For non-commercial hobbyist work, is often a better choice because it introduces QSys (SOPC Builder’s successor) while retaining Cyclone II support. However, version 8.1 is lighter and faster.
The most difficult part of using Quartus 8.1 on modern Windows is the . Windows 10/11 often rejects the drivers included in the 2008 software package. Altera Quartus II 8.1 Web Edition -Windows- free download
A university lab is still using donated Altera boards from 2009, and version 8.1 is the only software that "talks" to them correctly. Altera Community If you'd like, I can help you: minimum system requirements for running this on modern Windows. Explain how to handle licensing for old versions now that Altera is part of Intel. 8.1 to 13.0 SP1 (the other major "legacy" favorite). What is the main reason you are looking for this specific version? Altera Quartus II 8