Files
Cracktros and intros
- Cracktros are mini adverts created by cracking groups to announce their releases to the community. Initially, these programs were inserted and launched whenever the cracked software was in use. We have over 400 cracktro and crack-intros for Windows individually itemised for download, while another 3300 of these for MS-DOS are playable in your web browser! Also, we hold a collection of 360 scene software installers that complimented the cracktros.
NFO files and scene releases
- NFO or information text files are generally in every scene release of which we hold 5200 items. Often, they are stylised with ASCII text art and arranged in a standard format. In the early days, these texts included detailed group information, but now they focus more on the cracked software. Also, we hold a collection of 140 NFO viewers and editors and over 4080 release proofs.
ANSI art
- Coloured ANSI text art was commonly used on BBSes for advertising and theming of their sites. This collection includes over 2500 pieces used for marketing BBS, FTP, group NFO and logos.
BBS ads
- Bulletin Board Systems were a proto-Interweb for online communication and the exchange of files during the 1980s until the mid-1990s. This collection of 10000 files include 6100 BBStros, 2300 ANSI art, many images and 1200 text files. We also have a large collection of FTP ads plus lists of BBS sites and FTP sites are also available.
Magazines
- Before the web and social media existed, groups used to exchange ideas and write articles on their communities in the form of digital magazines and newsletters. These 920 publications are also found under their magazine titles.
Filepacks
- Filepacks are packages of files that share a common theme that people have collected and curated for easy distribution. Popular pack topics include ANSI art, NFOs, cracktros and BBS ads.
Databases
- Scene databases are often once private datasets of cracked software titles, release dates and associated groups. Due to their size, these sets are often incomplete and sometimes inaccurate.
Mainstream news
- Scans and retypes of computer magazines and newspaper articles that attempt to report on the scene.
Busts and takedowns
- Reports and alerts for software pirate arrests and police raids.
Community standards
- Rules and agreed standards for the various divisions of the scene.
Community drama
- The very competitive scene often has led to online flamewars and occasionally offline conflicts.
Announcements
- Public notices and community farewells.
Group jobs
- Calls for new group memberships and tools for possible applicants. Sometimes a trial crackme is made to test one's abilty.
Restricted
- Internal tools and documents that were never intended to be made public, but give a great insight into the operations of scene groups.
Guides and how-tos
- Texts and guides on how to analyse, patch and crack legacy software.
Computer tools
- Legacy tools to analyse, decrypt, patch and crack software.
Game hacks
- A small collection of hacks, exploits, cheats and trainers for legacy PC games.
ANSI tools
- Legacy software used to create and edit ANSI art files.
NFO tools
- Legacy software designed to create and edit NFO text files.
Alternative scenes
Documents
Interviews
- Discussions with scene members, be prepared for bad speling and typos. There are also countless other interviews contained within the numerous magazines.
International Network of Crackers (INC)
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Bar Manager Feb, 1993
The History and INC Today -
Coolhand June, 1998
Scenelink interview -
Line Noise March, 1993
Adrenalin Magazine interview
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Fairlight (FLT)
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Ford Perfect Jan, 1993
Before the "Incident"... -
Genesis Oct, 1991
Software Chronicles Digest interview
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Razor 1911 (RZR)
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Pitbull 2005
Former leader talks about life after being busted -
The Renegade Chemist June, 1996
Spotlight on
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The Dream Team (TDT)
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Belgarion Oct, 1991
Retired THG member and ex-sysop of The Festering Pit BBS -
Hard Core 1993
An interview with the founder -
T800 Jan, 1996
Defacto interview -
The Grim Reaper Feb, 1993
Adrenalin interview
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Bandido 1999
Of Drink or Die and RiSC, Griffiths made global headlines in 2007 after being extradited to the USA despite never visiting the countryBryn Rogers Aug, 2012
My memories of Lamers of PowerChinaBlue June, 1998
Retirement and the 'bust or be busted' scene mentalityMarvel July, 1999
An artist for Future Crew, the most influential demogroup on the PCTGK June, 1998
Scenelink interview about AmnesiaOperating systems
DOS
- Software written for the original x86 operating system and precursor to Microsoft Windows, this platform was popular in the USA during the 1980s and for the rest of the world during the early to mid-1990s.
Windows
- Windows became the inevitable replacement for MS-DOS on the x86 platform. Most Windows software released in the 1990s and would probably target Windows 95 and 98 while later releases would be for Windows XP or 7.
macOS
- Is the software created for Apple's macOS and earlier OS-X line of operating systems.
Linux
- Scene software created for the Linux desktop and server platforms.
PHP
- Web applications that target the PHP programming platform.
Java
- Multi-platform applications written in the Java programming language.
Scene milestones
- These milestones for the PC cracking scene are based on what we have collected. There were earlier and more notable communities on other microcomputers for which the PC scene often poorly mimicked.
1981
First PC August 12
- IBM PC 5150
1983
Earliest distributed cracked game
Galaxian broken by Koyote Kid
First PC clone March
- Compaq Portable
Earliest unprotect document May 12
Directions for Unprotecting SPOC by Randy Day
SPOC.UNP
1984
Earliest PC groups
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Against Software Protection (ASP)
Software Pirates Inc (SPi)
EGA graphics standard October
Earliest info text October 17
Zorktools 1.0 by Software Pirates Inc
1985
Earliest text loader May 26
Spy Hunter by Imperial Warlords
1986
Earliest DOX
Dam Buster Documentation by Apocalypse BBS
DAMBUST1.DOC
Earliest PC loaders June
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Gremlins by Mr. Turbo
Ultima 3 by ESP Pirates
and later Frogger II by SPI
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1987
AdLib audio standard
VGA graphics standard
Earliest PC demo June 22
3 Dimensional EGA Demonstration
First 32 color VGA game December
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Rockford: The Arcade Game
The first 256-color game on the IBM PC
1988
Earliest standalone BBS ad April 4
Swashbucklers II BBS
README.!!!
Earliest ANSI ad June
Paperboy by BSP
SCREEN.ANS
Earliest NFO-like document July 30
Romance of the Three Kingdoms by BSP
Earliest ASCII art October 6
Fire Power by $print
$PRINT.TXT
The earliest example of scene drama November 25
- TNWC accusing PTL of stealing a release
README.NOW
1988
1989
First 256 color VGA game March
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688 Attack Sub
The first 256-color game on the IBM PC
Earliest BBS ANSI loader March
Rogues Gallery BBS
Earliest PC intro April
First intro by Sorcerers
Earliest PC cracktro April 29
Lombard RAC Rally by Future Brain Inc (FBi)
1989
1990
Sound Blaster audio standard
Use of the .NFO file extension Jan 23
Knights of Legend by The Humble Guys
KNIGHTS.NFO
Earliest PC cracktro with music December 2
M1 Tank Platoon by The Cat
First enchanced PC game on CD-ROM Winter
- Mixed-Up Mother Goose 1. 2.
1990
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- Aces of ANSI Art AAA
- ANSI Creators In Demand ACiD ↩
- ↪ The Product
- Bitchin Ansi Design BAD
- Damn Excellent ANSI Design DEAD
- Future Crew
1991
Earliest BBS VGA loader March
XTC Systems BBS
Earliest contemporary cracktro April 12
Blues Brothers by The Dream Team, Tristar & Red Sector Inc. (TDT/TRSi)
Earliest elite BBStro October 21
Splatterhouse BBS
1991
1992
1993
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- Drink or Die DOD
- Paradox PDX
- Rise in Superior Couriering RiSC
- RiSCiSO ↩
- Scoopex
- Pentagram
1994
Earliest CD release November 17
Slob Zone by ROM 1911
1995
Earliest CD-RiP June 4
Virtual Pool CD-Rip by Hybrid
Chicago
BBS-a-holic +708
Park Central +708
New York
Cloak-n-Dagger +516
The Pits +718
Philadelphia
Dimention XXX +215
Portland
Manhattan Project +503
Dallas
Midnight Oil +214
Los Angeles
Midnight Oil iii +818
Detroit
Nevada Testing Ground +313
Cleveland
Rusty-n-Edies +216
Houston
Silicon Wasteland +713
Vermont
Spyrits Crypt +802