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March 28, 2014

Before the App Store: Top 5 Favorite Old Apps

Do you remember the tinny little noises MSN messenger used to make? Can you recall it’s heavily pixelated yellow emoticons? Are you nostalgic for the days when an app was an app that took up a terrifying chunk of your precious storage not a slick, bells and whistles 'user experience' hosted seamlessly through a clever VMware thin client?

They might be dinosaurs, but there's something deeply satisfying about the fiendishly clever applications we grew to love before apps became 5-minute fads that were then consigned to the annals of software past. In honour of the originals, we've hauled a few of our old favourite apps off of the scrap heap to celebrate a world before the App Store...

MSN Messenger

MSN

If you love old applications, you'll love OldApps.com where you can download retro software from days of yore – including the original MSN Messenger 1.0. Released on 22nd July 1999 this deprecated instant messaging client, designed by Microsoft allowed only plain text messaging, accompanied by a bare bones contact list.

WinAmp

WinAmp

First launched on 21st April 1997, WinAmp was right there when MP3s began to be a very big deal indeed. Developed by University of Utah students Justin Frankel and Dmitry Boldyrev, this media player, which integrated Windows UI with Advanced Multimedia Products (AMP) MP3 file playback engine took off fast and soon had 3 million downloads to its name. The very first version (0.20) featured just 4 functions on its menu bar: play, pause, unpause and stop.

mIRC

mIRC

Developed by Khaled Mardam-Bey back in 1995, mIRC was built to fill the gap Mardam-Bey felt existing Internet Relay Chat (IRC) clients had left wide open. With an integrated scripting language, this iconic IRC is brilliantly versatile and extensible. Back in 2003, this application was still going strong and was rated among the top 10 internet applications out there.

Napster

Napster

Much beleaguered Napster was the very first network which focused specifically on the distribution of music files across the internet. Launched in June 1999, this programme turned the entire music industry on its head – an event from which it still hasn't recovered...

Minesweeper

Minesweeper

A classic little app, initially known as Mine and circulated between colleagues, this fiendishly addictive game has existed since 1990 – and we're still treading on mines to this day. Only our cursor isn't an exploding foot...

Well, that's enough application nostalgia for one day. It's time to start looking towards a bright shiny future, where applications are hosted remotely, cost-effectively and securely with the use of VMWare thin client systems. Interested to learn what a VMWare thin client could do for your business? Get in touch to discuss your requirements today on 0116 2148650 or at info@10zig.eu