SoftRAM

Infobox Software
name = SoftRAM and SoftRAM95


caption = Packaging claimed that SoftRAM could "double your memory"
developer = Syncronys
latest_release_version = 1995
latest_release_date = August 1995
operating_system = Microsoft Windows
genre = System software
license = Proprietary
website = Formerly [http://web.archive.org/web/19961228141148/http://www.syncronys.com/ syncronys.com]

SoftRAM and SoftRAM95 were system software products which claimed to "double" the available memory in Microsoft Windows without the need for a hardware upgrade. In July 1996, Developers Syncronys settled charges brought by the Federal Trade Commission of "false and misleading" claims in relation to the capability of the software. [ [http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1996/07/softram.htm Federal Trade Commission Press Release] , July 1996] The product was rated the third "Worst Tech Product of All Time" by PC World in 2006. [ [http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,125772,pg,2,00.asp#softram The 25 Worst Tech Products of All Time] , Dan Tynan, PCWorld.com, 26 May 2006]

oftRAM

SoftRAM was designed for use with Windows 3.x. It was launched in May 1995 and would go on to sell over 100,000 copies. [ [http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1996/07/softram.htm Federal Trade Commission Press Release] , July 1996]

Most memory errors in Windows 3.x were caused by the first 1 megabyte of memory in a PC, the conventional memory, becoming full. Windows must allocate a Program Segment Prefix (PSP) in this area of memory for each program started. Some utilities prevented DLLs from allocating memory here, leaving more space for user programs. This was a standard technique also used by other memory optimisation tools. [ [http://www.ddj.com/184409937?pgno=3 Inside SoftRAM 95] , Mark Russinovich, Bryce Cogswell and Andrew Schulman, "Dr. Dobb's Portal", 22 July 2001] SoftRAM also increased the amount of virtual memory available by compressing the pages of virtual memory stored in the swap file on the hard disk, which has the added effect of reducing the number of swap file reads and writes. [ibid.] The system also increases the size of the Windows page file, something easily achievable for free and without the use of additional software by changing system settings. [ibid.]

oftRAM95

SoftRAM95 was designed for Windows 95 and was released in August 1995. [ [http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1996/07/softram.htm Federal Trade Commission Press Release] , July 1996] The company sold over 600,000 copies of SoftRAM95 at a list price of USD $79.95, GBP £60 or 170 DM. [ [http://www.heise.de/ct/95/12/100/ Placebo forte] ,"c't" on SoftRAM95 (in German)]

When Windows 95 was launched, it was widely reported that software for the operating system would be "memory hungry", requiring at least 4 megabytes of RAM and preferably 8. Syncronys positioned SoftRAM as a cheaper alternative to buying more memory for those who would otherwise be unable to run Windows 95. Furthermore, the company used the "Designed for Windows 95" logo on the packaging when the product had not been approved by Microsoft for use with the operating system.

The German computing journal c't eventually exposed the sham by disassembling the program and proving that it did not even attempt to do what it was meant to do. [ [http://www.heise.de/ct/95/12/100/ Placebo forte] ,"c't" on SoftRAM95 (in German)] In fact, the data passed through the VxD completely unaltered so that no compression whatsoever could have taken place. The actual drivers were in fact slightly modified versions of code examples taken from Microsoft's "Windows Development Kit". Still, the program would try to pretend that it increased system resources, by silently increasing the size of the swap file on Windows 3.1 and by giving false information on the current state of the system. Even worse, the program was compiled with the debug flag on and so runs slower than the original driver from Microsoft. Further publications by PC Magazine and Dr. Dobb's Journal came to similar conclusions. [ [http://www.ddj.com/184409937?pgno=3 Inside SoftRAM 95] , Mark Russinovich, Bryce Cogswell and Andrew Schulman, "Dr. Dobb's Portal", 22 July 2001]

FTC investigation

The Federal Trade Commission began an investigation into the company in late 1995 dubbing the company's claims "false and misleading" and stating that "SoftRAM95 does not increase RAM in a computer using Windows 95; nor does the product enhance the speed, capacity, or other performance measures of a computer using Windows 95". [ [http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1996/07/softram.htm Federal Trade Commission Press Release] , July 1996] The investigation prompted the company to recall both SoftRAM and SoftRAM95 from the market in December 1995. Syncronys settled with the FTC in July 1996 and eventually filed for bankruptcy in 1999 after releasing other poorly received tools. [ [http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,125772,pg,2,00.asp#softram The 25 Worst Tech Products of All Time] , Dan Tynan, PCWorld.com, 26 May 2006; [http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article.asp?aid=7258 Syncronys's BigDisk Spells Big Risk] , Lincoln Spector, "PC World magazine", August 1998]

Footnotes

References

* [http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1996/07/softram.htm Syncronys Settles with FTC]
* [http://www.cnn.com/TECH/9601/soft_ram/ CNN: Software allegedly doubles trouble instead of memory]
* [http://www.heise.de/ct/95/12/100/ "Placebo forte" - c't on SoftRAM95] (in German)
* [http://www.heise.de/ct/english/95/12/100/ "Placebo forte" - c't on SoftRAM95] (english version)
* [http://trumpet.uni-mannheim.de/info/OReilly/windows/win95.update/softram.html SoftRAM95: "False and Misleading"] (Andrew Schulman's archive page)
* [http://groups.google.com/groups?q=SoftRAM95 Old Usenet discussions regarding SoftRAM95] , from "Google Groups")
* [http://www.ddj.com/184409937?pgno=3 Inside SoftRAM 95] Analysis by Mark Russinovich, Bryce Cogswell, and Andrew Schulman
* [http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,125772,pg,2,00.asp#softram The 25 Worst Tech Products] SoftRAM ranked third worst tech product by PC World.