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{{Short description|PC software products}}
{{Infobox software
| name = SoftRAM and SoftRAM95
| logo = SoftRam95l.png
| screenshot = 
| caption = Packaging claimed that SoftRAM could "double your memory"
| developer = Syncronys Softcorp
| latest_release_version = 1995
| latest_release_date = August 1995
| operating_system = [[Microsoft Windows]]
| genre = [[System software]]
| license = [[Proprietary software|Proprietary]]
| website = {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/19961228141148/http://www.syncronys.com/ |date=December 28, 1996 |title=syncronys.com }}
}}

'''SoftRAM''' and '''SoftRAM95''' were system software products released by Syncronys Softcorp in the mid-1990s that claimed to increase or even double the available [[random-access memory]] in [[Microsoft Windows]] without the need for a hardware upgrade, which is possible using [[memory compression]]. However, it was later alleged the SoftRAM95 program utilized only a stub compression function that was incomplete.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20211111-00/?p=105897|title=The inside story of the outside investigation of SoftRam95|last=Chen|first=Raymond|date=11 November 2021|website=www.Devblogs.Microsoft.com|access-date=2023-11-04|archive-date=2023-11-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231104012339/https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20211111-00/?p=105897|url-status=live | quote=I found the compression algorithm...They implemented only one compression algorithm. It was memcpy. In other words, their vaunted patent-pending compression algorithm was "copy the data uncompressed"...with a stub compression function that did no compression...}}</ref>

In July 1996, Syncronys Softcorp agreed to settle charges by the [[Federal Trade Commission]] that the company "misrepresented and/or failed to substantiate the performance" of the products, although the agreement stipulated it "did not constitute an admission of a law violation."<ref name="ftc1996">{{cite press release | url=https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/1996/07/computer-software-manufacturer-agrees-settle-charges-software | title=Computer Software Manufacturer Agrees to Settle Charges of Software Misrepresentation | date=July 10, 1996 | author=Shapiro, Howard | publisher=[[Federal Trade Commission]] | accessdate=May 9, 2016 | archive-date=January 5, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105085852/https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/1996/07/computer-software-manufacturer-agrees-settle-charges-software | url-status=live }}</ref> As part of the settlement, Syncronys Softcorp offered $10 rebates for affected consumers. The majority shareholders of the company in 1996 included its founding CEO, Daniel Taylor (30%), subsequent CEO, Rainer Poertner (14%), and Vice President of Technology [[Wendell Brown]] (7%).<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/containers/fix071/798077/0000950148-96-002364.txt | title=1996 Proxy statement pursuant to section 14(A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 for Syncronys Softcorp | publisher=[[U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission]] | date=October 28, 1996 | accessdate=July 19, 2020 | page=8 | archive-date=August 29, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210829215247/https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/containers/fix071/798077/0000950148-96-002364.txt | url-status=live }}</ref>

In a 1996 interview with [[Mc (magazine)|Mc]] magazine, the CEO of Syncronys Softcorp, Rainer Poertner, took responsibility for forcing the software's release despite engineering team objections that the product's development was not yet complete.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last= Wichmann|first=Johannes|date= November 1996|title=Der Junge aus Bayern, der ins Silicon Valley ging|url= |magazine= Mc|location= Munich |publisher= Franzis Verlag | access-date= }}</ref>

In 2006, the product was rated the third "Worst Tech Product of All Time" by ''[[PC World (magazine)|PC World]]'' behind [[AOL]] and [[RealPlayer]] (1999 version).<ref name=PCWorld25Worst>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/125772/worst_products_ever.html?page=2#softram |title=The 25 Worst Tech Products of All Time |author=Tynan, Dan |magazine=[[PC World]] |date=May 26, 2006 |accessdate=May 9, 2016 |archive-date=June 28, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180628154246/https://www.pcworld.com/article/125772/worst_products_ever.html?page=2#softram |url-status=live }}</ref> Around 100,000 copies of SoftRAM and 600,000 copies of SoftRAM95 were sold overall.<ref name="ftc1996"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/software-and-snake-oil-software/|title=Tech Publication|last=|first=|date=17 September 2016|website=www.digitaltrends.com|access-date=2020-04-27|archive-date=2020-08-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809173041/https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/software-and-snake-oil-software/|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Versions ==

=== SoftRAM ===
SoftRAM was designed for use with [[Windows 3.1]]. It was launched in March 1995 and sold more than 100,000 copies.<ref name="ftc1996"/>

Most out-of-memory errors in Windows 3.x were caused by the first megabyte of memory in a computer, the [[conventional memory]], becoming full. Windows needed to allocate a [[Program Segment Prefix]] (PSP) in this area of memory for each program started. Some utilities prevented [[Dynamic-link library|DLL]]s from allocating memory here, leaving more space for user programs. This was a standard technique also used by other memory optimization tools.<ref name="Inside SoftRAM 95">{{cite web | url=http://www.drdobbs.com/parallel/inside-softram-95/184409937 | title=Inside SoftRAM 95 | author1=Russinovich, Mark | author1-link=Mark Russinovich | author2=Cogswell, Bryce | author2-link=Bryce Cogswell | author3=Schulman, Andrew | magazine=[[Dr. Dobb's Journal]] | date=August 1, 1996 | accessdate=May 9, 2016 | archive-date=May 8, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160508235834/http://www.drdobbs.com/parallel/inside-softram-95/184409937? | url-status=live }}</ref> SoftRAM also claimed to increase the amount of [[virtual memory]] available by [[Data compression|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.<ref name="Inside SoftRAM 95"/> The software also increased the size of the Windows [[page file]], something achievable by users who are aware of how to change relevant system settings, without the cost of additional software.<ref name="Inside SoftRAM 95"/>

=== SoftRAM95 ===
SoftRAM95 was designed for [[Windows 95]] and was released in August 1995, selling more than 600,000 units. Its list price was [[US Dollar|USD]] $30.<ref>{{cite news |last= Dibbell |first= Julian |date= November 27, 1995 |title= A trick of memory? |url= https://www3.nd.edu/~kwb/nsf-ufe/Trick.of.Memory.SoftRam.html#:~:text=$30%20program%20that%20squeezes%20the%20necessary%20storage,a%20small%20Southern%20California%20company%20called%20Syncronys
|work= |location= |publisher= Time Magazine |access-date= February 7, 2025}}</ref><ref name="Placebo forte">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.heise.de/ct/95/12/100/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050411114903/http://www.heise.de/ct/95/12/100/ |archive-date=April 11, 2005 |title=Placebo forte! Was wirklich hinter SoftRAM 95 steckt | magazine=[[c't]] | language=German |date=December 1995 |access-date=May 9, 2016 |author1=Storm, Ingo T. | author2=Persson, Christian | author2-link=:de:Christian Persson}} English version: {{cite magazine|url=http://www.heise.de/ct/english/95/12/100/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050111011326/http://www.heise.de/ct/english/95/12/100/ |archive-date=January 11, 2005 |title=Placebo plus! The truth behind SoftRAM 95 | magazine=[[c't]] |date=December 1995 |access-date=May 9, 2016 |author1=Storm, Ingo T. | author2=Persson, Christian}}</ref><ref name="ftc1996"/>

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 memory and preferably 8 megabytes. Syncronys positioned SoftRAM95 as a cheaper alternative to buying more memory for those users who would otherwise be unable to run Windows 95.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}

==FTC investigation==
In December 1995, the German computing magazine ''[[c't]]'' [[disassembler|disassembled]] the program and reported it didn't do what was claimed in advertisements.<ref name="Placebo forte"/> Instead, data reportedly passed through the [[VxD]] unaltered with no compression, and the actual [[device driver|drivers]] were slightly modified versions of sample code from Microsoft's "Windows Development Kit". Still, the program purported to increase system resources by silently increasing the size of the [[swap file]] on [[Windows 3.1]] and misrepresenting the current state of the system, leading the magazine to rate it as "placebo software."<ref>{{cite journal | url=https://www.heise.de/ct/artikel/Placebo-forte-284374.html | title=Placebo forte! Was wirklich hinter SoftRAM 95 steckt | journal=C't | date=1995-11-11 | volume=1995 | issue=12 | page=100 | access-date=2020-05-10 | archive-date=2021-06-17 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210617004844/https://www.heise.de/ct/artikel/Placebo-forte-284374.html | url-status=live }}</ref> It was also reportedly [[compiler|compiled]] with the [[debug]] flag on, so it ran slower than the original driver from Microsoft. Another test by ''[[PC Magazine]]'' revealed SoftRAM95 took the same amount of time to move through systems that contained varying amounts of RAM.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.zdnet.com/pcmag/special/reports/sr1107.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20010223073540/http://www.zdnet.com/pcmag/special/reports/sr1107.htm|title=SoftRAM95 Does Not Compress RAM In PC Magazine Lab Tests|author=Seltzer, Larry|date=November 7, 1995|archivedate=February 23, 2001|magazine=[[PC Magazine]]|accessdate=9 May 2016}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite web |last1=Nelson |first1=Brian |date=January 19, 1996 |title=Software allegedly doubles trouble instead of memory |url=http://www.cnn.com/TECH/9601/soft_ram |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020110191025/http://www.cnn.com/TECH/9601/soft_ram/ |archive-date=January 10, 2002 |accessdate=9 May 2016 |work=[[CNN]]}}</ref> A later analysis by ''[[Dr. Dobb's Journal]]'' concluded the same.<ref name="Inside SoftRAM 95"/>

The [[Federal Trade Commission]] began an investigation in late 1995, ultimately asserting that Syncronys' claims about SoftRAM95 were "false and misleading" and 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".<ref name="ftc1996"/> This prompted the company to [[product recall|recall]] SoftRAM95 from the market in December 1995. Several individual customers filed suit against the company as well.<ref name=":0" /> When Syncronys settled with the FTC<ref name="ftc1996"/> in July 1996, it agreed to offer a US$10 rebate to customers who requested it.<ref name="CNET">{{cite web |author=Kanellos |first=Michael |date=July 22, 1998 |title=SoftRAM 95 maker in Chapter 11 |url=http://www.cnet.com/news/softram-95-maker-in-chapter-11/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151120144839/http://www.cnet.com/news/softram-95-maker-in-chapter-11/ |archive-date=November 20, 2015 |access-date=May 9, 2016 |website=[[CNET News]]}}</ref>

==Bankruptcy==

Syncronys filed for bankruptcy in July 1998 with $4.5 million of debt after releasing a dozen other poorly received tools.<ref name=PCWorld25Worst /><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Syncronys's BigDisk Spells Big Risk|author=Spector, Lincoln| magazine=[[PC World]]|date=August 1998|url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/7258/syncronyss_bigdisk_spells_big_risk.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080821061946/http://www.pcworld.com/article/7258/syncronyss_bigdisk_spells_big_risk.html|archive-date=August 21, 2008|access-date=May 9, 2016}}</ref> The company's final release, ''UpgradeAID 98'', claimed to allow users to downgrade from [[Windows 98]] to Windows 95, duplicating an existing feature of Windows 98 for $39.95 (equivalent to ${{Inflation|US|39.95|1998}} in {{year}} dollars).<ref name=upgradeaid98>{{cite web|author=IDG staff writers |url=https://www.arnnet.com.au/article/36201/pc_solutions/ |title=PC Solutions |website=ARN |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191212014934/https://www.arnnet.com.au/article/36201/pc_solutions/ |archive-date=December 12, 2019 |access-date=December 11, 2019 }}</ref> A large number of its creditors were customers who had not received their rebates for SoftRAM.<ref name="CNET"/>

Syncronys replaced its board and leadership and operated under [[Chapter 7, Title 11, United States Code|Chapter 7 bankruptcy]] until 2002. In 2006, the SEC revoked its securities and placed Syncronys in default for failing to file any financial reports since their 1998 [[Chapter 11]] bankruptcy event.<ref name=SECfiling>{{cite web |title=SEC: Order making findings and revoking registrations by default |url=https://www.sec.gov/litigation/admin/2006/34-54632.pdf | date=October 20, 2006 |access-date=December 11, 2019 |website=SEC |archive-date=September 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925225941/https://www.sec.gov/litigation/admin/2006/34-54632.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{cite web|url=https://ftp.st.ryukoku.ac.jp/pub/published/oreilly/windows/win95.update/softram.html|title=SoftRAM95: "False and Misleading"|date=August 29, 1996|last=Schulman|first=Andrew|publisher=[[O'Reilly & Associates]]|accessdate=May 9, 2016}}
* {{cite web |author1=Raymond Chen |title=The inside story of the outside investigation of SoftRAM 95 |url=https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20211111-00/?p=105897 |website=The Old New Thing |date=11 November 2021}}

[[Category:Utilities for Windows]]
[[Category:Computer system optimization software]]
[[Category:1995 software]]
[[Category:False advertising]]

SoftRAM - Revision history

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