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Softdisk
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<h2 id="publications">Publications</h2> <p class="note">See also: <a href="/facts/List_of_Softdisk_games/5qStxkaD">List of Softdisk games</a></p> <p>Publications included <i><a href="/facts/Softdisk_(disk_magazine)/UyIPxU5R">Softdisk</a></i> for the <a href="/facts/Apple_II/se82CNvK">Apple II</a>; <i><a href="/facts/Loadstar_(magazine)/k7IYUD64">Loadstar</a></i> for the <a href="/facts/Commodore_64/3TPcKDbb">Commodore 64</a>; <i>Big Blue Disk</i> (later <i>On Disk Monthly</i> and <i>Softdisk PC</i>), <i>The Gamer’s Edge</i>, and <i>PC Business Disk</i> for the <a href="/facts/IBM_PC/yhcJGMPL">IBM PC</a>; <i><a href="/facts/Diskworld/vb7XGMMs">Diskworld</a></i> (later <i>Softdisk for Mac</i>) and <i>DTPublisher</i> (specializing in desktop publishing) for the <a href="/facts/Macintosh/8GhnXTK0">Apple Macintosh</a>; <i><a href="/facts/Softdisk_G-S/UyIPxU5R">Softdisk G-S</a></i> for the <a href="/facts/Apple_IIGS/IXyL2fd4">Apple IIGS</a>; <i>Softdisk for Windows</i> for <a href="/facts/Microsoft_Windows/bwhAhuSL">Microsoft Windows</a>, published from 1994–1999; and <i>Shareware Spotlight</i>, a short-lived publication featuring the best Shareware offerings for IBM PC compatibles. By the late 1990s, these publications were discontinued, although <i>Loadstar</i> had a continued life as an independent company catering to a <a href="/facts/Cult_following/bzUD4beU">cult following</a> of Commodore buffs. </p> <h3><i>Big Blue Disk</i></h3> <p><i>Big Blue Disk</i> was a monthly <a href="/facts/Disk_magazine/Sqspgwxb">disk magazine</a> that was published by Softdisk for <a href="/facts/IBM_PC/yhcJGMPL">IBM PC</a> and compatibles that began publication in 1986.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a> It required 256k of memory.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> Softdisk was sued by IBM for trademark infringement over the use of the name "Big Blue" in 1989.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="standalone-programs-and-gamers-edge">Standalone programs and Gamer's Edge</h2> <p>Softdisk is most famous for being the former workplace of several of the founders of <a href="/facts/Id_Software/NsbHCMsV">id Software</a>, who worked on a short-lived game subscription product, <i>Gamer's Edge</i>. <i>Gamer's Edge</i> was a monthly<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> PC game disk started in 1990 by <a href="/facts/John_Romero/b6WzIRqv">John Romero</a>. The disk's developers were <a href="/facts/John_D._Carmack/PKRfqBQn">John Carmack</a>, <a href="/facts/John_Romero/b6WzIRqv">John Romero</a>, and <a href="/facts/Adrian_Carmack/abwsf3nb">Adrian Carmack</a>. <a href="/facts/Tom_Hall/7gl5alDx">Tom Hall</a>, then a programmer who worked in the Apple II department of Softdisk, would come in at night to help with the game design. Lane Roathe was the editor. </p><p>These developers later left Softdisk to found id Software. To complete their contractual obligation to Softdisk, the developers built several more games for Softdisk, including <i><a href="/facts/Dangerous_Dave_in_the_Haunted_Mansion/qsL625e9">Dangerous Dave in the Haunted Mansion</a></i>, <i><a href="/facts/Rescue_Rover/hV4fUaIh">Rescue Rover</a></i>, <i><a href="/facts/Hovertank_3D/wCe4Mth7">Hovertank 3D</a></i>, <i><a href="/facts/Rescue_Rover_2/hV4fUaIh">Rescue Rover 2</a></i>, <i><a href="/facts/Tiles_of_the_Dragon/t5HMf8UH">Tiles of the Dragon</a></i>, <i><a href="/facts/Catacomb_3D/6KSK87l5">Catacomb 3D</a></i> and <i>Keen Dreams</i> (the "lost" episode of the <i><a href="/facts/Commander_Keen/oMKeBN1l">Commander Keen</a></i> series). Softdisk later hired a new team to create new titles using the <a href="/facts/Game_engine/lojx7lTG">game engines</a> of the earlier games, including the later founders of JAM Productions who created <i><a href="/facts/Blake_Stone/cwHLE8NN">Blake Stone</a></i>. This connection led to Softdisk being mentioned extensively in the earlier parts of the id chronicling book <i><a href="/facts/Masters_of_Doom/A4jSjw78">Masters of Doom</a></i>. </p><p>Also, some of the earliest employees of <a href="/facts/Origin_Systems/J5EoyA3I">Origin Systems</a> worked there before moving on: Greg Malone (<i><a href="/facts/Moebius:_The_Orb_of_Celestial_Harmony/TrWM3Qza">Moebius</a></i>, <i><a href="/facts/Windwalker_(video_game)/5nzB0B2q">Windwalker</a></i>), Dallas Snell (<i>The Quest</i> and <i>Ring Quest</i>), Joel Rea (<i>The Quest</i> and <i>Ring Quest</i>), and Alan Gardner (<i>Windwalker</i>, <i><a href="/facts/Ultima_VI/HsQ1mhkV">Ultima VI</a></i>). Malone also later worked as a producer for <a href="/facts/3D_Realms/QAgsGXx5">3D Realms</a>. </p><p>Softdisk continued to publish video games into the mid-1990s, most notably <i><a href="/facts/In_Pursuit_of_Greed/XGmDEyKw">In Pursuit of Greed</a></i>, based on an alpha version of the <a href="/facts/Doom_engine/DUIUWqbn">Doom engine</a> derived from <i><a href="/facts/Shadowcaster/k4DuatdD">Shadowcaster</a></i>, and <i>Alien Rampage</i>, based on the original <i>Ravager</i> side-scroller once being developed by <a href="/facts/3D_Realms/QAgsGXx5">Apogee</a>. </p> <h2 id="current-state">Current state</h2> <p>Since 1995, Softdisk had been an <a href="/facts/Internet_service_provider/dUacAxef">Internet service provider</a>, <a href="/facts/Web_hosting_service/sDHN29ve">web hosting service</a>, and Internet developer as well, and this eventually became their primary area of business. They offered local <a href="/facts/Dial-up_access/gfhNU9s3">dialup</a> service in the <a href="/facts/Shreveport,_Louisiana/nqJAB16l">Shreveport</a> area, and Web hosting and development services. </p><p>As of 2006, their website redirected to that of Bayou Internet, which had taken over their Internet operations. The downloadstore.com site formerly owned and operated by Softdisk was later run by Flat Rock Software, which also published former Softdisk product Screen Saver Studio and most of the Gamer's Edge titles (as well as on GOG.com). The source code for <i><a href="/facts/Catacomb_(video_game)/jSqrgGe3">Catacomb</a></i>, <i><a href="/facts/Catacomb_3D/6KSK87l5">Catacomb 3D</a></i> and <i><a href="/facts/Hovertank_3D/wCe4Mth7">Hovertank 3D</a></i> was released by Flat Rock in June 2014 under the <a href="/facts/GNU_General_Public_License/S75KhLSX">GNU General Public License</a> in a manner similar to <a href="/facts/John_Carmack/PKRfqBQn">those done</a> by id and partners.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="further-reading">Further reading</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/David_Kushner_(writer)/CFtyjlVD">Kushner, David</a> (2003). <i><a href="/facts/Masters_of_Doom:_How_Two_Guys_Created_an_Empire_and_Transformed_Pop_Culture/A4jSjw78">Masters of Doom: How Two Guys Created an Empire and Transformed Pop Culture</a></i>, New York: Random House. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 0-375-50524-5.</li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="http://www.softdisk.com/">Official website</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20060317083739/http://www.softdisk.com/sub/windows/sd-for-windows.html">Softdisk Legacy Software information (official site archive)</a></li> <li><a href="http://store.syndicomm.com/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&keyword=Softdisk">Licensed collection of the Apple versions: Softdisk Magazine; Softdisk G-S and UpTime (includes Mac)</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.mobygames.com/company/softdisk-publishing"><i>Softdisk</i></a> at <a href="/facts/MobyGames/ErGhXfX5">MobyGames</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Shannon, L. R. (October 27, 1987). "Peripherals; New Look of Magazines". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 26, 2018. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1987/10/27/science/peripherals-new-look-of-magazines.html" target="_blank">https://www.nytimes.com/1987/10/27/science/peripherals-new-look-of-magazines.html</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Shannon, L. R. (October 27, 1987). "Peripherals; New Look of Magazines". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 26, 2018. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1987/10/27/science/peripherals-new-look-of-magazines.html" target="_blank">https://www.nytimes.com/1987/10/27/science/peripherals-new-look-of-magazines.html</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Dvorak, John C. (September 12, 1989). Machrone, Bill (ed.). "Inside Track". PC Magazine. Vol. 8, no. 15. Ziff Davis. p. 75. ISSN 0888-8507. Retrieved September 29, 2018. <a href="https://archive.org/details/PC-Mag-1989-09-12/page/n75" target="_blank">https://archive.org/details/PC-Mag-1989-09-12/page/n75</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Romero, John. "Dangerous Dave II: The Haunted Mansion - ROME.RO Photos -- John Romero", n.d. Retrieved on May 20, 2015. <a href="/wiki/John_Romero" target="_blank">/wiki/John_Romero</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Larabel, Michael (June 6, 2014). "id Software's Softdisk Open-Sources Some Really Old Games". Phoronix. Retrieved June 6, 2014. <a href="https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=MTcxMjM" target="_blank">https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=MTcxMjM</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>