LapLink (1987) 18 Communications Windows

LapLink, from Traveling Software Inc., enables users to easily and quickly move files between two DOS computers using only a serial null-modem cable or a special parallel port connector. No other hardware is needed. Laplink was extremely popular.during the late 80s and early 90s. It was infinitely easier to set up any two arbitrary PCs (often portables or laptops) with LapLink than other methods, such as DOS based networking. MS-DOS 6 bundled a similar set of file transfer tools called INTERLNK and INTERSVR.

• 7.5 for Windows 95
• 2000
• Gold (9.0)

Lotus Approach (1993) 1 Database Windows

Lotus Approach, originally from Approach Software Corporation, is a relational database management system. Approach promises "instant productivity" with its WYSIWYG form and report designer, and is compatible with many existing database formats. Approach started off as an independent product, was purchased by Lotus, and later IBM. It was included in Lotus SmartSuite for Microsoft Windows.

• 3
• 96

Lotus Forms (1994) 0 Database Windows

Lotus Forms is an electronic form creation tool for Microsoft Windows. Lotus Forms uses a Designer to create forms and a Filler client program to fill out forms. electronically through Lotus Notes, cc:Mail, and Microsoft Mail. It supports arbitrary pen-like markup, and can interface with databases. At the release of 1.0 the filler client only supported Windows.

• 1.0

Lotus Jazz (1985) 0 Word Processor Spreadsheet Presentations Communications Database MacOS

Lotus Jazz was a heavily marketed all-in-one integrated office suite that included a word processor, spreadsheet, graphing, database, and communications program. Jazz was targeted as a universal solution for all office workers. Although at release, the program was exclusively for the Apple Macintosh 512k. Despite the marketing effort, it flopped miserably. Although it was from Lotus, the spreadsheet was not related to Lotus 1-2-3. Microsoft Works.

• 1.x

Lotus Mail (1998) 2 Communications Windows

Lotus Mail was an interim product targeted at users of the older Lotus cc:Mail product, with the intent being that they would eventually switch to Lotus Notes/Domino. Lotus Mail features a user interface similar to cc:Mail, LDAP support, and powerful filtering options. Lotus Mail lacked support for HTML formatted e-mail (good!).

• 4.x

Lotus Notes (1993) 2 Communications PIM Windows MacOS

Lotus Notes is a powerful e-mail and collaboration tool. It was heavily used by large corporations. It was sometimes criticized for its complexity and bloat. Notes is a client server tool, and uses the Lotus Domino server (originally just called Lotus Notes server). Lotus Notes and Lotus Domino competed against Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Exchange.

• 3.x
• 5.x

Lotus Organizer (1992) 12 PIM Windows

A personal information manager from Lotus for Windows. Organizer was a Windows-based replacement for the DOS-based Lotus Agenda. Lotus Organizer was the most popular PIM during the mid 1990s.

• 1.x
• 2.x

Lotus SmartSuite (1992) 92 Word Processor Spreadsheet Presentations PIM Database Windows

IBM/Lotus SmartSuite is an office suite from Lotus software for Windows and OS/2. SmartSuite includes SmartCenter, 1-2-3, Word Pro, Freelance Graphics, Approach, Organizer, and ScreenCam.

• 1.x
• 2.x
• 3.x
• 4.0
• 96
• 97
• 9.0
• 9.1
• 9.5
• 9.6
• 9.7
• 9.8

MacComCenter (1995) 1 Communications MacOS

MacComCenter is a telecommunication program for the Apple Macintosh that includes a terminal emulator and Fax manager. MacComCenter was bundled with modems, sometimes accompanied by Smith Micro's IBM PC communication suite, Quicklink.

• 1.x

MapLinx (1993) 0 Database Windows

MapLinx for Windows is a geographic database utility that lets business professionals SEE what they're doing by automatically converting database records with zip code fields to symbols on a U.S. map.

• 1.x

Microsoft Access (1992) 89 Database Windows

Microsoft Access is a powerful and friendly desktop database. You can design complex tables, forms, and reports through selection and drag-and drop. You can make a fully usable interactive database application without a line of code, but for more advanced functionality it supports built-in Visual Basic for Applications. It is also bundled with some versions of Microsoft Office

• 1.x
• 2.0
• 95 (7.0)
• 97

Microsoft Exchange (1996) 7 Chat PIM Server Windows

Exchange is a proprietary e-mail and groupware server software from Microsoft for Windows Server. The first version publicly sold was Exchange Server 4.0. The number 4.0 was used as it was a replacement for Microsoft Mail 3.x. At release, unlike other desktop/lan e-mail solutions it featured client/server communications rather than using file sharing, used a powerful messaging protocol, and stored all message and address book information in a database. It eventually evolved to include scheduling and many other functions. The Exchange Client (later Microsoft Outlook) supported rich text formatting, and the ability to create such things as e-mail forms.

• 4.0
• 5.5
• 2000

Microsoft File (1984) 0 Database MacOS

Microsoft file is an easy to use (non relational) database program for the Apple Macintosh. You can build custom databases with text, numeric, and pictorial fields. You can then enter or view data through GUI based forms and reports. Microsoft File features a visual form and reports builder that enables you to quickly build a customized database user interface. only sold in Japan. (Source: InfoWorld Jan 21, 1985)

• 1.x (Mac)

Microsoft Mail (1991) 16 Communications MacOS Windows

There were two distinct "Microsoft Mail" products. One for AppleTalk Networks, and one for PC Networks.

• 3.1
• 3.5

Microsoft Office (1991) 408 Word Processor Spreadsheet Presentations Publishing PIM Database Windows MacOS

Microsoft Office is a bundle of Microsoft's productivity application. This includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access and later Mail, Office Manager, and Outlook. The "1.x" versions of Microsoft Office were simply a marketing bundle of the standalone products sold together with no other packaging changes. Even though these were distinct applications, rather than one single monolithic program, they shared a similar user interface, integrated well together and shared the ability to embed documents from one application in the documents of another.

• 2.x
• 3.x
• 4.0
• 4.2
• 4.3
• 95
• 97/98
• 2000
• 2001 (Mac)
• XP (2002 Beta)

Microsoft Outlook (1997) 6 Communications PIM Windows MacOS

Microsoft Outlook (not to be confused with Outlook Express) is an enterprise grade e-mail client. It is primarily intended for use with Microsoft Exchange Server. It was available as both a stand-alone product and as part of Microsoft Office.

• 97
• 98

Microsoft Phone (1995) 0 Communications Windows

Microsoft Phone is a telephony program for Microsoft Windows. It enables your desktop PC to act as an answering machine or dialer and receive faxes. Microsoft Phone includes Microsoft Voice, which lets you control Windows using audio voice commands.

• 1.0

Microsoft Works (1986) 124 Word Processor Spreadsheet Communications Database MacOS Windows

Microsoft Works was an all-in-one scaled-down Word Processor, Spreadsheet, and Database geared towards the home user. It was released in variants for early DOS, Windows, and Macintosh. Microsoft Works competed against Lotus Jazz, FrameWork, AlphaWorks/LotusWorks, PFS First Choice, and many others.

• 1.x (Mac)
• 2.x (Win)
• 3.x (Mac)
• 3.x (Win)
• 4.0
• 4.5
• 5.x
• 6.0
• 9.0

MultiExpress Data and Fax (1995) 0 Communications Windows

MultiExpress Data and Fax 3.0 is one of a number of packages in the MultiExpress product series. This package includes MutliExpressFAX, a tool for receiving and sending FAXes, and MultiExpress Terminal, a terminal program for connecting to BBSes or mainframes.

• 3.0

My Advanced MailList (1991) 0 Database Windows

My Advanced MailList is a comprehensive mailing list manager database that supports a wide variety of label formats, embedded graphics, import/export with other databases, and printing POST-NET barcodes.

• 1.x (Win)

NetManage Chameleon (1993) 6 Communications Windows

NetManage Chameleon is a small and efficient TCP/IP networking stack and utility suite for Microsoft Windows. It includes an FTP client, Telnet client, E-mail client, and an NFS system for interoperation with Unix networks. Other GUI utilities include Bind, Finger, Ping, TFTP, FTP Server a TN3270 terminal emulator, Whois, and SNMP. Earlier versions ran on Windows 3.0 and 3.1.

• 3.x
• 4.x
• 6.0
• 8.0

Omnis (1985) 2 Database MacOS Windows

Omnis, from the European based Blyth Software, is an easy to use multiuser relational database for Windows, MacOS, and OS/2. It was the first database ported to Microsoft Windows, which ran on Windows 1.0x.

• 3.x (Mac)
• Quartz (Win)

Oracle Forms and Reports (1997) 26 Database Windows

Oracle Forms and Reports is a GUI application builder. It is similar to Visual Basic, but uses the PL/SQL language and integrates heavily with Oracle Server databases.

• 4.5 (Developer 2000)
• 6i

Oracle Office (1993) 0 Communications Windows

Oracle Office 2.0 is a groupware solution from Oracle, similar to Lotus Notes or WordPerfect Office (Groupware), but uses Oracle's database as a backend and includes database functionality in addition to document processing. It featured the ability to connect thousands of users at once. This software later became "Oracle Documents".

• 2.0

Oracle Server (1991) 3 Server Database Windows

Oracle Server is an enterprise grade relational database used in many corporations. It was mainly targeted at high end server operating systems, such as IBM AIX, Sun Solaris, HP UX, Digital VMS, Linux, and Microsoft Windows NT. Oracle makes current versions of their software avaialble for download, but older versions usually disappear.

• 7
• 8