ACME Laboratories
Purveyors of fine freeware since 1972 — Unix tools, web servers, maps, and developer utilities, all free.
ACME Laboratories (acme.com) is the personal software laboratory of Jef Poskanzer, offering a wide collection of free, open-source Unix software, web server implementations, mapping tools, and JavaScript utilities. The site has been active on the internet since 1991 and distributes tools ranging from lightweight HTTP servers (thttpd, mini_httpd, micro_httpd) to image format converters (pbmplus), text editors (emin), mail filter modules (spfmilter), and interactive map applications. All software is provided at no cost under the ACME Labs Freeware License. The project is a one-person operation run by a veteran Unix and C developer based in Berkeley, California.
Snapshot
Product analysis AI · from acme.com
Problem it solves
Developers and sysadmins need small, fast, reliable Unix tools and web servers without the overhead and complexity of large commercial or bloated open-source alternatives.
Why people use it
ACME Labs provides battle-tested, minimal-footprint Unix software — including web servers, mail filters, image converters, and developer utilities — all freely available with source code, maintained by an expert Unix developer since 1972.
Built for
Unix/Linux developers and system administrators seeking lightweight, free tools
Also: Web developers needing small embeddable HTTP servers, Hobbyist programmers and open-source enthusiasts, Network and mail server administrators, Geospatial and mapping hobbyists
What makes it different
- Extreme minimalism: tools like micro_httpd implement full HTTP in ~200 lines of code
- Long-standing provenance: active since 1972/1991 with a trusted, consistent author (Jef Poskanzer)
- thttpd was historically cited as the fifth most popular web server on the internet and benchmarked as fastest in third-party tests
- Broad, cohesive freeware library spanning HTTP servers, mail filters, image formats, maps, and JS widgets — all from one author
- No commercial motive: purely free software with no subscription, paywall, or vendor lock-in
Business model
other
Works with
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Industries
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