The Free Software Historic Archive>


Why TFSA?

Every time when software is no longer maintained the danger arises that it falls into oblivion and sometime disappears completely. Free software should be immune against this problem but as the past shows this is not true. To give some examples, some old versions of the Linux kernel were no longer available after only a few years, and many distributions and programs are no longer existent on the Internet. This page attempts to prevent such losses, at least as long the available disk capacity (currently 1200 GB) suffices.

Note

Some links on this page are broken. This is because this page is really only a mirror of my servers at home. You'll find the data on grumbeer.dyndns.org.

Contents of the Archive

You can find here:

Linux Kernel Archive
All kernels from 0.0.1 to the current versions. Also some additional kernels like those from Alan Cox. The kernel archive only has gaps at versions 0.0.2, 0.0.3, and a few others. These are probably lost forever.
Linux Distribution Archive
Even on the official servers of the distributors the oldest versions can no longer be found. In this archive everything is collected that may be about to disappear from the Internet.
BSD Archive
First versions of 386BSD
Archive of the earliest Linux Mailing Lists
Archive of the earliest Linux Mailing Lists
Archive of Old Projects
Here are web sites and code of projects archived of which must be assumed they will soon disappear from the net.
Original CDs as ISO Images
Here you can find, as long as space permits, complete CDs as ISO images. Useful not only for obtaining a bootable CD.
Old Server Snapshots
Please note that ibiblio was formerly known as sunsite.unc.edu and later metalab.unc.edu. ftp.gnu.org was formerly housed on prep.ai.mit.edu.
ISO Images
Lots of ISO images of old and newer distributions

Of course you can also browse the complete archive.

Other Archives that carry Historic Free Software

Additions to the Archive

Should you find an old CD, old floppies or another source of free software that is not yet present here, I would be grateful for a copy or a contribution of the original.

If you cannot make old material available for download you can send the original or a copy to the following postal address:
 
Hans-Joachim Baader
Poppelfeld 9
76646 Bruchsal
Deutschland

Backups and Availability

This archive is backed up and placed on a highly available cluster so that nothing should get lost. Unfortunately the connection to the Internet is only 30 Mbit/s. So it would make sense if other websites would mirror this archive. Please contact me if you have interest so we can find the best way to do this.

Copyright

All software archived here is freely distributable as far as I know. Should this not be the case for any package please drop me a note.


Software Index | Home Page
Created by hjb
Updated 2023-08-10