Post by @provuejim@techhub.social

2026-09-23 08:25 UTC

@woodooprod@c.im There were diskettes with free software being passed around user groups pretty early, certainly by sometime in 1985 for the Mac. Probably earlier for the IBM PC. Hmm, Wikipedia says shareware began in 1982 on the PC. I wasn’t really involved with the PC, I was writing and selling minicomputer software during that period.

Replies (1)

@woodooprod@c.im 2026-09-24 03:36

@provuejim@techhub.social This is all really interesting. Thank you for sharing your experience! :0) I found that: "Diskette distribution of software within user groups began in the early 1980s, evolving from earlier practices of sharing software on magnetic tape and cassette tapes. Pre-1981: Before the IBM PC, computer enthusiasts on CP/M, Radio Shack, and Apple systems exchanged user-written code and pirated commercial software via Bulletin Board Systems (BBS) and user groups, often using magnetic tape. 1982–1983: With the rise of the IBM PC, 5.25-inch floppy disks became the dominant medium. Groups like HAL-PC ("Houston Area League of PC Users") and SHARE distributed software libraries, initially for free but later charging small fees to cover media costs. Shareware Model: Developers like Andrew Fluegleman and Jim Knopf (aka Jim Button) introduced the "shareware" concept, allowing users to copy and distribute software freely while requesting voluntary payments for support and development. Commercialization: By 1983–1984, vendors like PC-SIG began selling compiled shareware on diskettes to users without local BBS access, marking the transition from informal swapping to a formal distribution industry."

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