This might not seem a critical issue unless you've ever found yourself with hundreds of files in a proprietary format that current programs don't support. Or, if "old reliable" suddenly refuses to operate under your upgraded OS and the tech support phone number you dial gives you a "not a working number" recording.

There are probably dozens of programs that this happens to each year. Below are some that I've received inquiries about over the past couple of years. In some cases, the news is not good. Please keep in mind that these products continue to change hands and the companies revamp their Web sites continually. I try to keep the links current but there will be cases of links going bad.

Calendar Creator (The Learning Company) - Back in the heydey of DOS this was the calendar printing program of choice. One of the few products from PowerUp!/Spinnaker that lives on, it is now a Broderbund product, part of The Learning Company family. Upgrades and specialty versions continue to be developed.
[Technical Support]

CorelDRAW 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 (Corel Corp.) - In the past Corel has sold and supported several upgrades (not just different configurations) of their software at the same time. But upon the release of version 9 support began drying up for some of those earliest versions. Upgrade from 3 or 4 to 5 (the stopping point if you are still using Windows 3.1). Upgrade from any version to 8.
[Technical Support]

Easy Working (Spinnaker) - Like many other products from Spinnaker, this line (Desktop Publisher, Labels, perhaps others) was lost when Spinnaker went out of business. Although some titles may have been picked up by other companies (Softkey/The Learning Company, Software Publishing Corporation) I can find no current support online.

Express Publisher (PowerUp! Software)- This one seems to have disappeared. PowerUp! (or one of the companies that took it over previously) eventually was acquired by The Learning Company. The product is not in the line up under any of the other companies that fall under The Learning Company portfolio of brands (Broderbund, Creative Office, Parsons, and others). In fact, if you have an orphan product, go to The Learning Company first. They are gobbling up products left and right.

PagePlus (Serif) - Up to Version 8 in 2002, you can find patches and updates for older versions back to 3.0.
[Technical Support]

PFS Write / Professional Write / Publisher (Spinnaker) - These and other PFS programs were apparently last properties of Software Publishing Corporation or SoftKey (The Learning Company). Few Spinnaker products live on elsewhere (exception: see Calendar Creator, above). The PFS line seems to no longer have any support. Fortunately, many word processing (and other) programs will still import files in these native formats.

PrintMaster (The Learning Company) - Another of the brands under The Learning Company, it was once with Mindscape but now appears to be under the Broderbund label. PrintMaster is alive and well with Classic, Gold, Platinum, and other versions. These are all the Windows and Mac versions. Still running one of the original DOS versions? Sorry, no sign of it anywhere.
[Technical Support]

The Print Shop (Broderbund) - It was my first page layout program. While still kicking for Windows (with several products in the line) and Mac, a search of the Broderbund site yields no mention of the DOS versions in product lists or under the FAQs or online technical support. In the case of The Print Shop, DOS is dead. Can you get an upgrade price? Contact Broderbund.
[Technical Support]

Ready, Set, Go! (Diwan) - I've followed this program around the Web for a couple of years as support for it moved around. Once proclaimed as a less expensive alternative to PageMaker for the Mac, it has recently added Internet Publishing Support and still seems to be hanging in there. Find a demo, upgrade information, a user's guide, and updaters at the Diwan site.

Windows Draw (Sierra) - In November 98 Micrografx handed Draw over to Sierra, the home of the highly popular Print Artist products. After some searching I finally found Windows Draw 7 listed as a component of their new Complete Publisher 99 but now Complete Publisher is gone too.

Is your favorite program an orphan? Do mergers and changing product lines leave you dizzy and wondering whether to upgrade or move on to different company's product? Share your frustrations or ask about your own "lost" product in our forum. I'll do my best to find out something about it.