Top 10 legendary computer software in Vietnam that remain only in our memories

Macromedia was a company known for its design software, with Flash and Dreamweaver being its flagship products. In 2005, Adobe acquired both, keeping the original names but discontinuing earlier versions of Macromedia's software.

Roadrash was a violent racing game that became a sensation on Windows 95 and 98, developed by Electronics Arts. First released in 1991, it captivated early computer gamers in Vietnam with its top-notch graphics for the time. The final version, named Jailbreak, was launched in 2000.

Undoubtedly, this software became immensely popular for word processing. With the release of later versions like Office 2010, 2011 (Mac), 2013, and 2015, Office 97 gradually faded into obscurity. However, some older systems in Vietnam still use this lightweight version, as it remains compact and efficient, although most users now prefer the latest software versions.

Netscape was introduced in 1994 as the most popular web browser in the early days of computing. In 1999, it was acquired by AOL for $10 billion. AOL later formed the Mozilla Organization to continue developing the Netscape browser. Mozilla rewrote most of Netscape's code using the Gecko Engine, which was later used to create Firefox. By 2007, AOL officially discontinued the development and support of Netscape.

Windows 95 is often regarded as a "giant software"—the platform that ran other applications. It is closely tied to the era when computers began to gain widespread popularity in Vietnam. Windows 95 also introduced many concepts that are still in use today, such as the Start button and the taskbar.

D32 was Vietnam's first well-known antivirus software, developed by Trương Minh Nhật Quang. It originated from D2 (Diagnose and Destroy Viruses), an antivirus program designed for the MS-DOS operating system, which was widely used in Vietnam during the 1990s. Since its release in February 2001, D32, alongside Bkav, has been featured in many IT systems in Vietnam. However, due to competition from international antivirus brands, D32 is no longer being developed.

Norton Commander was a simple file management software based on a directory tree structure. It was developed for the MS-DOS operating system, long before the advent of Windows. During the 1990s, it was commonly taught in most computer centers in Vietnam. Today, Norton Commander is rarely used, mainly by developers or IT professionals for specific tasks.

MSN Messenger was a popular chat application from Microsoft, first launched in 1999. In 2005, it was rebranded as Windows Live Messenger. By 2011, after Microsoft acquired Skype, development shifted focus to Skype, and Windows Live Messenger was discontinued. The final version of the software was released in 2012.

In terms of popularity in Vietnam, MSN Messenger or Windows Live Messenger didn't stand a chance against Yahoo! Messenger. This application was installed on almost every internet cafe computer in Vietnam. The sounds of group chats and the famous 'Buzz!!!' became embedded in the memories of many from the '80s and '90s generations. Although Yahoo! Messenger hasn't been shut down yet, most users have now migrated to messaging apps tied to social networks, like Facebook, Zalo, and Viber.

Winamp was once the most popular and renowned music player, especially when the default Windows Media Player was limited and slow. Back then, Winamp stood out with its beautiful interface, multiple sound modes, easy playlist creation, and fast music playback—even on low-spec devices like phones and older computers. Released in 1997 and owned by Nullsoft, it was eventually sold to AOL and later acquired by Radionomy in 2014. Although no longer as widely used, users can still install older versions of Winamp that are compatible with Windows.