In the early days of software distribution, Microsoft shipped physical copies of their software on floppy discs and CDs, accompanied by hefty printed documentation. The largest piece of software they ever released was the Microsoft C/C++ compiler with the Windows SDK in 1992, weighing in at over 40 pounds. This behemoth package allowed developers to create applications for MS-DOS, Windows, and OS/2.
I recall seeing those on the shelves of a local Egghead Software store. They had one open so you could browse through the manuals. Wet dream territory.
Pirating the software wasnt hard, but the books were really worth the cost.