If you’ve been yearning to replay some classic PC games from your childhood or perhaps want to fire up some ancient utility to get an idea of where the productivity software of today originated, you likely already know that doing so isn’t a walk in the park. In the event you are able to track down old floppy disks with the necessary software still intact, it can be next to impossible to get the old software to run on a modern machine.
That’s no longer a problem thanks to the recent work of the Internet Archive’s latest project, the Historical Software Collection. Software isn’t new to the Internet Archive but the ability to run a myriad of titles right in your browser is, thanks to a JavaScript port of the MESS emulator.
JSMESS works in Chrome, Firefox, Safari and others and turns computer history into a one-click experience that helps users understand older programs and makes them available in a uniform fashion. Naturally, emulation isn’t new as there are multiple emulators to handle retro video games but where the Historical Software Archive is different is that it is for all types of software, not just games.
Additionally, the Internet Archive is a reputable establishment. That said, there aren’t a ton of software titles available just yet but the list will likely expand very soon and with any luck, it’ll become a place that hosts a whole slew of software from yesteryear for both entertainment and educational purposes.
