The Computer Chronicles - Sleeper Software (1991)

Special thanks to archive.org for hosting these episodes. Downloads of all these episodes and more can be found at: archive.org/details/computerch...

[@firstnamelastnane4700]

4DOS was awesome! They only scratched the surface and could have done an entire episode on that alone.

[@Joeyboots80]

Commander Keen was one of my favorite PC games back in the day. :)

[@lennycat7964]

30(?) Years later and it's keens still my #1

[@davethewebguy]

That wallpaper at 9:27 is what it looks like when a PC crashes today.

[@yellowblanka6058]

I miss the days when stores were full of big-box software/games, instead of being relegated to a shelf or two of thin card-board boxes with serial codes inside.

[@elgeneralxx]

you can blame the stupid shoplifters

[@yellowblanka6058]

@@elgeneralxx Yeah, it has nothing to do with shoplifters, and everything to do with the rise of digital software/subscription software brought about by pervasive broadband internet access.

[@rooneye]

Seeing shelves full of PC software makes me feel nostalgic and also sad that we don't have that no more :( PC shops used to be awesome, I spent so much time in them as a kid lol Now they're boring af.

[@jackilynpyzocha662]

CompUSA, Circuit City!

[@Devire666]

It's weird to hear people talking about Commander Keen as some obscure unknown title, not a beloved classic.

[@DavePoo2]

I think back then, it had just appeared, and Id software had only just formed that year. Little did they know Id were going to transform PC games forever with their future games.

[@gerakore8948]

commander keen! one of my favorites. funny playing it on a 4k 43 inch screen... oh yeah and exit to dos

[@agy234]

Commander keen? Those folks will never make a cent!

[@olepigeon]

18:54 Solarian II is still one of my favorite games. I have an old Mac that I still use to play it. Bought a copy. Fantastic game! You can still buy it, too, even for the old Mac.

[@wallacelang1374]

I bought some shareware video game programs for my Windows PC and I paid for the full versions to the original publishers. Most of my standard computer programs I had bought along with my PC from the original manufacturer's own store. I have found excellent programs as both licensed and share forms of software.

[@j2simpso]

$765 annually for a magazine disc? Blech!

[@bavideomaker29]

Thank you for posting these!

[@EeekItsSnek]

Shareware had scricter guidelines, better ease of use, and more support channels for bugs than modern Triple A games.

[@QuaaludeCharlie]

I Love old Shareware titles and the Accounting area has great tools , I had found very early restore to an earlier time software 15 years before Windows ME and XP Pro OS'es arrived on the scene , the Games were great and getting lost in basements , one of the reasons I,m a Collector :) QC

[@zrobeast]

11:44 Did Stewart (or Stuart?) know that Commander Keen's engine is based on that Mario 3 PC port ID presented to Nintendo in hopes of making an official Mario 3 port on PC? Spooky...

[@itzspencerr1403]

@zrobeast | I don't think Stewart or most people knew that when this episode was originally aired.

[@MindBodySoulOk]

We damn near shut down Coastal Carolina one semester because EVERYONE, students, faculty and staff were totally ADDICTED to Commander Keen.

[@blackneos940]

@@MindBodySoulOk XD Yeah, I know the feeling..... :D

[@CamberGreber]

14:47 ha ha back when computer salseman felt the need to wear suits.

[@randynutter5510]

yes, i noticed that. things have loosened up a good deal since 1991. i think by the end of the 1990s the same person would have been very unlikely to being wearing a suit.

[@sjn7220]

Haha, I remember installing Oscar.

[@alexkaa]

4000$ for 4MB of RAM - seems like a non-brainer snap... 😅

[@jackilynpyzocha662]

Apple $129.00 per update of it's proprietary operating systems were less stressful to buy than to worry about viruses.

[@MindBodySoulOk]

Wait, sht I would have registered Command Keen

[@oldtwins]

Wow, $24/hour for online access, I guess he was referring to Compu$erve premium services that had a lot of commercial databases. With inflation that's about $42 in today's money. All for one hour of online viewing @ 0.0024 Mbps, all text. Technology hasn't just gotten better, but it's become cheaper.... so much more so.

[@zg-it]

6 years in the future... $42 is now $58. The FED says "you're welcome"

[@infinitecanadian]

Commodore was known for being at the _low end_ of the computer market?

[@floydjohnson7888]

In the 8-bit era, Commodore was known for relatively cheap systems-the 64 retailed for around US$300, and yet was comparable to the Apple II, running three to five times that price.

[@oldtwinsna8347]

Low end at this time meant any system that was sold without provisions for a hard drive and still using a 70's era chip. Most of the Amigas were Amiga 500's that came only with a floppy drive and old 68000 processor, antiquated standards by then. Most PCs were being sold with a harddrive and were 386 based. Macs by this point were also mostly equipped with a hard drive as well.

[@HunterAtheist]

Where was Metal Jesus Rocks to call everything a "Hidden Gem?" LOL

[@RonJohn63]

I loved 4OS2.

[@calvinboole8647]

Pulp Fiction

[@uriituw]

That Windows background is terrible! And nobody should use the built in audio on an IBM PC for music!

[@mortrek]

Maybe not professional music, but even off-brand soundcards cost hundreds of dollars back then.

[@EJ160E]

That globe app is sooo stupid & USELESS!!!

[@EJ160E]

Kate Magargee....I wanna IMPREGNATE youuuuu!!!!