Macintosh SE, LC 475 and a Greaseweazle) all of which can dump the contents of a disk quickly to FloppyEmu. I am also 100% willing to help in anyway I can to make sure this software is not lost forever.

Searching for a copy of:

  • Kinko's Academic Courseware Exchange (ACE) Published between 1986 and 1989

Missing software:
  • Chemistry Multiplan Templates
  • Signal Operator 1.0
  • Tools for Writers
  • Treaty of Versailles
  • Alpal
  • Lesson Writer
  • Signals 1.2
  • Transforms
  • Windows
  • Modulation
  • Vocabulary
  • Perichart
  • Drexel Plot
 
Last edited:

olePigeon

Well-known member
I would love to be able to help you out. I haven't seen any of those apps, though. I work near Stanford and I'm certain several of the teachers here are Stanford alumns. I could ask around if that helps.
 

mg.man

Well-known member
So this is probably WAY too new for your project... but (randomly) I received this along with some vintage Mac parts I bought off another 68kMLA'r...
20210917_184355.jpg
20210917_184454.jpg

Unfortunately, I have no idea which MLA'r sent it, since it was disassociated from the item(s?) I purchased while they awaited collection at my folks'... and since the transaction discussion and PMs were lost in the 68krash. I finally managed to get across to visit my folks and collect a few things last month, but haven't even opened it, so have no idea what's on it...
 
So this is probably WAY too new for your project... but (randomly) I received this along with some vintage Mac parts I bought off another 68kMLA'r...
View attachment 34213
View attachment 34214

Unfortunately, I have no idea which MLA'r sent it, since it was disassociated from the item(s?) I purchased while they awaited collection at my folks'... and since the transaction discussion and PMs were lost in the 68krash. I finally managed to get across to visit my folks and collect a few things last month, but haven't even opened it, so have no idea what's on it...
This is a DrexelCD! Which is the successor to the Drexel Disk! This one is specifically targeted to the Medical students but this is invaluable as Drexel was copying and pasting year over year. So while I doubt it's HyperCard based it's amazing!

Can I buy this off of you to dump the image for preservation? Page 13 Drexel Triangle Article
 

mg.man

Well-known member
I'm glad it's of interest/value!

Can I buy this off of you to dump the image for preservation?

Unless you want the physical case/CD/etc... why don't I just make a .toast (or .iso) and send you a link to download? I'm not that bothered about "selling" it, but, being in the UK, means there would be international postage involved. 🙄
 
I'm glad it's of interest/value!



Unless you want the physical case/CD/etc... why don't I just make a .toast (or .iso) and send you a link to download? I'm not that bothered about "selling" it, but, being in the UK, means there would be international postage involved. 🙄
That works as well! (.iso would probably be best as living the windows life)

I’m honestly not concerned with the physical media just trying to get everything digital before it’s lost.
 
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