SuperSort (1980) 0 Utility CPM DOS

Micropro SuperSort is a generalized and flexible sort and merge utility designed to operate at high speed on huge volumes of text-file based data. It can also be used for manipulating individual data files, doing things like reorganizing fields or changing field lengths.

• 1.x
• 2.x

WordStar (1981) 57 Word Processor CPM DOS

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
• 7

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

IBM Asynchronous Communications Support (1981) 0 Communications CPM DOS

IBM Asynchronous Communications Support contains a rudimentary telecommunications terminal emulation program written in IBM BASIC. It was provided alongside IBM PCs and the IBM asynchronous communications adapter (serial port card).

• 1.00
• 2.00

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

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

IBM 3101 Emulator (1982) 0 Communications DOS

This is a telecommunications program from IBM that lets an IBM PC emulate an IBM 3101 terminal. This was used with IBM's mainframe/minicomputer products. Product features: Emulation of a 3270-oriented subset of 3101 block mode, Full-screen sessions through PVM or VAMP, Series/1 Yale IUP and 7171 support, limited non-full-screen support for TSO/TCAM, connection to a Series/1 in block mode, Half and Full Duplex Hosts, and connection to other IBM PC's in Character Mode.

• 1.00
• 2.00

IBM SNA 3270 Emulation and RJE Support (1982) 0 Communications DOS

The IBM SNA 3270 Emulation and RJE Support package is a tool that provides SNA/SDLC mainframe communications protocol support so that one may transfer files directly to and from an IBM mainframe. Requires an IBM SDLC network adapter.

• 1.00

WordPerfect (1983) 46 Word Processor DOS

During the late 1980's, WordPerfect was THE standard word processor for DOS based PCs in big business. Under DOS, it competed mostly against Wordstar. WordPerfect for Windows enjoyed some success in the early Windows environments, but was quickly displaced by Microsoft Word for Windows. Later Windows versions were part of Borland Office/Novell PerfectOffice/Corel Office/Corel WordPerfect Office.

• 3.x (DOS)
• 4.x (DOS)
• 5.0 (DOS)
• 5.1 (DOS)
• 6.x (DOS)
• 7.x (Unix)

Norton Utilities (1983) 43 Utility DOS

The Norton Utilities is a suite of disk and system utilities designed to enhance system performance and stability. It started off as a set of disk utilities written by Peter Norton, and later was sold by Symantec. It competed against Central Point PC Tools and the Mace Utilities. In 2003, Norton Utilities was merged with Norton SystemWorks, but later split back out.

• 2.0x
• 3.00
• 3.10
• 4.0
• 4.5
• 5.0
• 6.0
• 7.0
• 8.0

Microsoft Word (1983) 63 Word Processor DOS OS2 Windows MacOS

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)
• 2.x (DOS)
• 3.x (DOS)
• 4.0 (DOS)
• 5.x (DOS and OS/2)
• 6.x

Crosstalk (1983) 3 Communications DOS

Originally released in 1982, Crosstalk XVI, from Digital Communications Associates Inc of Alpharetta, Georgia, is a powerful telecommunications program for the IBM PC with many scripting features. "XVI" means "16", and refers to the powerful new 16-bit x86 CPUs found in IBM PC's and compatibles. It was followed up by the MK 4 and Communicatior products.

• XVI 3.3x
• XVI 3.5x
• XVI 3.6x
• XVI 3.7x
• MK.4 2.x
• Communicator 2.x
• XVI 3.8x

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

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

FileCommand (1983) 1 Utility DOS

FileCommand is an alternate DOS shell from IBM. The user interface is based on the IBM 3081/3084 mainframe VM/CMS Fulist/Filelist tool. It provides an on-screen file list, and a command area, but uses its own command set. Although advertised as friendlier DOS shell for general PC users, most users would likely find it confusing unless they had prior experience with Fulist.

• 1.00
• II

IBM Word Proof (1983) 0 Utility DOS

IBM Word Proof is a stand-alone spell checker for the IBM PC with a list of over 125,000 standard English words. It can also find synonyms and anagrams, and features a built-in full screen editor. You may add your own specialized words to its list.

• 1.00

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

TTY Communications (1983) 0 Communications DOS

TTY Communications is a rudimentary dial up/terminal emulation telecommunications package sold with the Texas Instruments Personal Computer.

• 1.x

Videotex Plus (1983) 0 Communications DOS

A Powerful and sophisticated communications package that lest you communicate with any computer information service, such as CompuServe and Dow Jones News/Retrieval. There's even an option that lets you use the auto-dial feature found on many telephone modems! Videotex Plus includes on-screen editing for tailoring of the auto-logon on sequence to your particular needs.

• 1.x

FinalWord (1983) 1 Word Processor DOS

FinalWord is a powerful word processor that started off as an adaptation of EMACS. It is a complicated program that uses manually embedded format codes, but it was targeted at professional writers where typesetting detail is important. Its strength is the ability to work with very long and complex documents. It supports headers, footers, table contents generation, index creation, footnotes, typestyle changes, outlining, tables and charts, multiple column layout. Final Word II adds support for Postscript and user-customizable print formatting commands. machines. There were versions for CP/M and the Atari ST.

• 1.x
• 2.x

IN:TOUCH (1983) 0 Communications DOS

IN:TOUCH is a Telecommunications program specifically written for the Bytec Hyperion, a Canadian luggable that beat Compaq to the market, but is not quite 100% IBM PC compatible.

• 1.x

HomeWord (1983) 2 Word Processor DOS

HomeWord, from Seierra On-Line, is a friendly simplified word processor targeted at home users. It was originally released for the Apple II and ported to the IBM PC, C64, and Atari. It competed with other simplified home-oriented word processors such as BankStreet Writer. It was followed up by HomeWord Plus and HomeWord II

• 1.00 (IBM)
• II

IBM Personal Communications Manager (1983) 0 Communications DOS

Personal Communications Manager is a telecommunications program that can connect the IBM PC to online services over a standard telephone line using a modem. It comes pre-configured for use with MCI Mail, Dow Jones, and CompuServe.

• 1.00

Memory Shift (1983) 0 Utility DOS

Memory Shift is a very early task switching program for DOS. It operates by "partitioning" the computer's memory and loading different applications in to each partition. It can then switch between each application and share data between applications.

• 2.0

IBM Fixed Disk Organizer (1984) 0 Utility DOS

IBM Fixed Disk Organizer is a simple menu program for DOS. It was marketed by IBM for use on their IBM XT. Using this shell, you will no longer have to repeatedly muddle through DOS commands to get to your commonly accessed applications. You can customize your menu items, and organize them in customizable categories. It also lets you set a password for menu items, and you may customize the screen colors. While there were many, many better menuing programs produced for DOS, Fixed Disk Organizer was a standard IBM offering.

• 1.00