Softdisk
| Softdisk | |
|---|---|
| Missing image Softdisk_logo.gif Softdisk Logo | |
| Type | Private |
| Founded | Shreveport, LA (1981) |
| Location | Shreveport, LA |
| Key people | Jim Mangham, Founder Judi Mangham, Founder Al Vekovius, Founder, Past CEO John Beaird, CEO John Carmack, Former Game Programmer John Romero, Former Game Designer Tom Hall, Former Game Designer Adrian Carmack, Former Artist Kevin Cloud, Former Artist and Manager Jay Wilbur, Former Manager |
| Industry | {{{industry}}} |
| Products | Softdisk (Apple II diskmagazine) Loadstar (Commodore 64 diskmagazine) Softdisk PC Softdisk for Windows Softdisk for Mac Screen Saver Studio Catacomb 3D Keen Dreams |
| Revenue | {{{revenue}}} |
| Website | www.softdisk.com |
Softdisk is a software and Internet company based in Shreveport, Louisiana. Founded in 1981, its original products were disk-based periodicals (which they termed "magazettes", for "magazine on diskette"). Publications included Softdisk for the Apple II, Loadstar for the Commodore 64, Big Blue Disk (later On Disk Monthly and Softdisk PC) for the IBM PC, Diskworld (later Softdisk for Mac) for the Apple Macintosh, and Softdisk for Windows for the Windows platform. By the late 1990s, however, these publications were discontinued, although Loadstar had a continued life as an independent company catering to a "cult following" of Commodore buffs.
Softdisk has also published some standalone software programs, including screen-saver creator Screen Saver Studio, which remains in print and under development now. However, they are probably most famous for being the former workplace of several of the founders of id Software, including John Carmack and John Romero, who worked on a short-lived game subscription product for Softdisk before going off on their own to found id. To complete their contractual obligation to Softdisk, they did a few more games for them including Hovertank 3D, Rescue Rover, and Keen Dreams (the "lost" episode of the Commander Keen series). Softdisk later published games by other developers using the "game engines" of the earlier games.
Since 1995, Softdisk has been an Internet service provider as well, and this is now their primary business. They offer local dialup service in the Shreveport area, and Web hosting and development services.
Names they've been known by at various times and for various purposes include: Softdisk Magazette; Softdisk Publishing; Softdisk Internet Services; Softdisk, Inc.; Softdisk, L.L.C.; and Magazines On Disk. "Softdisk" has always been officially written as one word, though it's often mistakenly written as "Soft Disk" or "SoftDisk".