OldVersion.com

Last updated
OldVersion.com
OldVersionLogo.png
OldVersion.com Homepage 2025-04-01 18.31.42.png
OldVersion.com Homepage 1 April 2025
Type of site
Freeware/shareware archive of old software versions
Available inEnglish
Created byAlex Levine, Igor Dolgalev
URL www.oldversion.com
RegistrationOptional (to post on forum).
LaunchedMay 31, 2001;24 years ago (2001-05-31) [1]
Current statusUp

OldVersion.com is an archive website that stores and distributes older versions of primarily Internet-related IBM PC compatible and Apple Macintosh freeware and shareware application software. Alex Levine and Igor Dolgalev [2] founded the site in 2001. [1]

Contents

Levine created the site because "Companies make a lot of new versions. They're not always better for the consumer." As reported in The Wall Street Journal, 'Users often try to downgrade when they find confusing changes in a new version or encounter software bugs, or just decide they want to go back to a more familiar version,' said David Smith, an analyst at research firm Gartner. 'Often, they discover that the downgrade process is complicated, if not impossible.' [1]

When OldVersion.com was launched it offered 80 versions of 14 programs. [2]

By 2005, over 500 versions were posted. [3]

By 28 August 2007, this had grown to 2388 versions of 179 programs, in categories such as "graphics", "file-sharing", "security" and "enterprise". [4] [5] The site also carries 600+ versions of 35 Macintosh programs. [6]

In 2007, PC World labeled the site "a treasure trove ... of older-but-better software"; [7]

In 2005, National Review called OldVersion.com a "champion" for "software conservatives". [8]

According to Alexander Levine's own words, he has received threats from proprietary software developers for distributing old versions of web browsers, in particular, Internet Explorer which is difficult to support. [9]

Around October 2025, the website was stripped of its Google Ad revenue and currently relies on community donations to continue operations. [10] The earliest recorded instance of the banner stating a cut from ad revenue is from the 7th October. [11]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Andrew Lavallee (2006-03-07). "Unhappy Upgrades: Software Users Seek Help 'Downgrading' Their PCs" . The Wall Street Journal .
  2. 1 2 O'Connell, Pamela LiCalzi (November 8, 2001). "Online Diary - Oldies but Goodies" . The New York Times .
  3. ↑ Andy Rathbone (2005-12-23). PCs: The Missing Manual. Pogue Press. p. 536. ISBN   0-596-10093-0.
  4. ↑ "Oldversion.com as of 2007-08-28". oldversion.com. Archived from the original on 2007-08-28.
  5. ↑ DeLeo, Jennifer L. (October 20, 2008). "Old Software Versions We Want Back". PC Magazine .
  6. ↑ Mac.OldVersion.com website Archived 2010-02-09 at the Wayback Machine mac.oldversion.com. Retrieved 2010-07-04. [to verify go to the very bottom where you see a dropdown containing all applications, and after counting there are quite indeed 35 apps with 1 more empty entry]
  7. ↑ Gralla, Preston (September 30, 2007). "Before They Spoiled the Software". PC World .
  8. ↑ Genauer, Rami (March 28, 2005). "Older Is Better: Software conservatives have a home in Oldversion.com". National Review .
  9. ↑ Levine, Alexander (January 15, 2012). "Why I'm willing to go to jail for running OldVersion.com". OldVersion. Archived from the original on April 6, 2019. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Old versions of Windows, Mac and Linux Software, Apps & Abandonware Games - Download at OldVersion.com". OldVersion.com. Archived from the original on 2025-10-09. Retrieved 2025-11-21.
  11. ↑ "Wayback Machine". assets.oldversion.s3.amazonaws.com. Archived from the original on 2025-10-07. Retrieved 2025-11-21.
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