# Piracy Textfiles: Soft Documentation

Why many software programs are self-evident or contain help sections within the program itself, many others are complicated enough that the use of them is not self-evident. To counter this, piracy groups would transcribe the manual of the program so that anyone who got a copy of the program would know how to use it. In this say, Software-Based Documentation was born. It was shortened in name to "Soft Documentation" and then "Soft Docs", and even "dox" in some cases.

An interesting side-effect of this process, which was pretty tedious by any standard, was that the writer/transcriber would include a lot of interesting side-comments about the program, or the BBS world as they saw it, or any amount of gossip/opinion they could fit in.

This is not the only section with Soft Documentation; there is a very large collection of Apple II-Based Documentation in the Apple II section.

Filename | Size | Description of the Textfile
$readme.txt | 8919 | Soft Documentation for Broderbund's License to Kill by The Firm (October 12, 1989)
$readme2.txt | 4974 | Soft Documentation for Taito's Operation Wolf by The Firm (September 15, 1989)
688.txt | 156457 | SOFTDOCS: 688 Attack Sub User Manual
a-10tank | 61934 | Soft Documentation: A-10 Tank Killer
aaargh.txt | 4301 | SOFTDOCS: Aaaarg, by Arthur Dent of M.A.A.D.
abdtg.nfo | 3062 | Documentation for the Arrested Bus Drivers Tone Generator
adandd.cards | 12772 | Soft Documents: Magic: The AD&D
alienleg.asc | 17656 | Soft Documentation: Alien Legacy by Dynamix
allnet.txt | 3809 | Documentation for Allnet Hacker v4.0
appendix | 13955 | Documentation for Crack Version 4.1 by Alec Muffett
arkanoid.frm | 1278 | Soft Documentation for Arkanoid II: Revenge of Doe by The Firm
atrain.txt | 131950 | SOFTDOCS: The A-Train
aultrafd.txt | 22367 | Soft Documentation to Archon Ultra, by Lorus
autoduel.txt | 13376 | Soft Docs: Autoduel
azure.sol | 60274 | SOFTDOCS: Curse of the Azure Bonds
bakcht{}.not | 3892 | Betrayal at Kondor Cheat Version 1.0, by Null Set
batchess.txt | 13894 | SOFTDOCS: Battle Chess
batman.txt | 9175 | SOFTDOCS: Batman, typed by Golden One of the API
beast2.txt | 29108 | Soft Documentation: Shadow of the Beast II Docs, by Fizban of G.O.D.
beast3.txt | 7304 | Soft Documentation: Shadow of the Beast III
bic-sol2.dox | 26490 | SOFTDOCS: Bicycle Solitare v2.01 by Swfte, Documentation by Genesis of HumbleDox (May 29, 1991)
bluegrey.txt | 23246 | Soft Documentation for The Blue and the Gray
bp.txt | 18615 | Soft Documentation: Balance of the Planet (199)
buckroge.txt | 22246 | Soft Documentation: Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday
cas-trg.txt | 6933 | Soft Documentation: Command Adventures: Starship Version 1.0 Technical Reference Guide
caveman.txt | 21078 | SOFTDOCS: Caveman Ugh-Lympics by Azreal
centudox.txt | 27350 | Centurion "Defender of Rome" by Electronic Arts Documentation (1990)
centurio.txt | 13120 | SOFTDOCS: Centurion by Gironimo of the Something Different BBS
champion.txt | 42304 | The Champions of Krynn Adventurer's Journal by Archon
chessii.txt | 2944 | BattleChess II Game Codes
civi.txt | 161402 | Full Documentation for Civilizations
civiguid.txt | 371990 | The Official Guide to Sid Meier's Civilization, typed by Baser Evil of Alliance
civildox.nfo | 9349 | DOCUMENTATION: Complete Civilization Documentation from United Software Association and Mokedage/Organism
civiliz.dox | 160101 | DOCUMENTATION; Complete Civilization Documentation
conr-dox.nfo | 10826 | DOCUMENTATION: Jimmy Connor's Pro Tennis Tour from United Software Association/Fairlight PC
control.txt | 3229 | Explanation of the Code-Name ICEMAN Control Panel
cruisdox.nfo | 4113 | Cruise for a Corpse: Complete Documentation by Delphine Software
cruisref.txt | 13598 | The Humble Guys: Cruise for a Corpse : Reference Manual for the Cimematique System
cw.txt | 9200 | DOCUMENTATION: Crime Wave, by Access Software
cy3-dox.txt | 2504 | Soft Documentation: Chuck Yeager's Air Combat, by Gopher of POWR
d-lair.txt | 2477 | How to Win at the NYCrack of Dragon's Lair
darkleg.txt | 6859 | Quick Documentation to Dark Legions by The Beholder
darkspyr.txt | 1024 | DOCUMENTATION: Dark Spyre, by T-Bo
ddragon.txt | 1406 | Double Dragon Docs, by the Blue Adept
deltav.txt | 6336 | Solution to Delta V from Bethesda Softworks
diehard.hnt | 3792 | The Security and Inovcations for Die Hard
digger2.txt | 1922 | Documentation for Diggers PC v1.49 from Milleniuum Interactive 1993-1994
diggers.txt | 9897 | Soft Documentation for Diggers from Millenium
dinoterr.txt | 5554 | Review and Soft Documentation for Dino Park Tycoon
dkok.txt | 96768 | Death Knights of Krynn Adventurer's Journal Part I: The Players Manual. typed by Repo Man
dmkeys.txt | 6211 | DOOM key commands (December 16, 1993)
dragonw | 61861 | DRAGON WARS by Interplay, IBM version (September 1990)
ds-colon.nfo | 5820 | Documentation for Colonisation by SlackJaw (September 23, 1994)
dsd-canf.dox | 11311 | Documentation for Cannon Fodder by Virgin
dsd-canf.nfo | 4207 | Full Documentation for Cannon Fodder by Acid Queen of Dream Syndicate
dsge.txt | 7522 | Documentation for DSGE v1.00 by ANdrew Pye
dstrike.txt | 54439 | SOFTDOCS: Documentation to Dragonstrike: The Dragon Combat Simulation by The Redman
dtrack.hnt | 6336 | Solution to Deathtrack by Activision
dtrack.txt | 2707 | The Death Track Protection Document
dtrack3.txt | 4722 | Deathtrack Documentation
dun2trns.nfo | 7502 | Documentation for Dune II Megatrainer by David Jury (1993)
earthsei.dox | 2657 | Quick Docs for MetalTech: Earth Siege (October 31, 1994)
ecstatic.txt | 9378 | Documentation Transcription of Ecstatica
elite2.txt | 2745 | Quick Documentation for Elite 2
enchant.txt | 19804 | Documentation for Curse of Enchantia by Scooter of Skid Row
epic-thg.dox | 69755 | The Humble Guys HumbleDox: Epic: The Complete Game Manual
epic.txt | 6777 | Soft Documentation for Flight Simulator "Epic"
f-15docs.txt | 1638 | SOFTDOCS: F-15 Strike Eagle, by The Blue Adept
f15ii.txt | 2373 | The Underground Council: F-15 II (August 15, 1989) Member List and Docs
falcon2.txt | 13704 | Softdocs: Falcon Missions Disk II: Operation Firefight typed by Renegade
falfun.txt | 5562 | Some Strange and Funny Things to Do with Falcon 3
fatal.nfo | 2536 | Documentation for "Fatal Challenge
ffbtof.txt | 30942 | SOFTDOCS: Fiendish Freddy's Big Top O'Fun by Mindscape
fistfast.txt | 1386 | Documentation for Armored Fist by Ars Nova
fl-aoe.dox | 14481 | Documentation for Aces of Europe by Fanfan LaTulipe
formula1.txt | 61175 | Soft Documentation for Microprose's Formula One Grand Prix
gamtools.txt | 20260 | SOFTDOCS: Gametools Version 3.4 by Wong Wing Kin (1994) (Cracks Software Protection)
gshipibm.txt | 5470 | DOCS: Gunship, by Microprose
gunbelt3.txt | 8525 | Softdocs: Gunbelt III by Lord Blix (August 25, 1987)
heimdall.txt | 24754 | SOFTDOCS: Heimdall, by Skid Row and Scooter
idd.nfo | 5520 | INC: Civilization Hintbook (July 23, 1992)
indymodm.txt | 6115 | Indycar Racing Modem Play
indypass.txt | 6410 | Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade Translation Table
java-esd.txt | 25834 | Documentation of Empire Soccer from Empire Software
legend.nfo | 4577 | LEGEND: Full Amazon Train Documentation (July 28, 1993)
legend.txt | 7129 | Battle Bugs Documentation by Neuromage
links.txt | 18013 | Soft Documentation: Links Golf by The Skeleton
load-us.txt | 2304 | DOCUMENTATION: LOAD-US, by SWFTE Fairware (1984)
loom.txt | 6254 | Soft Documentation for Loom by LucasArts
lotus3.txt | 24181 | Lotus III: Final Challenge Complete Documentation by Razor Blade
maps-pcx.txt | 1201 | DOCUMENTATION: The Colony
mastninj.txt | 1917 | Docs to Master Ninja, by Paragon Software Corporation (1987)
meanhnt.txt | 5599 | Complete Hints for Mean Streets
meanstr.txt | 3295 | Cheats to Mean Streets by The Mizer
mega2.txt | 211670 | Soft Documentation: Megatraveller 2, by The Humble Guys/Rygar
moonst.txt | 24684 | Moonstone: A Hard Days Knight: Complete Game Manual: Soft Documentation by The Humble Guys
mortal.txt | 2790 | Mortal Kombat Reference File for SNES
mshelp.txt | 14661 | Soft Documentation for Mean Streets
n&b_e2fm.txt | 140104 | Manual for Elite II by Shard 13 (November 13, 1993)
nflchal.txt | 1424 | Soft Documentation: NFL Challenge, by the Blue Adept
no-aces.txt | 5277 | Aces Over Europe Quick Reference Documentation by Guardian of New Order
offshore.txt | 2977 | Soft Documentation for Off Shore Warriors
pond3.txt | 13175 | SOFTDOCS: Aquatic Games from Millenium, by Razor Blade
popuii.txt | 35163 | SOFTDOCS: Populous by The Jester
powermon.txt | 86106 | The Powermonger Amiga Command Summary Card, by RYGAR
pp2qdox.txt | 1914 | Prince of Persia 2 Quick Dox by Patch (April 27, 1993)
premiere.txt | 5156 | SOFTDOCS: Premiere
princeop.txt | 13588 | The Prince of Persia User's Guide
ramboapi.txt | 4124 | Rambo III Cheat Version 2.0 Documentation
rdr_seed.txt | 30690 | Soft Documentation: Dark Seed: The Complete Game Manual, from Ministry
readme.dfe | 3523 | Dark Forces Demo Editor Version 1.71 by Sean Baker
readme.txt | 3191 | Cheat for The Elder Scrolls: Arena
rebels97.nfo | 14389 | REBELS: 1997 Generic Release Document
rly_gold.txt | 11136 | Undocumented Features in RELAY Gold Version 4.0
sensible.txt | 27884 | Full Documentation for Sensible Soccer by Munchie and LOL (November 5, 1992)
shdwr.txt | 4005 | Soft Documentation: Shadow Warriors, scribed by Renegade of RAF
silentii.txt | 248405 | Documentation: Silent Service II by The Jet
simcity.txt | 47545 | SimCity Version 1.0 for Amiga Soft Documentation, by Ponyboy
slice-10.txt | 124508 | Slice's Tradewar Manual Version 1.0, by Slice
sm1cha.txt | 1040 | Wing Commander Secret Missions 1 Chart
sputty.txt | 5385 | Putty: The Game (Documentation)
spyvspy3.txt | 1779 | Soft Documentation for Spy vs. Spy III by Epyx (Cracked by Live Wire)
sq5coord.txt | 1963 | Space Quest 5 Coordinates, typed by Vaiski (February 2, 1993)
stellar.txt | 19021 | Stellar 7 from Dynamix/Sierra released by The Humble Guys (October 1, 1990)
stellar7.txt | 27305 | Stellar 7 Documentation
storm.txt | 29229 | StormMaster User's Manual
striker.txt | 2503 | How to play Striker
tdn-bn.txt | 2380 | Quick Documentation to Bloodnet from Microprose (November 6, 1993)
termdox.txt | 5052 | The Terminator IBM Reference Card, by Line Noise
terrtron.nf1 | 6460 | TERRATRON: Stronghold Complete Docs by Raistlin (July 28, 1993)
thawk.txt | 8582 | Docs: Thunderhawk AH073M Keyboard Commands Summary
top.nfo | 1702 | TIRED OF PROTECTION: Soft-Ice Additional Files with Full Scanned Documentation
tunnels.txt | 1942 | SOFTDOCS: Tunnels of Armageddon by Rifleman
tycoon.txt | 10685 | Soft Documentation for Railroad Tycoon, cracked by Public Enemy
u72cheat.txt | 4389 | How to activate the ULTIMA 7 PART II cheat system, by David Lummis
ultrad3.txt | 10880 | SOFTDOCS: Ultra-Dial: Version 3.0 The Final Frontier by Paul Levy
utopia.txt | 86606 | Utopia: Instruction Booklet by Scout
warlords.txt | 81321 | Soft Documentation for the Wargame Warlords
wccheat.txt | 3485 | Wing Commander Series Cheat
wingcom.txt | 7076 | Soft Documentation for Wing Commander by Gopher
wizzkid.txt | 11075 | Soft Documentation by Wizkid
yeager.txt | 13208 | Soft Documentation for Chuck Yeager's Air Combat, by Humble Guy, 06/24/1991
zeliard.txt | 3287 | Soft Documentation for Zeliard by Sierra, by UG (1990)
zool.txt | 11346 | Soft Documentation: Zool, Ninja from the Nth Dimension

There are 144 files for a total of 3,697,829 bytes.