See why E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial wound up in a landfill
The Internet Archive has announced their Historical Software Collection which includes classics like E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Pitfall, and Akalabeth.
Unlike previous attempts to catalog and distribute so-called “abandonware” titles, Internet Archive’s collection allows people to run the software in their browser through an emulator. No more hunting for obscure procedures and compatibility files to get old software running! Jason Scott, the Internet Archive Software Curator, explained why this was an important feature of the project.
Turning computer history into a one-click experience bridges the gap between understanding these older programs and making them available in a universal fashion. Acquisition, for a library, is not enough – accessibility is where knowledge and lives change for the better.
Games aren’t the only kind of software offered to the curious. Historically significant productivity programs like WordStar are also included in the collection. Hey, kids! This is what we old-timers used before the Googles and the Apples.
