History of Casio's FZ Shareware Collection
In the late 1980's Casio started a public domain distribution program of samples. The program had three distribution houses where users were encouraged to submit samples as well as add to their collection of samples by sending formatted blank disks. The FZ Shareware Catalog eventually grew to include 142 sample disks, including 14 samples which required 2 meg machines. As the years passed, the distribution houses no longer supported the public domain library. FZ users were then forced to turn to one another, often making post on several of the usenet groups.
After several e-mails between Steve Petry and myself in November and December 1996, Steve offered to host some of the samples that I had on his ATMOSFEAR web site. Slightly before ATMOSFEAR's demise (around March 1997), I became aware of Jeff McClintock's work on FZ-Dump, and the very nice cable that he had developed for sample transfer between a PC and the FZ. At that time I did not build the cable. In December 1997 I contacted Casio, and was luckily enough to speak with Ed Alstrom. He kindly provided me with an almost complete library. Now with more than 150 disks I needed a fast way to archive the samples. Remembering Jeff's PC-FZ cable I built it and was pleased with just how well it worked.
I could now transfer samples between the PC and FZ in 35-90 seconds per meg! There was still one problem, the library that I had was missing several disks. One more thank you goes to Mr. Russell Alexander for mailing me several disks and making the Casio Freeware Collection complete.
So now once again Casio's Shareware Collection is available! Due to space limitations I will be posting 1 or 2 samples at a time. If you see a sample you might want, DOWNLOAD IT THEN; as it might not re-appear for sometime. If you want a sample posted, please e-mail me and I will try to get it up.
I would like to thank everyone who has made this possible.
Casio's
FZ Shareware Collection plus MUCH MORE on CD-ROM!
I am offering on CD-ROM the the entire Casio FZ Shareware Collection in FZ-Dump format FZ-Dump, FZ-Tools, Casio's Toolbox (a developers kit for making new operating systems on the on the FZ), several samples from the FZ Users' Group (thank you Mr. Carleton Watts), two very nice sample collections done and provided by Pat Morford and Simon Claessen and a small collection of misc. samples. You need to mail me a blank CDr disk with SASE (correct return postage and please use a padded envelope to protect the CD-ROM). There is NO charge for this. Please e-mail me if you are interested. The collection is copyrighted and may not be distributed for profit.
Complete CD-ROM FZ Shareware Collection On-line
COMING SOON- Updated March 12, 2006.
Casio's FZ Shareware Catalog
> View the complete disk catalog
Jeff McClintock's FZ-Dump
> DOS and '95 versions of FZ-Dump
Download a Sample
