WordStar (1981) 62 Word Processor CPM DOS Windows

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.

• 2.x
• 3.00
• 3.30
• for PCjr
• 2000
• 4.0
• 1512
• 5.0
• COLT
• 5.5
• 6
• 1.5 for Windows
• 7
• 2.0 for Windows

Select Word Processor (1981) 0 Word Processor CPM

The Select Word Processor, from SELECT Information Systems, Inc., is a word processor for generic CP/M-80 based systems. There were also versions for MS-DOS and CP/M-86.

• 1981

Easy Writer (1982) 0 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

IBM Professional Editor (1982) 0 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

TI Writer Word Processor (1982) 0 Word Processor Other

TI-Writer was the standard word processor for the TI-99/4A. To use TI-Writer, you must have the TI-Writer cartridge (needed to load the disk software) and a TI-99/4A with the 32k RAM and disk expansion options.

• 1982

Spellbinder (1982) 0 Word Processor CPM DOS

Spellbinder, from Lexisoft and later Ltec Inc, is a word processing program originally created for CP/M and OASIS operating systems and eventually competed with WordStar. It was designed as a work-alike of the NBI Word Processing system and featured spell checking, grammar checking, footnotes, two-column print, proportional printing, and macro programming language. It was bundled with machines from Eagle Computers, Hewlett-Packard, and Xerox.

• 5.x
• 6.10

Volkswriter (1982) 5 Word Processor DOS

Volkswriter, from Lifetree Software Inc, was an early easy to use word processor for the IBM PC. Development of Volkswriter was inspired by the horridness of EasyWriter, and for a brief time it was possibly the only usable word processor for the IBM PC before an IBM version of WordStar was released. The "Deluxe" version will work with larger documents and has more features.

• 1.2
• Deluxe 2.x
• 3.0
• 4.0

Microsoft Word (1983) 68 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)
• 4.0 (Mac)
• 1.x (OS/2)
• 5.x (UNIX)
• 2.x (Windows)
• 5.x (Mac)
• 6.x
• 95
• 97

Exploring The IBM Personal Computer (1983) 3 Education DOS

Exploring The IBM Personal Computer is a tutorial program included with IBM Personal Computers designed to help new users learn how to use their computer. There were different versions for the IBM PC, PCjr, XT and AT computers.

• 1.00
• PCJr 1.00
• AT 1.00
• AT 2.0
• XT 2.00

VisiTutor for VisiWord (1983) 0 Education DOS

VisiTutor is a computerized tutorial program that will guide a user through how to use VisiCorp VisiWord.

• 1.0

VisiSpell (1983) 0 Word Processor DOS

VisiSpell is a standalone spell checker for DOS, that is intended for use with VisiCorp VisiWord but can be used with any text document. Targeted at business users, it contains a dictionary of over 100,000 words, supports a user customizable dictionary, and can remember your typing habits when suggesting replacements.

• 1.00

VisiWord (1983) 0 Word Processor DOS

VisiWord is a solid and well designed word processor for the IBM PC from VisiCorp. It was part of VisiCorp's integrated office application suite that also included VisiCalc, VisiFile, VisiSpell, VisiTrend/Plot, VisiSchedule and VisiTutor. It competed against EasyWriter and Volkswriter. This software runs under DOS 1.x and DOS 2.x. A follow up update to VisiWord offered better integration with VisiSpell. a GUI based environment. But that did not catch on. The similarly named Visi On Word word processor is not directly related to VisiWord.

• 1.00

IBM - Your PCJr Sampler (1983) 0 Novelty DOS

The PCJr sampler is a set of tiny applications that, while not really useful, demonstrate the abilities of the PCJr. This software was bundled with the PCjr.

• 1

PFS:Write (1983) 0 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
• 2.x

Cdex Training for the VisiCalc Program (1983) 0 Education Other

Released by Cdex in 1983, this is an interactive training program that will teach you how to use VisiCalc. Cdex also sold training programs for WordStar, SuperCalc, EasyWriter ||, The IBM Personal Computer, and The Apple //e Personal Computer. There were versions for both the IBM PC an Apple II.

• 1983

WordVision (1983) 1 Word Processor DOS

WordVision was a word processor from 1983 for the IBM PC with some features unique for the time period, such as unerase, automatic document saving, and long descriptive filenames at a time when DOS did not contain that support. self booting: You booted from it to create working copies. The typical error beep was also replaced with a more pleasing "chime" sound while the program operated.

• 1.x

Success With Math (1983) 0 Education DOS

Success With Math was a popular series of educational programs designed to drill and practice math problems. There were versions for the Apple II, C64, and Atari.

• 1983

IN:SCRIBE (1983) 0 Word Processor DOS

IN:SCRIBE is text editor tailored specifically for the Bytec Hyperion, a Canadian luggable that beat Compaq to the market, but is not quite 100% IBM PC compatible.

• 1.x

Touch Typist (1983) 0 Education DOS

Touch Typist, from Newline software, is a small typing training program that is specific to Zenith-Z100 computers.

• 1983

Cdex Managing Your Business With the Lotus 1-2-3 Program (1983) 0 Education Other

Managing Your Business With the Lotus 1-2-3 Program is an on-disk training system that focuses on the practical application of analyzing your business's performance while using the Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet. It includes quizzes, exercises, and sample spreadsheet templates.

• 1983

Bank Street Writer (1984) 0 Word Processor DOS

Bank Street Writer is an easy to use word processor intended for beginners and educational use. It was very popular on the Apple II, but also had ports for Atari, Commodore 64, MSX, Macintosh, IBM PC, and IBM PCjr.

• IBM PC
• Plus

IBM Writing Assistant (1984) 0 Word Processor DOS

IBM Writing Assistant is an early word processor sold by IBM with their IBM PC computers. It is basically a re-branded version of PFS:Write It features a built in spell checker, and the ability to include data and graphs from other IBM Assistant programs.

• 1.0x
• 2.0

MasterType Training Ground (1984) 0 Education DOS

MasterType Training Ground is a typing tutor game for the IBM PC.

• 1

Lotus Symphony (1984) 2 Word Processor Spreadsheet Presentations Graphics Communications Database DOS

Lotus Symphony is a an integrated software program that combines five tools: spreadsheet - word processing, graphics, database management, and data communications - in one package. The spreadsheet has similar functionality to Lotus 1-2-3, however it uses a different software "engine". These releases are of the original suite produced by Lotus. For the unrelated suite produced by IBM under the same name, see "IBM Lotus Symphony".

• 1.00
• 2.00
• 3.00

DisplayWrite (1984) 8 Word Processor DOS OS2

DisplayWrite is a word processor that is based on the IBM Displaywriter dedicated word processing system. It directly competed with software ports of dedicated word processors such as the Wang Word Processing System (or its clone MultiMate ), Lanier Word Processing Software, Xerox, DEC, or similar.

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 4/2
• 5