Microsoft FORTRAN (1977) 35 DOS MacOS

This is Microsoft's implementation of the FORTRAN scientific-oriented high level programming language. It was one of their early core languages developed for the 8-bit computers and later brought to the 8086 and IBM PC. For the IBM OEM version, see the IBM Fortran Compiler. In 1993 Microsoft rebranded the product as Microsoft Fortran Powerstation. (Note: -80 refers to the 8080/Z80 platform, not the language specification version)

• 3.x
• 2.x (Mac)
• 4.x
• 5.x

Microsoft COBOL (1980) 17 DOS Windows

Cobol is a high level language designed for use in business that uses English-like commands. Microsoft got its early start by producing language products such as this one. Their other early language products included Microsoft Fortran, Microsoft Pascal, Microsoft Basic, and Macro Assembler. This product was also licensed to IBM as IBM Cobol Compiler.

• 1.x
• 2.x
• 3.x
• 4.5
• 5.0

CalcStar (1980) 7 Spreadsheet DOS CPM

CalcStar is a spreadsheet from MicroPro, somewhat like VisiCalc but using commands similar to WordStar. You can also format content similar to WordStar. It was available for CP/M and DOS, and often part of early 80s system's bundled software.

• 1.x

SuperSort (1980) 5 Utility DOS

Micropro SuperSort is a generalized and flexible sort and merge utility designed to operate at high speed on huge volumes of text-file based data. It can also be used for manipulating individual data files, doing things like reorganizing fields or changing field lengths.

• 2.x

MS-DOS (1981) 1886 DOS

Originally 86-DOS, written by Tim Paterson of Seattle Computer Products, DOS was a rough clone of CP/M for 8086 based hardware. Microsoft purchased it and licensed it to IBM for use with Microsoft's IBM PC language products. In 1982, Microsoft began licensing DOS to other OEMs that ported it to their custom x86 hardware and IBM PC clones.

• 1.x
• 2.x
• 3.00
• 3.10
• 3.20
• 3.21
• 3.30
• 3.31
• 4.0x
• 5.0
• 6.0
• 6.20
• 6.21
• 6.22
• 7.1 (CDU)

PC-DOS (1981) 256 DOS

IBM PC-DOS was an IBM branded version of MS-DOS licensed from Microsoft for use on the IBM PC system. Versions of PC-DOS paralleled that of MS-DOS up until version 6.1, where PC-DOS was independently maintained by IBM up until 7.1, the last version. Although not the only OS available for the IBM PC when it came out, it quickly became popular due to its low cost in comparison to the others. Its direct competitors on the PC at the time were CP/M-86 and UCSD p-System. The major differences between PC-DOS and MS-DOS were only in terms of driver support and built in programs until version 6.1 where development diverged.

• 1.x
• 2.x
• 3.x
• 4.x
• 5.x
• 6.x
• 7.x
• 2000

WordStar (1981) 83 Word Processor DOS CPM

WordStar, originally from MicroPro, was a popular word processor during the early 80s. It was ported to a number of CP/M architectures as well as Unix and PC/MS-DOS. It competed directly against many word processors, including WordPerfect, Microsoft Word for DOS, and Multimate. By the late 80s most business word processing had moved to WordPerfect. In the early 90s, Microsoft Word for Windows took over.

• 3.30
• for PCjr
• 2000
• 4.0
• 1512
• 5.0
• COLT
• 5.5
• 6
• 7

Microsoft Macro Assembler (1981) 81 DOS

The Microsoft Macro Assembler (MASM) is an x86 assembler that uses the Intel syntax for MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows. For a time, it competed with Borland Turbo Assembler. IBM re-branded early versions under the name IBM Macro Assembler. Later versions were bundled with Microsoft Visual Studio.

• 1.x
• 3.x
• 4.x
• 5.x
• 6.x

Microsoft Pascal (1981) 18 DOS OS2

The Microsoft Pascal Compiler is Microsoft's implementation of the ISO Pascal language for DOS, Xenix, and OS/2. It was among Microsoft's early language products provided for DOS. It was superseded by Microsoft QuickPascal. The Microsoft Pascal Compiler was licensed to IBM, who sold it as the IBM Pascal Compiler.

• 1.1x
• 2.x
• 3.0x
• 3.1x
• 3.2
• 3.3x
• 4.0

IBM PC Diagnostics (1981) 30 DOS

These are the diagnostic disks (and cassette) provided by IBM with their PC computers. They are used to verify the basic functionality of the hardware. These are only intended for use with genuine IBM computers.

• 1.00
• 1.02
• 1.02 (Cassette)
• Advanced 1.02 (Cassette and Disk)
• 2.x
• AT 1.x
• AT 2.x
• 1.x (Convertible)

Microsoft Adventure (1981) 6 DOS

Microsoft Adventure is a text based interactive fiction game based on "Colossal Cave Adventure" by Will Crowther. It was one of the first games for the IBM PC.

• 1.00

86-DOS (1981) 29 DOS

86-DOS is a "quick and dirty" operating system clone of CP/M created by Seattle Computer Products for their 8086 S-100 systems. It was later bought by Microsoft and used as the basis for IBM PC-DOS and MS-DOS

• 1.00

Pascal/MT+ (1981) 4 DOS

Pascal/MT+ is an ISO 7185 compatible Pascal compiler sold by Digital Research as part of their CP/M product line. There were versions for CP/M-80, CP/M-68k, CP/M-86, and MS-DOS.

• 3.x

IBM Macro Assembler (1981) 8 DOS OS2

IBM Macro Assembler is an IBM OEM rebranded release of Microsoft Macro Assembler, and was intended only for use with the IBM PC.

• 1.00
• 2.00
• /2 v1.00

Microsoft BASIC (1981) 65 DOS CPM MacOS OS2

Although Microsoft did not invent BASIC, their founding product was a BASIC interpreter for the Altair computer. The descendants below includes Microsoft's BASIC-80 (MBASIC), BASIC-86 (pre-GWBasic), BASIC for Mac, BASIC Compiler 86/88, Basic Compiler for Mac, and Professional Development System 7.x. IBM Personal Computer Basic Compiler, GW-BASIC, QuickBasic, and Visual Basic are listed separately.

• -86 5.x
• -86 Compiler 5.x
• 1.0 for Mac
• 2.0 for Mac
• 3.0 for Mac
• Compiler 1.0 for Mac
• Compiler 6.0
• PDS 7.0
• PDS 7.1

IBM Typing Tutor (1981) 3 Education DOS Other

IBM Typing Tutor is an educational program sold by IBM alongside their original IBM PC. The software itself was licensed from Microsoft, and is notable as being one of only two known commercial programs that were sold for the IBM PC on cassette tape. (The other being IBM PC Diagnostics )

• 1.00

IBM Pascal Compiler (1981) 2 DOS

The IBM PASCAL Compiler, is a tool that compiles Pascal source code in to binaries for IBM PC-DOS. The IBM PASCAL Compiler is an IBM OEM version of the Microsoft Pascal Compiler.

• 1.00
• 2.00

CBASIC (1981) 3 DOS

Digital Research CBASIC is a BASIC implementation that "compiles" basic code in to interpreted byte code that is run using a royalty-free runtime. BASIC source code is not needed to run a program. CBASIC was a popular programming language under CP/M. There were also versions for MS-DOS. MBASIC's rounding errors that were sometimes troublesome for accounting. machine code. Later versions also included support for GSX graphics extensions.

• Compiler 2.0

IBM Asynchronous Communications Support (1981) 3 Communications DOS

IBM Asynchronous Communications Support contains a rudimentary telecommunications terminal emulation program written in IBM BASIC. It was provided alongside IBM PCs and the IBM asynchronous communications adapter (serial port card).

• 2.00

QNX (1982) 42 DOS

QNX is a compact Unix-like real-time operating system that was originally designed for the IBM PC and later used in embedded devices. The versions here are for IBM PC compatibles.

• 0.x

IBM Cobol Compiler (1982) 2 DOS

Cobol is a high level language designed for use in business that uses English-like commands. IBM Cobol compiler is a licensed and rebranded OEM of Microsoft Cobol.

• 1.x

Easy Writer (1982) 12 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

VisiCalc (1982) 20 Spreadsheet DOS

VisiCalc was the first spreadsheet program for personal computers. It was extremely successful, and pivotal as it was significantly responsible for moving personal computing out of the realm of hobbyists and in to the realm of serious business tools. application suite that also included VisiWord, VisiFile, VisiSpell, VisiTrend/Plot, and VisiTutor. a GUI based environment. But that did not catch on. The similarly named Visi On Calc spreadsheet is not at all related to VisiCalc, and later had to be renamed to Visi On Plan.

• 1.x
• IV
• Advanced IBM

IBM Professional Editor (1982) 5 Word Processor Editor DOS

Professional Editor is an early editor for the IBM PC. It makes extensive use of function keys, has user definable macros, and can work with files larger than available RAM. You WILL need to read the manual to use this!

• 1.00
• II

IBM Personal Editor (1982) 6 Editor DOS

This is a rudimentary text editor sold by IBM for the IBM PC. It runs with only 64K of RAM and a single sided floppy drive under PC-DOS 1.x. This later evolved in to the IBM "E" Editor.

• 1.00