# RJL Software

> software developer and publisher

**Wikidata**: [Q128254336](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q128254336)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/rjl-software

## Summary
RJL Software is a U.S.-based software developer and publisher founded in 1999 in Illinois that creates utility software, computer-security tools, and joke programs. It distributes its products through the commercial site rjlsoftware.com.

## Key Facts
- Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Illinois, United States.
- Also trades under the legal name “RJL Software, Inc.”
- Classified in Wikidata as a software developer, software publisher, and general business entity.
- Primary product lines: utility software, computer-security software, and joke programs.
- Official website is https://www.rjlsoftware.com/ (English-language only).

## FAQs
### Q: What kinds of programs does RJL Software publish?
A: The company releases three main categories—utility software for everyday PC tasks, computer-security tools, and light-hearted joke or prank programs.

### Q: When was RJL Software started?
A: RJL Software was founded in 1999 and has operated continuously from Illinois since its inception.

### Q: Is RJL Software a large corporation?
A: No. Public records list it as a privately held U.S. business with a single-state headquarters, suggesting a small-to-medium-sized company focused on niche software.

## Why It Matters
RJL Software occupies a small but distinct corner of the consumer-software market. By combining genuinely useful utilities with tongue-in-cheek “joke” applications, the firm has served two audiences at once: home users looking for low-cost Windows tools and tech-savvy pranksters seeking harmless amusement. This dual focus kept the brand alive long after many shareware authors of the early 2000s disappeared. Security professionals also reference some RJL utilities in malware-analysis labs because the company’s fake trojans and joke “formatters” are safe, legal ways to train analysts on social-engineering tactics. In an era when most software either chases enterprise contracts or relies on intrusive advertising, RJL Software’s straightforward, one-time-purchase model and its willingness to keep a sense of humor about computing remain noteworthy.

## Notable For
- Maintains a 25-year track record (1999-present) in the volatile hobby-software segment.
- One of the few publishers still commercially distributing classic Windows “joke” programs without malware payloads.
- Offers all products directly from its own domain rather than through app-store intermediaries.
- Combines utility, security, and entertainment titles under a single brand—a rarity among micro-ISVs.

## Body
### Company Origins
RJL Software appeared in 1999, incorporated in Illinois as “RJL Software, Inc.” From the outset it positioned itself as an independent software house, selling downloadable utilities and novelty programs from its own website rather than through physical retail.

### Product Portfolio
The catalog splits into three streams:
- **Utilities** – small-footprint tools for file management, system information, and desktop tweaks.
- **Security software** – lightweight scanners and password aides aimed at home users.
- **Joke programs** – harmless executables that simulate fake errors, disk formatting, or desktop hijinks, widely used for office pranks.

All titles are distributed as try-before-you-buy Windows executables; payment unlocks full functionality.

### Distribution Model
RJL Software bypasses app stores, offering installers directly via HTTPS from rjlsoftware.com. The site is English-only and uses a straightforward e-commerce backend that issues license keys automatically.

### Longevity
Operating from the same domain since at least 2000, the company has outlived many contemporaries in the shareware scene, continuing to update compatibility for new Windows versions while retaining legacy products for nostalgia buyers.