9 Old Windows Programs That Are Still in Use Today

Imagine some good old Windows based programs from days long past. Quite a number of you may be astonished to find out that so many of them are still on! I’ve gone through them and brought you nine amazing programs that have successfully weathered the passage of time. So, let us look at these digital long-livers and their contemporary analogues.

Microsoft Project (1984)

When Microsoft Project first appeared on the scene, it was revolutionary in many ways for project managers. It was developed by Harris Graphics and bought by Microsoft in 1985. Back then, it had a DOS version with nothing more than basic Gantt charts and primitive resource allocation. In the course of the ’90s, this program overhauled project management by introducing automated scheduling with the help of critical path analysis techniques. 

Today’s version goes hand in hand with MS 365, and includes teamwork features, insights based on AI, and mobile connection. While the original version required just 384KB of memory, today’s version requires 4 GB because of increased sophistication from simple scheduling to management of complex projects.

Within modern alternatives, Jira is frequently chosen as a software development tool for agile workflows, while GanttPRO is an appealing option for mixed workflows because of its user-friendliness and structured Gantt charts. If you need more Microsoft Project alternatives, you can find them here.

WinZip (1991)

WinZip started as a Windows front end for PKZIP to make it more usable and has developed into something more than just a simple compression utility. The first version featured only basic zip file password protection. However, today, it is a comprehensive tool supporting more than 25 compressed formats along with military-grade encryption and integration with cloud services and Microsoft 365 as well. 

As the tool has been developed, it has consistently added more advanced features than the simple compression function throughout its development which has helped the application withstand the competition from many rival products and native ZIP compatibility in Windows.

Those looking for options might try 7-Zip for free, or PeaZip for a slightly higher level of security along with good compression ratios and a modern design.

Paint (1985)

Microsoft Paint was included as part of the first Windows release and has greatly contributed to countless creative undertakings since then. The first version only provided 1-bit black and white graphic images and there was no option for undoing actions. Further Windows versions (95 and 7) supported color and basic editing options. Users could work with a ribbon interface along with multi levels of undo. 

Most recently, Windows Paint includes dark mode, layered transparency, and background removing techniques. Many people these days will prefer more sophisticated editors, but many old-school users still use it for routine edits.

For those looking for free alternatives Paint.NET or GIMP may be good solutions. 

Norton Utilities (1982)

Pieter Norton designed his software for the purpose of more or less recovering files that had been deleted and gained popularity as an all-in-one PC’s maintenance tool. The first release had a file retrieval and a disk editor integrated into it. 

The current version does not offer tools for file recovery or editing. Instead, it aims at securing and optimizing systems by adding real-time protection, drivers updates, and privacy features. Norton has transitioned successfully from maintaining the physical disk to addressing contemporary cybersecurity challenges.

Talking about alternatives, there’s CCleaner, which is a simpler software for system optimization, and a more of an all rounded PC maintenance tool, Advanced SystemCare.

WordPad (1995)

WordPad is a word processing application that was designed to take over the position held by Microsoft Writ, and link the features Notepad and Word. The text input area in this version was quite primitive. Users could only insert a title along with an image. 

Nowadays, in addition to RTF, the Office ribbon interface, and advanced formatting options, the new WordPad can open word documents. It is also useful when one wishes to create a document with only minor edits on it.

For similar tools, you can consider AbiWord, which has more formatting choices. LibreOffice Write also targets consumers who want hassle-free access to word processors with all necessary functionalities.

ACDSee (1994)

ACDSee was a breakthrough in image editing by providing the experience of thumbnails, while beforehand the average computer user could only open one image at a time. Evolving further from a straightforward image viewer, it could perform batch edits of images, and other functions. 

Now ACDSee is still competing with the features provided in high-quality image-related apps. It has AI functioning, advanced RAW determined features, and functionality to manage assets.

Modern industry offers similar options like FastStone Image Viewer for simple operation with images and XnView with sophisticated batch processing and compatibility of different file formats.

Total Commander (1993)

A file manager Total Commander, developed by Christian Ghisler, started as a personal side project to improve the experience of managing files on Windows. The application began with a dual pane interface and keyboard shortcuts, then network functions, file comparison, and cloud support were added. 

Over time, the interface has been designed in a straightforward manner, allowing the more experienced users to make efficient use of it and work with many additional plugins.

Directory Opus is a contemporary replacement, whereas Free Commander offers dual-panel standard functionality free of charge.

Microsoft Calculator (1985)

The Windows Calculator evolved from basic arithmetic to a  comprehensive tool for various key operations. Early versions offered quite standard modes. Today’s calculator has the capabilities of graphs, units, and has a range of calculators for fuel economy and mortgage. It was made available for download by Microsoft in 2019, so that developers could enhance the program in a community environment.

If you’re looking for something similar, check Qalculate! As it has a lot of mathematical functions based on natural language processing, and SpeedCrunchfor its fast functioning.

Notepad (1983)

What makes Notepad unique is its minimalistic user interface that has stayed consistent over the years. The main functionalities offered by the first iteration included text edit and text search.

In subsequent updates, Unix line endings were added, the search for encoding was approximated and performance was improved too. It remains popular for quick notepad text editing or viewing log files without any complicating aspects.

For similar alternatives go for Notepad++ with its coding features and a search mode, or Sublime Text for its fast performance and many plugins available.

Why do these programs survive?

Even though many years have passed since these programs were brought to use, they are still alive because they combine reliability with timely and thoughtful progress. They’ve introduced additional capabilities without becoming bloated,  and managed to sustain performance during the changes. Old generations and organizations have built workflows around them, and it has become a standard in their day-to-day activities.

Looking Forward

As cloud services and web apps change the face of computing, these old timers don’t stray too far from the mark. Their presence is supported by the fact that good design principles never go out of fashion. They have made their case in the present format by addressing concrete issues in a proper manner and staying true to their initial vision.

What’s your most used classic Windows application? Are you still in touch with any of these veterans? Let us know what your thoughts are in the comments section!