{ "title": "Avatar Palace software history — evidence record", "checked": "2026-09-11", "scope": "Selected software chapters. Dates are evidence milestones, not a complete release chronology or a claim of linear code inheritance.", "milestones": [ { "id": "palace-beginnings", "dates": "1994–1995", "subject": "The Palace", "evidenceType": "Creator retrospective", "source": "https://jbum.com/palacedetails.html", "findings": [ "Jim Bumgardner describes developing the first Palace at Time Warner Interactive in 1994, with early room artwork by Damon Williams.", "Public beta September–October 1995; official release November 1995." ] }, { "id": "early-palace-artwork", "dates": "Original smiley faces recalled in use through at least 1997; exact creation dates unstated", "subject": "Original Palace smileys and early props", "evidenceType": "First-person creator recollection", "recorded": "2026-09-12", "attributedBy": "Jim Bumgardner", "sourceNote": "museum.html#source-early-artwork", "sourceAccess": "Historical summary; underlying correspondence retained privately.", "findings": [ "Jim Bumgardner recalls making the original Palace smiley faces used through at least 1997.", "He also identifies himself as maker of early martini and cigarette props.", "He credits many other early props to Damon and Doyle Moyer, and a few to Elaine Alderette." ], "limits": [ "Jim is unsure about the 2000 version; his recollection does not identify the exact two resources in the preserved version 3.5 package.", "Damon is identified by first name only in this account.", "The recalled period of use is not an exact creation date or confirmed end of use.", "No permission to display the archived face resources or endorsement of the museum is established by this attribution." ] }, { "id": "palace32-1998", "dates": "24 July 1998, as printed in the version 3.4 README", "subject": "Palace32 / version 3.4", "evidenceType": "Preserved client documentation and program version metadata", "checked": "2026-09-12", "sourceCollection": "Avatar Palace private archive", "sourceNote": "museum.html#source-classic-1998", "sourceAccess": "Public catalogue of privately retained evidence; no client download is included.", "records": [ { "file": "README.txt", "sha256": "7d789862d9cdfbd3d3076abc1f439bdb0b6534562556d8588c2cc0c46679a33e", "version": "3.4", "documentDate": "1998-07-24", "programName": "PALACE32.EXE" }, { "file": "R113ExeOnlyReadme.txt", "sha256": "4499b3fad5ba3e2c08ff008624d8d99dc93bf5bb90ded1d6e3d56d2940161614", "version": "3.4", "standaloneRelease": 113, "documentDate": "1998-09-28" }, { "file": "Palace32.exe", "sha256": "8d2d5da8e07ba0988a8750eafd7fa7121b5f9aa4b42b2786373f480bc5cfd23d", "fileVersion": "3.4.0.111", "originalFilename": "Palace32.exe", "companyName": "The Palace, Inc." } ], "findings": [ "The July 1998 readme identifies version 3.4 and explicitly names PALACE32.EXE.", "The update notes describe guests choosing their own names and participating in PalacePresents events; the registration section says registration is free.", "Palace32.exe is also the program filename in the preserved version 3.5 package with a February 2000 readme." ], "limits": [ "The dates belong to documents, not independently verified first-release or Avatar Palace adoption dates.", "The accompanying executable reports release 111; the later release-113 readme does not turn that executable into release 113.", "This mixed preserved folder is not authenticated as an untouched publisher distribution. File hashes establish byte identity; version fields are self-declared metadata." ], "method": "Read archived documents, compare archived and extracted bytes, and inspect executable metadata without running client software." }, { "id": "palace32-era", "dates": "February 2000, as printed in the version 3.5 README", "subject": "Palace35 — Windows version 3.5", "evidenceType": "Nested installer README, program version metadata, embedded GIF resources, bundled tutorial", "sourceCollection": "Privately retained Palace client packages", "records": [ { "file": "Palace32.exe (separate preserved copy)", "sha256": "7f58a234d5f983bbd5b79ce9b3aa3928865738f2299e82be7568c791fee4a06a", "fileVersion": "3, 5, 0, 194", "productVersion": "3, 5, 0, 194", "originalFilename": "Palace32.exe", "companyName": "Communities.com", "productName": "Palace for Windows 95/98/NT software.", "peCoffTimestampUtc": "2026-05-09T02:21:38Z", "limit": "This copy has a modern executable-header timestamp. Its origin and modification history are unresolved; version metadata alone does not authenticate a historical build." }, { "file": "palace35.zip", "sha256": "1a9418aa09fe290bfd7af51bcf951a25ba53d5817ee8ab0af23bae725a41fbe2", "entries": [ "README.txt", "PalaceUserWin.exe" ] }, { "file": "palace35.zip / PalaceUserWin.exe / README.TXT", "sha256": "fed9c1204cc427e40d4c68d5037a649cbddbbaec611ad75fc359212fc2626228", "version": "3.5", "documentDate": "February 2000" }, { "file": "palace35.zip / PalaceUserWin.exe / PALACE32.EXE", "sha256": "ed8a0e40ddc12d2073be8a744236ac1286cf9ed62f0358f4c32897cde1be5d4a", "fileVersion": "3.5.0.211", "originalFilename": "Palace32.exe", "companyName": "Communities.com" } ], "limits": "February 2000 dates the bundled version 3.5 readme, not a verified exact-day first release or Avatar Palace adoption date. The separate copy reporting 3.5.0.194 carries a 2026 executable-header timestamp and is not used to date this milestone. Resource matches establish use in the preserved 3.5.0.211 program; individual image creator, first artwork date, reuse permission and independent publisher authentication remain unestablished.", "resources": [ { "entry": ".rsrc/RCDATA/FACEDIB", "matches": "facepick.GIF", "sha256": "c9b7d941cda3dbf99ee2fa623d2c82fe410700ecccaa9c4fdf29898034b51927" }, { "entry": ".rsrc/RCDATA/FACEPICT", "matches": "smiley.GIF", "sha256": "0a7323b997388ce41277d11c59d5481f2a7af6eb49c4abf2f66cdca4b971911b" } ], "findings": [ "The archived palace35.zip package contains a version 3.5 README and PALACE32.EXE reporting 3.5.0.211. The 1998 version 3.4 readme also names PALACE32.EXE; Palace35 and Palace32 are not treated as two successive client products.", "The version 3.5 README describes JPEG room-image support in an 8-bit rendering environment, MIDI download/playback improvements, and fixes for crashes affecting prop editing, whispers, and room entry with certain name characters.", "Both catalogued GIFs are byte-identical to embedded resources in the preserved 3.5.0.211 program; the images remain unpublished." ], "method": "Archive extraction only; no installer execution. Extracted program, README and tutorial screenshot CRC-32 values match stored ZIP entry checksums.", "relatedAuthorshipRecord": "early-palace-artwork", "checked": "2026-09-12" }, { "id": "phalanx-era", "dates": "2002–2008, from client and Import Wizard change logs", "subject": "Phalanx", "evidenceType": "Developer change log inside original installer", "sourceCollection": "Privately retained Palace client packages", "archive": { "file": "Phalanx4Full.exe", "sha256": "579afa2950f01ba7a5df62bb73449fa0b6d7e33201fbfe89eb8f9d2547692338" }, "entry": { "file": "phalanx_readme.txt", "sha256": "96cc946f586b5fa1e6d7e0d6440f7d07a1c71ab319cdbb1533ac574e9907f65a" }, "developerCredit": "Brainhouse Laboratories", "versions": [ { "version": "1.1.0.19 PR1", "label": "Initial Release", "date": null }, { "version": "1.1.0.20 PR1", "date": "2002-08-20" }, { "version": "3.3.0.0 PR3", "date": "2004-05-24", "finding": "32-bit prop and smiley support" }, { "version": "4.0.0.0 RC1", "date": "2005-12-25" }, { "version": "4.0.0.16 BETA", "date": "2007-04-18" } ], "additionalPackage": "PhalanxBetaUpdate5.7.50.exe", "method": "Archive extraction of documentation and interface artwork; no installer execution.", "limits": "Dates transcribed from the developer change log. The initial-release entry is undated. No unsupported claim of code inheritance or sole individual authorship is made.", "importWizard": { "source": "PhalanxBetaUpdate5.7.50.exe / tools/ImportWizard/readme.txt", "sha256": "578bf8783c2e78ccf674a2287acd02af8f7b2638e21f34595b22fc36907128db", "findings": [ "Palace prop-bag conversion documented from 2003.", "Version 2.0.0.8 Beta, 2005-06-01: macro, bookmark and media conversion added.", "Version 2.1.0.22 Beta dated 2008-09-19." ] } }, { "id": "palacechat-era", "dates": "2008 archive timestamps; 2010 acquisition account and image upload; 2011 guide revision", "subject": "Palace Chat", "evidenceType": "Mac client metadata, archive inventory, official project history", "sourceCollection": "Privately retained Palace client packages", "archive": { "file": "PalaceChat_3.0.47.zip", "sha256": "c47c26ac512367a3b082d9f8b61bcffec990a18afdb7ae7d267ef0893ef2d180" }, "entry": "PalaceChat 3.0.47/PalaceChat.app/Contents/Info.plist", "version": "3.0.47", "creator": "Jameson Heesen", "additionalPackages": [ "PalaceChat_WIN-4.0.06.exe", "PalaceChat_MAC-4.0.06.zip" ], "sources": [ "https://pchat.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page", "https://www.elitepalaces.com/about.html", "https://pchat.org/wiki/index.php?title=The_basics", "https://pchat.org/wiki/index.php?title=File:Interface.jpg" ], "limits": "October 2008 timestamps describe saved archive entries, not the first Palace Chat release.", "version4Evidence": { "file": "PalaceChat_MAC-4.0.06.zip / PalaceChat.app/Contents/Info.plist", "sha256": "6977de1d77d6cac4be5f374362a099217a83e815316726f6f882be5fdfa0e5b3", "CFBundleVersion": "4.0.06 alpha", "CFBundleShortVersionString": "4.0.06", "creator": "Jameson Heesen", "archiveEntryTimestamps": "December 2008" }, "visitorFeatures": [ "Multiple Palace connections in tabs", "Offer/accept avatars and save avatar macros", "Toolbar access to room and user lists, sound, drawing and prop bag" ] }, { "id": "palace-today", "dates": "Observed 2026-09-11", "subject": "Current project identities", "evidenceType": "Official project sites", "projects": [ { "name": "PalaceChat v5", "source": "https://pchat.org/", "creator": "Jameson Heesen", "owner": "ElitePalaces", "version5Maintainer": "Alexandra" }, { "name": "The Palace", "project": "The Palace Restoration Project", "sources": [ "https://thepalace.app/", "https://thepalace.app/download-client.html" ], "platforms": [ "Windows", "macOS", "Linux" ] } ], "limits": "The cited sites establish their current self-descriptions and credits. A numbered release for thepalace.app client, its version history, and its code relationship to PalaceChat v5 have not been verified. Separate entries do not establish unrelated software lineages." } ], "reviewStatus": "Sourced draft with explicit evidence limits; not a fully authenticated or complete software history.", "imageRecords": "timeline-images.json", "updated": "2026-09-12" }