WordStar (1981) 39 Word Processor 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.

• 1.5 for Windows
• 2.0 for Windows

Claris Impact (1994) 0 Presentations Windows MacOS

Claris Impact is a business graphing program that provides attractive business presentations with minimal artistic skill. It features the ability to create graphs using "Models", a guided module somewhat like a wizard.

• 2.x

Professional Write (1986) 4 Word Processor Windows

Professional Write, from Software Publishing Corporation, was a popular word processor for home use during the late 80s and early 90s. It features an easy to use menu system and an integrated spell checker. Professional Write was a revamp and replacement for SPC's earlier PFS:Write.

• Plus 1.x (Win)

Mathcad (1989) 11 Mathematics MacOS Windows

Mathcad is an easy to use graphical calculation program targeted at engineering professionals. It supports a wide variety of mathematical functions. There were versions for DOS, Macintosh, and Windows.

• 2.0
• 3.x
• 4.0
• 5.0

SnagIt (1994) 0 Utility Graphics Windows

Screen capture utility for Windows 3.1.

• 2.1

Fractal Design Painter (1992) 2 Graphics Windows

Fractal Design Painter is a painting program that provides a number of unique effects, that can make use of pressure-sensitive tablets. Its drawing capabilities can mimic brush effects such as oil and water color painting.

• 2.0
• 3.0

Aldus IntelliDraw (1992) 0 Graphics Windows

IntelliDraw is a shape based vector illustration tool that enables you to dynamically control shapes using numeric, rule based, or relationship based parameters.

• 1.0
• 2.0

ABC SnapGraphics (1994) 3 Presentations Publishing Windows

Micrografx ABC SnapGraphics is a supplementary program for ABC FlowCharter. SnapGraphics provided a more simplistic, automated way to create flow charts and diagrams with a number of pre-defined templates. Version 1.0 was distributed free of charge.

• 1.0

Microsoft Fine Artist (1994) 1 Graphics Novelty Windows MacOS

Microsoft Fine Artist is a dumbed down Microsoft Bob-like drawing program targeted at children. It was sold alongside, and later bundled with, a word processor called Microsoft Creative Writer.

• 1.x

Stanford Graphics (1993) 0 Graphics Windows

Stanford Graphics is a combination of Presentation and Analysis software. It contains both common slide making and graphing abilities as well as powerful statistical and technical analysis tools. Specialized technical graphics include contour and color keyed contour plots, polar plots, smith and 3-D Smith chars, and planar and XYZ vector and trajectory plots. Sigma Plot, and BBN Software RS/1 Harvard Graphics.

• 2.x
• 3.0

Fractal Design Dabbler (1994) 0 Graphics Windows

Dabbler, by Fractal Design, was released as a cut down version of Fractal Design Painter, and later re-branded as "Art Dabbler" (when Fractal Design merged with MetaCreations). Dabbler used the brush on canvas metaphor, allowing the artist to build up density/opacity by repeating strokes over the same part of the image. Interestingly, it also was capable of using many of the Adobe defined .8bf plugin filters for special effects.

• 1.0

Fauve Matisse (1994) 1 Graphics Windows

Fauve Matisse was an extremely slick and powerful natural media paint and image manipulation program. It sold for a fraction of the price of the market leader Fractal Design Painter, and had a number of more powerful features like floating layers in its early versions. Matisse (and Fauve Software) died when the two brothers who owned it bet the farm on a high-end image-manipulation program called X-res - and lost. Ironically, X-res (and Matisse)was acquired by Macromedia.,While X-res continued to be published by Macromedia, Matisse was allowed to slip into a quiet grave." (And Macromedia was in turn bought out by Adobe). software that supported multiple free-floating layers of images.

• 1.x

Crayola Art Studio (1994) 0 Graphics Windows

Crayola Art Studio, from Micrografx, is a heavily lobotomized graphics packaged aimed at kids. It features a Bob-like "room" menu, animated characters, sound effects, a paint program that can place shapes and clipart, and several other printing programs. It is similar to, and competed against Microsoft Fine Artist.

• 1.0

Ashlar Vellum (1990) 0 Graphics Engineering Windows MacOS

Ashlar Vellum is a CAD package for mechanical engineers and designers, that includes the ability to intelligently predict where the user wants to connect the next object. There were both "2D" and "3D" versions.

• 1.x (Win)
• 2.x (Mac)

WordPerfect Works (1992) 0 Word Processor Spreadsheet Presentations Graphics Database Windows

WordPerfect Works was an all-in-one integrated office productivity package that included a word processor, spreadsheet, drawing program, database, and a communications program. Initially it was just for DOS, but later there was a version for Microsoft Windows. Corporation's smaller lightweight programs. This included LetterPerfect, a scaled down DrawPerfect, PlanPerfect, and the WordPerfect Executive shell. The database was based around the Mailmerge system.

• 2.0

CompuWorks Office (1994) 0 Word Processor Spreadsheet Presentations Graphics Database Windows

ComuWorks is an entry-level budget oriented integrated all-in-one office suite for Microsoft Windows 3.1. It includes a word processor, spreadsheet, database, report writer, and charting tools.

• 2.x

Renderman (1994) 0 Graphics Windows

RenderMan is a 3d-rendering program produced for in-house use at Pixar and made available for commercial user. It also represented a standard way to store rendering data and interface between modeling and rendering programs.

• 1.x

SmartSketch (1994) 0 Graphics Publishing Windows

SmartSketch 1.0 is an easy to use vector based drawing targeted at business users. Although there were many other such drawing programs, it boasted simplicity and a large variety of clipart. It was originally intended for GO Corporation's PinPoint pen computing device, but when that was discontinued, SmartSketch was ported to Windows and Macintosh instead.

• 1.0

Harvard Spotlight (1994) 0 Presentations Windows

Harvard Spotlight is a presentation utility for organizing and presenting graphs from Harvard Graphics, and graphics from Lotus Freelance. It features the ability to show one screen to the presenter, and a different screen to those viewing the presentation. The presenter can see stored speaking notes and timing information on-screen as they run the presentation.

• 1.0

ABC Flowcharter (1990) 0 Presentations Publishing Windows

ABC Flowcharter, from Roykore/Micrografx is a flow chart diagramming utility for Windows. It features the ability to link multiple charts together, and easily break procedures in to multiple steps.

• 1.x
• 3.0

Micrografx Designer (1988) 8 Graphics Publishing Windows OS2

Micrografx Designer, originally released as IN-A-VISON for Windows 1.x, is a vector based drawing and design program. It features ease of use, multiple layers, and dimensioning. Micrografx also sold large libraries of clip art. It competed against Corel Draw.

• 1.1
• 2.0
• 3.0
• 3.1
• 4.0

Autodesk AutoCAD (1984) 28 Graphics Engineering MacOS Windows

AutoCAD, from Autodesk and first released in 1982, is a powerful Computer Aided Design tool. It was, and still is, often considered the standard for CAD tools. Primarily for the IBM PC platform, it was ported to x86 machines with higher video resolutions such as the Zenith Z-100 and NEC APC. Intermittently, versions for the Macintosh appeared. Later versions use a dongle copy protection.

• r10 (Mac)
• r11 (Mac)
• r11 (Win)
• r12 (Mac)

Softkey/WordStar PC Paintbrush (1993) 0 Graphics Windows

Softkey/WordStar's PC Paintbrush is a paint program and photo editor for Windows 3.x. It only somewhat resembles Zsoft PC Paintbrush but is basically re-branded Zsoft PhotoFinish, released after Zsoft was bought out. It was initially sold by WordStar International, and then later SoftKey.

• 1.x

Aldus Photostyler (1992) 1 Graphics Windows

Aldus PhotoStyler, developed by Ulead and acquired by Aldus, was an easy-to use photo image editor intended to compete with PhotoShop. The product was dropped when Adobe acquired Aldus.

• 1.x
• 2.x

MacWrite (1984) 6 Word Processor MacOS

MacWrite was one of two applications released with the Apple Macintosh in 1984 - the other being MacPaint. These applications defined the Macintosh, and helped define what users expected from GUI applications.

• 1.0
• 2.20
• 4.x
• 5.0
• II (1989)
• Pro 1.x