• 0

what other retro software do yall use


Question

10 answers to this question

Recommended Posts

  • 0
On 14/06/2026 at 16:17, flexorcist said:

ive always been fascinated by old software this is an old video player for windows from apple.

<Moved to software discussion and support>

I've got fond memories of Winamp. Changing the skins, the different visualisations etc. But now I just need a simple music player.

MSN messenger would be another one, MSN Messenger Plus (I think?) offered so many different plugins. But again, it probably wouldn't work for me these days.

And then there is miRC. i think it's still going these days, but lord i had fun with that back in the day. Now it's mostly stuff like Discord, WhatsApp group chats, Signal, Telegram... /me is showing his age...

  • Like 3
  • 0

I have a couple to mention, and they still run great on Windows 11 :)

  • Adobe Lightroom Version 2
  • Alcohol 120%
  • CLZ Book, Comic, Game, Movie, & Music Collector (PC - No longer sold / Grandfathered in - now mobile apps/online only)
  • DVDDecrypter
  • ISO Buster Pro version 1.9.1 (Still supports HD-DVD too)
  • Nero Burning Rom 8 (Only the burning software, no backup, media converter, etc)  
  • OpenAL (Runtime) - GuildWars 1 Reforged still uses it for 3d headphone audio
  • PowerDVD 12 Ultra
  • SPTD (SCSI Pass through Direct Driver)
  • UltraISO
  • Windows Media Encoder 9
  • WinImage

You can tell I still sport an optical drive

 

 

  • 0

At work we still have a couple of people that use a version of AutoCAD LT purchased in 1994.

This predates Windows 95 and works fine on versions of Windows up to XP. Its long since run in an locked down isolated XP VM, accessible via RDP.

I did install LibreCAD for them, however they said it was just too different to get to grips with. In all fairness one of them is now 75 and the other is almost 60.

autocadlt.thumb.jpg.0b32973e5041b626732f09767b753b0f.jpg

  • Like 3
  • 0

I still use HexChat!

Screenshot 2026-06-15 120313.png

Not really as ancient as the 1994 AutoCAD above my post, but I have never found anything better to replace it.

Yes we still operate an IRC server https://www.neowin.net/irc/ 😛 

  • Like 2
  • 0

Hello,

Christian Maas' XVI32 is a nice (and very small) hex editor.

Speaking of hex editors, many years ago a colleague and I who both worked at Tribal Voice managed to edit a copy of the company's PowWow instant messaging client to make it behave better now that all of its lookup servers and other server-side tech was gone.  The program didn't support NAT (RFC-3022 was introduced in January 2001, the same time Tribal Voice was shuttered), but it still worked okay if you manually set up port-forwarding on your router.  The server at http://powwow.jazy.net/ hosts a copy (usual warnings about downloading and running untrusted code from random internet servers apply).

I occasionally use some tools like Funduc Software's Search and Replace and Application Mover when I need to make mass-edits to text-based files or move programs with a hard-coded installation directories, respectively. 

When I need to figure out the exact LCD panel inside of a laptop, EnTech Taiwan's Monitor Asset Manager is my go-to tool for that purpose.

JD Design's website (now hosted on github.io) has a number of interesting freeware and shareware utilities.  I used to use their TouchPro utility to set the file timestamps on software I was mastering to match its version number (e.g., version 3.00 of a program had all of its files dates set to 3:00AM, and so forth).

Karenware has a number of interesting freeware utilities, too.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky
 

  • 0
On 15/06/2026 at 06:02, Steven P. said:

I still use HexChat!

Screenshot 2026-06-15 120313.png

Not really as ancient as the 1994 AutoCAD above my post, but I have never found anything better to replace it.

Yes we still operate an IRC server https://www.neowin.net/irc/ 😛 

Still using Hexchat every day but i would not consider it Retro 😛

  • 0
On 15/06/2026 at 11:51, InsaneNutter said:

At work we still have a couple of people that use a version of AutoCAD LT purchased in 1994.

This predates Windows 95 and works fine on versions of Windows up to XP. Its long since run in an locked down isolated XP VM, accessible via RDP.

I did install LibreCAD for them, however they said it was just too different to get to grips with. In all fairness one of them is now 75 and the other is almost 60.

autocadlt.thumb.jpg.0b32973e5041b626732f09767b753b0f.jpg

Oh man, the memories.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Posts

    • I totally disagree. Very little good comes out of governments all around the world manipulating everything they can and usually the people are not the benefactors. What you say about being restricted and expensive sounds almost like the arguments against firearms and why banning them will protect people as if making something illegal somehow will prevent the criminals from having and using them. AI being far less mainstream could simply mean the average person will not benefit, but "big brother" and the corporations will benefit, which is almost for sure NOT a good thing.
    • I do apologize to the author Mr. Sen for my rude comment, questioning his knowledge of the subject. It is I whom lacked knowledge of the subject. Sorry!
    • Hello All Have a MSI Pro B650 VC Wifi Rev 1.0 motherboard Ryzen 7 7700X Radeon 7800XT OC 16GB 32GB Teamgroup DDR 5 5600mhz Samsung 990 Pro 1TB Boot NVMe Samsung 990 Pro 2TB Game NVMe Lian Li Lancool Black ARGB 216 Case Seasonic Focus GX 750 Watt Power supply   Wondering today what is best spot to plug in the following items on system for performance and not bottle neck anything if i can help it Creative Pebble Pro USB C or A Speakers, ((Powered by External USB C to C PD Adapter)  Logitech G513 USB Gaming Keyboard Logitech G502X Wired Gaming Mouse Cyberpower UPS USB Cable for UPS Power Management/System shutdown External drives connected occasionally are as follows---WD My Book 8TB (primary backup drive)   Seagate 8TB in External USB 3.0 Enclosure,  Seagate Portable 1TB USB 3.0 drive,   WD My Passport (Blue) 2TB, and WD My Passport (Red) 2TB,    WD Elements 500GB USB 2.0 External (Oldest one, Christmas 2003)       **Do have a 7 Port Powered  USB Hub as well, but when i use that--that leaves only the USB Flash spot for something to directly connect to system if needed.    Rear USB C 2x2 unused right now as moved the Creative speakers off it to USB A port next to it, with a USB C to A Cable, as figured speakers didn't near audio from USB C port and tie up the high speed port**   Front Ports trying to limit use of, so i don't have Front I/O port go bad again, already had it replaced once by Lian Li support all the way from Taiwan over night ((Do get extra nervous at times on things,  so i might just be extra nervous for nothing lol))
    • "connect with audiences" is the most obvious corporate speak you can think of. I only bought Need for Speed from EA because it was the only racing game with cops in existence and I dig that. Now that they killed off NFS franchise, I have nothing to spend money on. EA is officially dead for me, just like Ubisoft which I've been boycotting for some 20 years now...
  • Recent Achievements

    • Week One Done
      Jeroen Wilms earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • Week One Done
      rolfus earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • One Month Later
      Leroy Jethro Gibbs earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Conversation Starter
      flexorcist earned a badge
      Conversation Starter
    • One Month Later
      AndreaB earned a badge
      One Month Later
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      496
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      203
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      127
    4. 4
      Steven P.
      83
    5. 5
      ATLien_0
      80
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!