Easy Writer (1982) 6 Word Processor DOS

Easy Writer was one of the first word processors for the IBM PC. It was originally written by John Draper AKA "Captain Crunch", with the PC version published by IBM. EasyWriter 1.x was written in the FORTH programming language and, as the story goes, it was ported to the IBM PC in a matter of days. There was also an Apple II version.

• 1.0
• 1.1
• 1.15
• II

EasyCAD (1987) 1 Graphics Engineering DOS

EasyCAD is an easy to use, low cost, 2D CAD program targeted at casual CAD users. EasyCAD features wide range of drawing commands, and a sophisticated programming language similar to AutoCAD's AutoLISP. EasyCAD competed against other low coast 2D programs such as Autodesk AutoSketch. with many more features, but similar appearance to EasyCAD.

• 1.x

EasyPlanner (1982) 0 Spreadsheet DOS

"EasyPlanner is a programmable electronic worksheet capable of representing complex financial relationships in a relatively simple form. It allows you to change any figures comprising these relationships, and then instantly see the effects of these changes. You can ask "what if..." and then immediately see the result. With EasyPlanner you can easily handle projects such as company financial profiles, investment projections, and budgeting.

• 1.0

Electric Desk (1984) 3 Word Processor Spreadsheet Communications Database DOS

Electric Desk is an all-in-one integrated word processor, spreadsheet, database, and terminal program. It was first introduced in 1984 as a low-overhead office package targeted at the IBM PCjr, and was offered as a lower cost alternative to Ashton-Tate Framework and Lotus Symphony. Electric desk features windowing, macros, and context sensitive menus. The user interface is a little eccentric. It refers to the program components as "services", and refers to windows as "viewports". OEM bundled PC software.

• 1.x

Electric Pencil (1983) 1 Word Processor DOS

Electric Pencil, which first appeared in 1976 for the MITS Altiar, is the first word processor for home/micro computer systems. It was ported to many other systems, including the SOL-20, NothStar Horizon, and TRS-80. Eventually an enhanced/re-written version was created for the IBM PC.

• PC

Enable (1985) 0 Word Processor Spreadsheet Communications Database DOS

Enable, from The Software Group, is an integrated office suite that includes a word processor, spreadsheet, telecommunications program, and database. It was designed to compete with Lotus Symphony, and was sometimes bundled with Zenith computers.

• 1.10

Executive Card Manager (1986) 1 Utility Database DOS

Executive Card Manager, from Hewlett-Packard, is a Rolodex-like database for storing contact information. It features the ability to transfer information between other common applications. screen.

• 1.x

FantaVision (1987) 1 Graphics DOS

Fantavision was an animation program from Broderbund originally for the Apple II but later ported to the Amiga, IIGS, and DOS. It features animation "tweening" to create smooth movements, support for digital sound to accompany animation, object-oriented animation control, and comes with an animation library. Prior to the DOS version release, similar tools were mostly found only on the Apple Macintosh. Fantavision was marketed toward both home users and business professionals. The IBM PC version supports CGA, EGA, Tandy, and Hercules video.

• 1.x (DOS)

FileMaker (1984) 15 Database MacOS

FileMaker is a very easy to use graphical flat-file database management tool from Claris that allows for visual form and report creation. Originally for DOS, there were Macintosh versions and later it was ported to Windows.

• 1.00
• 4.0

FilePlan (1984) 0 Database DOS

FilePlan is a personal filing system database that resembles a spreadsheet. You enter fields that make up records, and you can define different data type for each field. Supports incremental fields and sorting. Supports both a form and worksheet mode for working with data. There were version of this software for CP/M and DOS.

• 1.x

FilePro (1986) 0 Database DOS

FilePro, from The Small Computer Company, is a friendly menu-oriented database originally written for the TRS-80 in 1978 and ported to many other platforms including DOS, Xenix, and OS/2. The original version of the software was developed by software engineer Howard Wolowitz - the character by that name in the TV sitcom "The Big Bang Theory" was named after him, as he was a friend of one of the show creators.

• 16 v3.x

Files and Folders (1984) 0 Database DOS

Files and Folders, from Starcom Computer Corporation, is a database and data management tool that places a heavy focus on the files/folders/boxes paradigm. It supports sorting, mailing labels, math functions, and reporting.

• 1.x

FinalWord (1983) 4 Word Processor DOS

FinalWord is a powerful word processor that started off as an adaptation of EMACS. It is a complicated program that uses manually embedded format codes, but it was targeted at professional writers where typesetting detail is important. Its strength is the ability to work with very long and complex documents. It supports headers, footers, table contents generation, index creation, footnotes, typestyle changes, outlining, tables and charts, multiple column layout. Final Word II adds support for Postscript and user-customizable print formatting commands. machines. There were versions for CP/M and the Atari ST.

• 1.x
• 2.x

Floor Plan (1988) 5 Graphics DOS

Floor Plan, from Insight Industries, was a budget shape-based drawing tool oriented towards 2D floor layout. essential features.

• 1.1

FormTool (1985) 2 Database DOS

FormTool is an easy to use form creation and data entry application.

• 1.x
• 2.x

FoxBASE (1987) 16 Database DOS Unix MacOS

FoxBASE, a relational database from Fox Software, started off in 1984 as a clone of dBase II that boasted many speed improvements. FoxBASE+ adds feature parity and compatibility with dBase III Plus. It was later aquired by Microsoft and became FoxPro

• Plus 1.x
• Plus 2.x

Framework (1984) 6 Word Processor Spreadsheet Graphics Communications Database DOS

Originally created by Forefront Corporation for Ashton-Tate and first released in 1984, Framework was an early integrated office suite for DOS. It has a built in word processor, spreadsheet, database, outliner, graphing, and telecommunications.

• 1.0
• Premier 1.x
• II
• III

FreeHand (1988) 7 Graphics Publishing MacOS

FreeHand is a vector based drawing program used to create illustrations. It is similar to CorelDraw and Adobe Illustrator. Initially it offered more features and flexibility than illustrator. It was created by Altsys, sold through Aldus, then sold to Macromedia, and then finally was assimilated by Adobe. Later versions repositioned itself as a content creation system for the web through Flash. The final version was Freehand MX (version 11) in 2003.

• 1.0
• 2.0

Freelance Graphics (1985) 12 Presentations Graphics DOS

GCI/Lotus/IBM Freelance Graphics is a vector based presentation and graphing package developed for DOS, OS/2, and Windows. It was intended for use alongside Lotus 1-2-3. Later versions were part of SmartSuite. Before it was acquired by Lotus it was known Freelance, from Graphic Communications.

• 1.0 (DOS)
• 2.0 (DOS)

Friday! (1983) 2 PIM Database DOS

Friday! is an early simplified database filing system, sometimes considered a personal information manager, built on top of dBase II. It is easily customizable, completely menu driven, simple, and easy to use. It was targeted at new computer users, and lacks advanced functionally. There were versions for both DOS and CP/M.

• 1.x
• 2.x

FrontRunner (1988) 1 DOS

FontRunner, from Apex Software, is a dBase application compiler that specialized in making small, fast, terminate-and-stay-resident database applications. This makes it possible for DOS application users to call up data entry screens without the need to exit the program they are running. It supports redefinable keyboard macros, and can copy data from a DOS application screen into its database. To reduce memory usage it omits dBase's reporting and label generating capabilities. Version 1.2 and later support EMS memory usage.

• 1.x

FullPaint (1986) 4 Graphics MacOS

FullPaint, originally created by Ann Arbor Softworks, is a MacPaint work-alike for the Macintosh that adds many enhancements and improvements over MacPaint. It was acquired by Ashton-Tate as an attempt to enter the Macintosh market.

• 1.0

FullWrite (1988) 0 Word Processor MacOS

Originally developed by Ann Arbor Softworks and Aquired by Ashton-Tate, FullWrite is a full-featured word processor, targeted at professional writers, that includes both powerful editing capabilities, as well as advanced WYSIWYG layout abilities. Supports styles, revision highlighting, table of contents, indexes, footnotes, hyphenation, spellchecker, and thesaurus. It also includes a graphics editor, and import/export functionality.

• 1.0

GEM 1st Word Plus (1988) 1 Word Processor DOS

Gem 1st Word Plus is a word processor sold by Digital Research alongside their GEM operating environment. It supports text formatting, embedded images, multiple windows, mail merge, and includes a spell checker.

• 2.00

GEM Draw (1985) 5 Graphics DOS

GEM Draw, from Digital Research, is an easy to use Vector based drawing program for the GEM Desktop. It features the ability to open two drawing windows and drag objects between different drawings.

• 1.x
• Plus 2.x