{ "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": "palace32-era", "dates": "February 2000, as printed in the version 3.5 README", "subject": "Palace 3.5 / Palace32", "evidenceType": "Nested installer README, program version metadata, embedded GIF resources, bundled tutorial", "sourceCollection": "ThePalace Dev / Palace32-win-400; AVP Server 1 / web/downloads/old", "records": [ { "file": "Palace32-win-400/Palace32.exe", "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." }, { "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. Builds 3.5.0.194 and 3.5.0.211 are distinct. Resource matches establish use in this preserved client; 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 version 3.5 installer contains PALACE32.EXE; Palace35 and Palace32 are not treated as two successive releases.", "README lists MIDI download/playback improvements and fixes affecting prop editing and whispers.", "Both exhibited GIFs are byte-identical to embedded resources in the preserved 3.5.0.211 program." ], "method": "Archive extraction only; no installer execution. Extracted program, README and tutorial screenshot CRC-32 values match stored ZIP entry checksums." }, { "id": "phalanx-era", "dates": "2002–2008, from client and Import Wizard change logs", "subject": "Phalanx", "evidenceType": "Developer change log inside original installer", "sourceCollection": "AVP Server 1 / web/downloads/old", "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": "AVP Server 1 / web/downloads/old", "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. Nino artwork attribution is separately documented in collection.json; artwork date is not established.", "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" }