OldVersion.com

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources.
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. (help, get involved!)
Any material not supported by sources may be challenged and removed at any time. This article has been tagged since October 2006.

The Internet website OldVersion.com, created in 2001, provides a repository of historic versions of popular application software packages for Windows. The selection of software mostly comprises proprietary, freeware and shareware titles, some of which still work, while some are defunct, most notably instant messaging and file sharing applications. The installers are submitted by users of the website to its maintainer by e-mail.

1 Software
2 Advantages
3 Criticisms
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Software

OldVersion.com offers around 1400 versions of about 130 programs. This includes instant messengers such as AIM and MSN, Graphics programs, Music players and Video editing software, Web browsers, P2P programs, Security suites and FTP programs. It also offers other general computer utilities such as Everest Home Edition and WinRAR.

[edit] Advantages

The site makes it possible for users with older hardware to download and use software that is not as demanding resource-wise, unlike some recent/new titles. This effectively extends the lifetime of computers acquired several years ago and thus enables socially and/or financially disadvantaged people to use computers, as acquiring brand new hardware would be too cost-prohibitive.

[edit] Criticisms

Old versions of software are susceptible to security exploits, which later versions were designed to address. Examples: Winamp 5, Firefox, Internet Explorer, and others.
No clear provenance information is provided about source or date of acquisition by OldVersion. Not all products have been donated by the original authors.
Numerous file sharing programs available there may contain malware.^{[citation needed]}