Microsoft Works (1986) 39 Word Processor Spreadsheet Communications Database MacOS DOS 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)
• 1.x (DOS)
• 2.x (Mac)
• 2.x (DOS)
• 2.x (Win)
• 3.x (DOS)
• 3.x (Mac)
• 3.x (Win)
• 4.0
• 4.5
• 5.x
• 6.0
• 9.0

After Dark (1989) 32 Novelty MacOS Windows DOS

After Dark, from Berkeley Systems, Inc, is a set of entertaining screen savers for Mac and Windows. After Dark for Windows started off as "Magic Screen Saver" for Windows 2.x. After Dark was most famous for its "Flying Toasters" screen saver. Afterdark was very popular on both the early Macintosh computers and Windows 3.0, as neither included any kind of screen saver or screen blanker that would help prevent screen burn-in.

• 1.0 for Macintosh
• Magic ScreenSaver
• 1.0 for Windows
• 2.x
• 1.0 for DOS
• 3.x
• 4.x
• Tenth Anniversary
• 9

Procomm Plus (1985) 29 Communications DOS Windows

ProComm, from Datastorm technologies, was a powerful and very popular telecommunications program for DOS and Windows. TERMULATOR, written to fill the gap left by shareware PC-Talk when its author died. protocols for uploading and downloading, and automatic redial. The commercial "ProComm Plus" includes a scripting language, more terminal types, additional file transfer protocols, context sensitive help, support for 8 COM ports, and a professionally written manual (telecommunications)](/product/microsoft_access_business_information_access_program), Crosstalk, Relay Gold, and PFS Access. Later, it competed with QModem and Telemate.

• 1.1 (shareware)
• 1.1
• 2.x (Shareware)
• 2.x
• 1.0 For Windows
• 2.x for Windows
• 3.0 For Windows

Microsoft Plus! (1995) 27 Utility Novelty Windows

Microsoft Plus! was an add-on package to Windows that added desktop themes, screen savers, sound effects, power-toys, and other assorted goodies for the home user. Plus! 95 also included Internet Explorer 1.0, which was not included in all Windows 95 distributions.

• 95
• 98

Instant Artist / Print Artist (1992) 22 Graphics Publishing Novelty DOS Windows

Instant Artist, later renamed to Print Artist, is a greeting card and sign creation program that uses vectorized graphics. It was created by The Pixellite Group, the original authors of The Print Shop, and published in 1992 by Autodesk. It was later sold by Sierra On-line. It features a high quality set of generic reusable clip art. The clip art uses vector based technology that was also used in BannerMania.

• 1.0 (DOS)
• 1.0
• 2.0
• 3.0
• 4.0
• 6.0
• 8.0

Framework (1984) 15 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
• XE
• IV

NetManage Chameleon (1993) 14 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

Microsoft BOB (1995) 11 Novelty Windows

Microsoft BOB is a Windows 3.1 graphical shell intended for novice users. It presents your desktop as a series of "rooms" with various selectable objects, and assists you with a friendly animated guide. It features vector based graphics that scale to any size or resolution screen, supports user profiles, and includes rudimentary editor, calendar, address book, and checking programs. It was created as a response to Packard Bell Navigator and is somewhat comparable to Apple At Ease and 3DNA.

• 1.00
• 1.00a

Wired for Sound (1992) 11 Novelty Windows

Wired For Sound, from Aristosoft, is a tool that assigns silly sounds to various Windows events. It also includes a set of backgrounds, alternate icons, and alternate cursors, and a talking clock. There were different editions of WFS Pro with different sound sets.

• 2.x
• 3.x

pcANYWHERE (1990) 9 Communications DOS Windows

pcAnywhere is a tool that enables one to remotely control another computer, or to be remotely controlled.

• 2.x (DOS)
• 4.0 (DOS)
• 4.5 (DOS)
• 1.0 (Win)
• 5.0 (DOS)
• 2.0 (Win)
• 7.5 (Win)
• 8.0 (Win)

HP Terminal Program (1988) 9 Communications DOS

The "HP Terminal Program" is a terminal emulator that graphically emulates a number Hewlett-Packard and standard terminal types. This product was bundled with some early HP Vectra computers. Supports CGA, EGA, Mono, and VGA graphics. It appears to be a lesser version of HP AdvanceLink.

• A.xx

PATHWORKS (1994) 5 Web Browser Communications DOS Windows

PATHWORKS is a network client suite that enables PCs to communicate with VMS and Ultrix systems from Digital Equipment Corporation.

• 5.1
• 6.0
• 1.0 for Win95
• 32 V7.x

PFS:WindowWorks (1991) 5 Word Processor Spreadsheet Presentations Communications PIM Database Windows

PFS WindowWorks, from Spinnaker Software and Ancier Technologies, is an integrated all-in-one office application that includes a word processor, spreadsheet, chart editor, telecommunications, database, label maker and address book. Supposedly it was the first of such office suites for Windows 3.0, but soon competed with Microsoft Works for Windows. for Windows"](/product/better-working-eight).

• 1.x
• 2.x

Catz (1996) 5 Novelty Windows

Catz, from PF Magic, Inc, is a fun program that places an animated cat on your desktop for you to play with.

• 1.0
• II

Dr. Sbaitso (1992) 4 Novelty Audio DOS

Dr. Sbaitso is a simple AI program, similar to the famous "Eliza", that makes use of text-to-speech software. Distributed as a demonstration application with Creative Labs Sound Blaster cards.

• 2.x

BitWare (1995) 4 Communications Windows

BitWare, from Cheyenne, is a Fax program for Windows that was often bundled with modems. It also includes the BitCom terminal program. It competed against Delrina Winfax and FaxWorks.

• 3.x

CommWorks (1993) 4 Communications Windows

Produced by Traveling Software, the authors of LapLink, CommWorks is a suite of communications applications including CommWorks Control Center, TS Fax, TS OnLine, and Laplink.

• 1993

Pyro (1990) 4 Novelty MacOS DOS

Pyro, from Fifth Generation Systems, is a commercial set of screen savers that started of as a simple black and white fireworks screen saver on the Apple Macintosh. It competed against AfterDark.

• 4.x (Mac)
• 1.x (DOS)
• 2.x (DOS)

WinFax Pro (1992) 3 Communications Windows

Delrina WinFax Pro is fax program for Microsoft Windows. It was once ubiquitous, often bundled with modems or OEM PC computers. It was sometimes accompanied by Delrina DosFax. It competed again Softnet FaxWorks and BitWare.

• 3.x
• 4.x
• 7.0
• 8.0
• 10.0

Microsoft Mail (1991) 3 Communications DOS MacOS Windows

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

• 2.1
• 3.0
• 3.1
• 3.2
• 3.5

AppleWorks (1986) 3 Word Processor Spreadsheet Presentations Graphics Communications Database Other MacOS Mac OS X

AppleWorks is an all-in-one Word Processor, Spreadsheet, Database, Graphics Editor, and Presentations tool. The original product was a text-based product for the Apple II. The Apple Macintosh and Windows versions were forked from ClarisWorks in 1998 by Apple. At the time, Apple was under a lot of pressure to have a direct alternative to Microsoft Office. There were serious concerns that Microsoft might pull Microsoft Office for the Macintosh from development.

• 2.x (Apple II)
• 5.x
• 6.x

ViaVoice (1997) 3 Utility Novelty Windows

ViaVoice is a voice recognition program from IBM. It was available in a number of different languages. It was based on the previous VoiceType product Helloooo computer!

• 4.x
• 98

CompuServe Information Manager (1989) 3 Communications DOS Windows

CompuServe Information Manager is the client software used for accessing the CompuServe service.

• 1.x (DOS)
• 2.x (DOS)
• 1.x (Win)
• 2.x (Win)

LapLink (1987) 2 Communications DOS 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.

• 2.x
• 3.x
• XL
• 4.x
• 5.x
• 7.5 for Windows 95
• 2000
• Gold (9.0)

Terminate (1997) 2 Communications DOS

Terminate was a shareware modem terminal and host program for MS-DOS and compatible operating systems.

• 5.0