I have to admit I find this type of article about old computer/software quite interesting as recently I discovered a backup of mine that contained source code I wrote in 1993. I was writing assembly language back then. Using a really great library called Spontaneous Assembly. First version 2.0 and then 3.0. SpontaneousAssembly 3.0 added support for easily writing TSR (Terminate and Stay Resident) code.
Back in the early 1990s I was in college and working in the computer lab. So I wrote various little DOS utilities to help us better manage the computers and the interaction with Novell Netware.
Due to this reminiscing I have even purchased a few tech books from that time. MS-DOS Encyclopedia, Peter Norton's Programmers Guide to the IBM PC, and some others.
I only wish I still had a copy of SpontaneousAssembly 3.0 as it would be fun to recompile some of my old code!
Yeah I have emailed Kevin Crenshaw but he stated the project is "abandonware" at this point. He said to search for it online. So far no luck with version 3.0. It would have been fun to try playing with some old code in a VM :)
I don't live anywhere close the the Library of Congress, so not easy for me to get a copy there :(
Anyone can get a reader card at the Library of Congress if they have a photo id and are at least 16 years old. I'm not sure how you access computer files there, though. The reader card has to be obtained in person. With the Library of Congress closed to visitors because of COVID-19, I imagine it's not possible right now.
I go to the Library of Congress every once in a while and could ask for this. In my experience, to get items like this you use the Ask a Librarian link on the right and they'll work with you from there. Send me an email at the address here and I'll try this the next time I go: http://trettel.org/contact.html
(Unfortunately my next Library of Congress trip might not be for a year or more at this point due to COVID-19 and life.)
I could make disk images with GNU ddrescue, or another software if you prefer. Note that I don't have a floppy drive at the moment but will ask them if they have an external USB drive.
Back in the early 1990s I was in college and working in the computer lab. So I wrote various little DOS utilities to help us better manage the computers and the interaction with Novell Netware.
Due to this reminiscing I have even purchased a few tech books from that time. MS-DOS Encyclopedia, Peter Norton's Programmers Guide to the IBM PC, and some others.
I only wish I still had a copy of SpontaneousAssembly 3.0 as it would be fun to recompile some of my old code!