Collection Guide
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Walnut Creek shareware collection
M2253
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Table of contents
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Title: Walnut Creek shareware collection
source:
Scott, Jason
Identifier/Call Number: M2253
Physical Description:
2 Linear Feet
: 2 cartons
Date (inclusive): 1993-2006
Abstract: Collection of shareware on optical disc, all distributed by the company Walnut Creek and its successors.
This is a collection of optical discs distributed by Walnut Creek software and its successor companies from roughly 1992 to
2006. The software was donated by the Internet Archive via Jason Scott, and likely duplicates titles in their Walnut Creek
CD-ROM Collection (https://archive.org/details/walnutcreekcdrom) or their general Shareware CD Collection (https://archive.org/details/cdbbsarchive).
The optical discs all come in jewel cases; there are approximately 801 cases, and each contains anywhere from 1 to 6 discs.
About half of the collection is composed of shareware anthologies. Discs often contain an amalgamation of games, fonts, pictures,
utilities (i.e. diagnostic programs), and productivity suites (i.e. word processors). The user was expected to pay for the
full experience of a shareware program if they liked it, and likely wouldn't have access to the full functionality until they
paid. Some of the discs present are freeware, which don’t require a fee, or fully-functional programs that were presumably
paid for upfront (like Applixware Office for FreeBSD).
Other discs in the collection allow the user access to free operating systems - largely centered around Unix and the “Unix-like”
Linux and FreeBSD paradigms. Major examples in this collection include Berkeley’s FreeBSD series, LINUX Redhat, TurboLinux,
Slackware Linux, and so on.
Walnut Creek thrived in an era where people couldn’t get online to find shareware quickly. Having virtual “shopping malls”
of sorts at one’s fingertips made these discs popular. The company became part of BSDI (the company behind BSD) in 2000, Said
company was then purchased by Wind River Systems, ending with FreeBSD being spun off as FreeBSD Mall. All disks prior to 2000
are published by Walnut Creek. During this time period the publishers of the discs transition from Walnut Creek to BSDI, then
joint publishing between BSDI and Wind River, and finally publishing by BSDMall in the most recent artifacts.
Open for research. Note that material must be requested at least 36 hours in advance of intended use. Digital media are not
available in original format, and must be reformatted to digital use copies.
While Special Collections is the owner of the physical and digital items, permission to examine collection materials is not
an authorization to publish. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. Any transmission
or reproduction beyond that allowed by fair use requires permission from the owners of rights, heir(s) or assigns.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Given to Stanford University, Special Collections by Jason Scott of the Internet Archive.
[identification of item], Walnut Creek shareware collection (M2253). Dept. of Special Collections and University Archives,
Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, Calif.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Scott, Jason