Microsoft Word (1983) 55 Word Processor DOS MacOS Unix OS2 Windows

The Microsoft Word word processor was first introduced for MS-DOS in 1983. Its design made use of a mouse and WYSIWYG graphics. Its crude WYSIWYG/mouse support was a direct response to the Apple Lisa/Mac, and VisiCorp Visi On. Initially it competed against many popular word processors such as WordStar, Multimate, and WordPerfect. Word for DOS was never really successful.

• 1.x (DOS)
• 1.x (Mac)
• 2.x (DOS)
• 3.x (DOS)
• 3.x (Mac)
• 3.x (Unix)
• 4.0 (DOS)
• 5.x (DOS and OS/2)
• 1.x (Windows)

Microsoft Works (1986) 91 Word Processor Spreadsheet Communications Database MacOS DOS

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)

MindReader 2.0 (1988) 0 Word Processor DOS

Mindreader, originally by Kalman Toth of BusinesSoft and later from Brown Bag Software, is an "Artificial Intelligence based word processor" that learns the way you write, and anticipates what you are going to type next. It may suggest words, phrases, or entire paragraphs that you may add with a single keystroke.

• 2.0

MultiMate (1983) 0 Word Processor DOS

MultiMate, originally named WordMate, is a word processor designed to mimic the user interface of Wang word processing machines. It was primarily sold to large businesses, but eventually became popular with home users that were familiar with the Wang word processors. Later versions were bundled with extra third party software under the name MultiMate Advantage.

• 3.2x
• 3.3x

Multimate Advantage (1986) 0 Word Processor DOS

MultiMate Advantage is the high-end professional version of MultiMate, targeted at corporate users.

• 3.6
• II 1.0

NBI Legend (1988) 0 Word Processor DOS

Legend, from NBI, is a document processing program for Microsoft Windows 2.x. It primarily acts as a desktop publishing program, enabling users to lay out frames or embed graphics, but is can also act as a word processor. WordStar International where it became WordStar for Windows.

• 1.x

NewWord (1983) 0 Word Processor DOS

NewWord is a clone of WordStar created by former MicroPro employees. It filled a gap for WordStar users as WordStar 3.3 went unupdated, and eventually became the basis for WordStar 4.0.

• 1.x

Norton Textra Writer (1989) 1 Word Processor DOS

Norton Textra Writer is an easy to use word processor for IBM PCs and compatibles running DOS. It was based on Ann Arbor Software' Textra, a small and fast word processor highly optimized for speed and rapid data entry, and published by the W W Norton & Co Inc publishing company (no relation to Peter Norton Computing or Symanetc).

• 2.0

OfficeWriter (1989) 0 Word Processor DOS

OfficeWriter, from Office Solutions, Inc and later Software Publishing Corporation, is a word processor that mimics the Wang word processor system. It was targeted at corporations and competed against Multimate, another Wang word processor workalike.

• 6.x

Overhead Express (1984) 0 Presentations DOS

Released in 1984 by Business & Professional Software, Inc, Overhead Express is a very early presentation program for the IBM PC that features high quality type, and an on screen print preview. It is geared towards overhead presentations, but can also be used for flyers, newsletters, report cover, labels, and more.

• 1.x

PageView (1988) 0 Word Processor Windows

Pageview is a tool to graphically display, manipulate, and print Microsoft Word 3.0 and 4.0 for DOS documents. This was released almost two years prior to Word 1.0 for Windows.

• 1.0

PaintShow Plus (1987) 0 Graphics DOS

Logetech's PaintShow Plus is a DOS based bit-mapped drawing program bundled with Logitech mice. Like ZSoft PC Paintbrush, Microsoft PC Paintbrush, and Mouse Systems PC Paint, PaintShow Plus clones the MacPaint user interface.

• 1.x

PC Illustrator (1985) 0 Graphics DOS

PC Illustrator, first released in 1984 by Computer Graphics Group, Inc of Atlanta Georgia, is an easy to use freehand drawing and business charting package. Charting mode supports bar, area, line, and pie charts, and you can add your own drawings around the chart. It supports the use of a Microsoft compatible mouse, light pen, or digitizing pad.

• 3.0

PC Paint (1984) 0 Graphics DOS Windows

PC Paint, from Mouse Systems Corporation, is a Macintosh MacPaint-like paint program for the PC. It was often bundled with Mouse Systems mice. Despite the similar sounding name and appearance, it is NOT related to Microsoft/ZSoft PC Paintbrush.

• 1.00A
• 2.x
• 3.x

PC Paintbrush (1984) 2 Graphics DOS Windows

ZSoft PC Paintbrush is a bitmap drawing program visually similar to MacPaint. The earlier DOS versions were often bundled with Microsoft and Microsoft compatible mice, and were notable for supporting a huge variety of video adapters. It competed against Mouse Systems PC Paint (not related despite the similar name). ZSoft PC Paintbrush eventually became Microsoft Paintbrush included in Windows 3.x. For Microsoft's rebranded version see Microsoft Mouse and Microsoft Paintbrush

• 2.x (DOS)
• 3.x (DOS)
• 1.05 (Win)
• Plus 1.x (DOS)
• Plus 1.x (Win)

PC-Write (1984) 0 Word Processor DOS

PC-Write, written by Bob Wallace of Quicksoft, was an editor for the PC and along with PC-File and PC-Talk was one of the first widely distributed shareware programs.

• 2.4
• 2.7

Peachtext 5000 (1983) 0 Word Processor Financial Database DOS

PeachText 5000 is a complete personal productivity system for word processing, financial modeling, mailing lists and simple database management. It contains a thesaurus, spell checker, and file conversion tools.

• 2.x

Perfect Writer (1983) 0 Word Processor DOS

Perfect Writer, from Perfect Software, Inc, is a simple word processor for MS-DOS and CP/M-80 systems. It was bundled with many 8-bit CP/M systems and some early MS-DOS and IBM PC compatible computers. It was generally considered a low end entry-level product, but it was designed with portability in mind.

• 1.x

PFS First Choice (1987) 1 Word Processor Spreadsheet Presentations Database DOS

PFS First Choice is a simple, easy to use integrated office suite marketed towards new users. It includes a word processor, spreadsheet, graphics, database, and telecommunications. First Choice is similar to, but not as feature rich as, the standalone PFS office products. It competed against AlphaWorks/LotusWorks and Microsoft Works.

• 1.x
• 2.x
• 3.x

PFS First Graphics (1988) 0 Presentations DOS

First Graphics, from Software Publishing Corp, is a business graph plotting program. It is similar to, but not as full featured as Harvard Graphics. Earlier version were known as PFS:Graph

• 1.00

PFS:Graph (1983) 0 Presentations Graphics DOS

PFS:Graph, from Software Publishing Corporation, is an easy to use graphing application for early IBM PC compatibles, Apple IIs, Apple IIIs, and Macintosh. Later it evolved in to PFS:First Graphics, and IBM rebranded a version as IBM Graphing Assistant.

• A:xx
• 01.00.00 (Tandy 2000)
• Bxx

PFS:Write (1983) 4 Word Processor DOS

PFS:Write, originally from Software Publishing Corporation and later sold to Spinnaker Software, was an early and easy to use word processor for the IBM PC and Apple II. It was also licensed by IBM as IBM Writing Assistant. It can exchange data between PFS:Graph, PFS:File, and PFS:Report. SPC later replaced PFS:Write with Professional Write. Early versions had no built in spell checker, and were instead used with PFS:Proof.

• Axx
• 01.00.00 (Tandy 2000)
• Bxx
• Cxx

Photoshop (1988) 47 Graphics MacOS Windows

Photoshop is a powerful drawing and photo manipulation program for both Mac and Windows. The Macintosh version was released by Adobe in 1990, although a very small number were bundled with Barneyscan slide scanners prior to that. Photoshop contained many advanced features including layered images, advanced color control, and plug-ins. Prior to its release, many of its features were only found in high end dedicated photo pre-processing systems.

• 0.x (beta)
• 1.x

Plus Hardcard (1987) 0 DOS

These are the software tools and drivers needed to install and operate a Plus 20 Hardcard internal hard drive.

• 1987

Popcorn Misspeller's Dictionary (1988) 0 Word Processor Utility DOS

Popcorn Misspeller's Dictionary, from Popcorn Software, is a TSR program with a popup list of commonly misspelled words. You may find a word by typing it, but it does not make corrective suggestions.

• 1.x