Retro Computing
195 sites
https://runningman.network/
Runningman Network is a revival service that brings back AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), letting users connect vintage AIM clients and chat just like in the early 2000s. It offers downloads including a macOS Apple Silicon-compatible build via WineskinServer, along with setup guides and a registration system to get nostalgic users back online.
https://arc-x.org/
ARC-X, run by J. R. Young, is a personal station dedicated to extending the life of old hardware and software, maintaining obscure X11 programs, and documenting ancient systems in the modern age. The site features an abandonware scrapyard, hardware restoration notes, and a toolbox of configs and manuals, all with a charming smallweb philosophy.
https://blog.geocities.institute/
Run by researcher Olia Lialina, this blog digs through the massive GeoCities torrent archive to surface, analyze, and celebrate the visual and cultural artifacts of early web culture. Expect screenshot showcases, interviews with creators, and thoughtful commentary on GIFs, MIDI, blingee stamps, and the forgotten aesthetics of the 1990s and 2000s web.
https://pc98.org/
PC98 Images is a long-running archive dedicated to distributing disk images for the classic NEC PC-98 platform, active since 2003. Visitors can browse a library of disk images with descriptions, download selected games added weekly, and submit requests for specific titles.
https://kry.pt/
KRY.PT BBS is a retro-style bulletin board system accessible via SSH and Telnet, evoking the classic era of dial-up BBS culture with its ASCII art logo and terminal aesthetics. Visitors can connect directly through command-line protocols, making it a functional throwback to pre-web networked computing.
http://frogfind.de/?lg=en-us
FrogFind! is a search engine purpose-built for vintage and retro computers, stripping down search results to be lightweight enough for old hardware to handle. Created by Action Retro, it draws on DuckDuckGo, Brave, and Google as its backend sources, making the modern web accessible from machines that would otherwise struggle.
https://ascii.textfiles.com/
Jason Scott's long-running personal weblog covers digital history, archiving, BBS culture, vintage computing, and the preservation of internet history, drawing on his work with the Internet Archive and Archive Team. Known for projects like the BBS Documentary and GET LAMP, Scott writes with sharp wit about technology, culture, and the people who shaped the early internet.
https://95revive.neocities.org/
95revive is dedicated to breathing new life into old computers, offering articles, services, and a project called VirtualXP for vintage Windows enthusiasts. With a tagline echoing Windows 95's iconic phrase, this site blends nostalgia with practical resources for retro hardware lovers.
https://blinkies.neocities.org/geoblinkies
Geoblinkies is a transcription project and search engine dedicated to cataloguing the tiny animated blinkie graphics that once decorated countless Geocities pages. It lets visitors search a database of transcribed blinkie text, making these nostalgic web artifacts accessible and discoverable again.
https://violet-99.neocities.org/
Violet-99 is Swarit's personal archive dedicated to exploring and recreating the aesthetic of the old web, built entirely with handcrafted static HTML and CSS. Featuring a synthwave-styled terminal interface, a photo gallery, logs, and a guestbook, the site is a loving homage to early internet culture and design.