SOFTDISK

'Softdisk' was a software and Internet company based in Shreveport, Louisiana. Founded in 1981, its original products were disk magazines (which they termed "magazettes", for "magazine on diskette"). They were affiliated and partly owned by paper magazine ''Softalk'' at their founding, but survived its demise.
Names they have been known by at various times and for various purposes include: ''Softdisk Magazette'', ''Softdisk Publishing'', ''Softdisk Internet Services'', ''Softdisk, Inc.'', ''Softdisk, L.L.C.'', and ''Magazines On Disk''.

Contents

Publications

Standalone programs and Gamer's Edge

Current state

References

External links

Publications

Publications included:

★ ''Softdisk'' for the Apple II

★ ''Loadstar'' for the Commodore 64

★ ''Big Blue Disk'' (later ''On Disk Monthly'' and ''Softdisk PC'') for the IBM PC

★ ''PC Business Disk'' for the IBM PC

★ ''Diskworld'' (later ''Softdisk for Mac'') for the Apple Macintosh

★ ''Softdisk G-S'' for the Apple IIgs

★ ''Softdisk for Windows'' for the Windows platform.
By the late 1990s, however, these publications were discontinued, although ''Loadstar'' had a continued life as an independent company catering to a cult following of Commodore buffs.

Standalone programs and Gamer's Edge

Softdisk has also published some standalone programs, including screensaver creator Screen Saver Studio (which is now published by Flat Rock Software).
However, they are probably most famous for being the former workplace of several of the founders of id Software, who worked on a short-lived game subscription product, ''Gamer's Edge''. ''Gamer's Edge'' was a bi-monthly PC game disk started in 1990 by John Romero. The disk's developers were John Carmack, John Romero, and Adrian Carmack. Tom Hall, 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.
These developers later left Softdisk to found id Software. However, to complete their contractual obligation to Softdisk, they did a few more games for them including ''Hovertank 3D'', ''Rescue Rover'', and ''Keen Dreams'' (the "lost" episode of the ''Commander Keen'' series). Softdisk later published games by other developers using the game engines of the earlier games.
Also, some of the earliest employees of Origin Systems worked there before moving on: Greg Malone ''(Moebius, Windwalker)'', Dallas Snell ''(Ring Quest)'', Joel Ellis Rea ''(Ring Quest)'', and Alan Gardner ''(Windwalker, Ultima VI)''.

Current state

Since 1995, Softdisk has been an Internet service provider, Web hosting service, and Internet developer as well, and this eventually became their primary area of business. They have offered local dialup service in the Shreveport area, and Web hosting and development services.
As of 2006, their Web site redirects to that of Bayou Internet, which has taken over their Internet operations. The 'downloadstore.com' site formerly owned and operated by Softdisk is now run by Flat Rock Software, which also publishes former Softdisk product Screen Saver Studio.

References

★ Kushner, David (2003). '', New York: Random House. ISBN 0-375-50524-5.

★ Shannon, L.R. (1987). "Peripherals; New Look of Magazines", ''The New York Times'', October 27, 1987[1]

External links

★ Official website (redirects to bayou.com)

★ Softdisk Legacy Software Information (Official Site)

★ Licensed collection of the Apple versions: Softdisk Magazine; Softdisk G-S and UpTime (includes Mac)

★ ''Softdisk'' at MobyGames