Microsoft Works (1986) 63 Word Processor Spreadsheet Communications Database 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 (DOS)
• 2.x (DOS)
• 3.x (DOS)

Colorado Backup (1996) 1 Utility DOS Windows

Colorado Backup is the software provided with HP Colorado tape drives.

• Set
• 4.x for DOS

PKZip (1990) 25 Utility DOS

Pkzip is the most common archiver for MS-DOS based systems. It implements a an open compression method and is much faster than other archivers of its time.

• 1.x
• 2.0x

DiskClone (1998) 3 Utility DOS

DiskClone, from Quarterdeck, is a simple, professional, small, powerful, and easy to use hard disk cloning tool. It can copy a drive to another internal or external drive of different sizes. It can be used as a backup, or a migration tool to a new drive. It all fits on a single floppy disk. "Corporate" editions.

• 1.0

Packard Bell Navigator (1993) 27 Utility Other DOS

Packard Bell Navigator is an alternate user interface that replaces the Windows 3.1 Program Manager shell. It presents the content of your computer as a series of rooms.

• 3.5

Stacker (1991) 0 Utility Archive DOS Windows

Stacker, from Stack Electronics, was a hard drive compression tool. It was wildly popular until Microsoft virtually eliminated the third party market for this by including their own drive compression tool with MS-DOS 6. and Expandz! Plus.

• 1.0 (DOS)
• 2.0 (DOS)
• 3.x (DOS)
• 4.0 (DOS)

Sidekick (1984) 0 Utility PIM DOS

Borland Sidekick is a DOS based PIM (Personal Information Manager) and one of the first widely-used TSR (terminate and stay resident) programs. The key feature of Sidekick was that one could use Sidekick's utilities while using most other MS-DOS applications. This was important because MS-DOS had no built-in multi-tasking or task switching capabilities.

• 1.x
• Plus
• 2.0

ToyBox Menu Manager / Magic Desk (1992) 0 Utility DOS

ToyBox II, later renamed to Magic Desk, is a simplified graphical menu system that lets you launch your DOS applications from a selection of tiled iconic buttons. Supports nested hierarchies, includes an icon editor, and a number of common icons.

• 2.x
• 3.x (Magic Desk)

WillMaker (1990) 0 Other DOS

WillMaker is a program that takes a set of simple human-understandable questions to produce the complex legal language and law considerations, required for a modern will.

• 4.0

Backup Exec (1993) 3 Utility DOS

Backup Exec is an easy to use backup program. It can back up files to floppy disks or certain tape drives. companies including Maynard Electronics, Archive Corp, Quest Development Corporation, Conner Peripherals, Arcada Software, Seagate Technology, Veritas Software, and Symantec. On top of that, Microsoft bundled a version with MS-DOS 6.

• 2.x (DOS)

Quarterdeck GameRunner (1995) 0 Utility DOS

Quarterdeck GameRunner, from Quarterdeck Corporation, is a specialized packaging of their QEMM memory management product that is specifically designed to automatically maximize the memory and speed available to known games. DOS based games of the time used a hodgepodge of memory access methods, that varied from product to product and often created conflicts. GameRunner attempts to mitigate some of this chaos by providing automatic configuration and management.

• 2.x

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

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.

• 1.0

DiskLock (1993) 0 Utility DOS Windows

DiskLock, From Fifth Generation Systems, and later from Symantec as Norton DiskLock, is a data security tool that can lock a hard disk or individual files or directories so that it requires a password to access any data. It can also log activity to detect unauthorized access attempts. It also features the ability to lock the system after an idle usage period. There were versions for PC and Mac.

• 2.x
• 3.x

Norton Desktop (1991) 20 Utility DOS

Norton Desktop is a powerful desktop shell and file manager bundled with many additional tools. There are versions for both DOS and Microsoft Windows.

• 1.0 for DOS

FastBack (1986) 1 Utility DOS

Fastback, by Fifth Generation Systems, Inc, is a backup utility for DOS. Its key feature is that it can read and write both a floppy disk and hard disk at the same time by making use of dual-channel DMA. Combined with speedy data compression, it can make a very fast backup.

• 5.x
• Plus 1.x
• Plus 2.x
• Plus 3.x
• Plus 6.x

Timeworks DOS Office (1993) 0 Word Processor Spreadsheet Database DOS

Timeworks DOS Office, from Timeworks, Inc., is an office suite consisting of the Timeworks Word Writer PC word processor, the Timeworks SwftCalc spreadsheet, and the Timeworks Data Manager desktop database.

• 1.0

CheckIt (1988) 8 Utility DOS

CheckIt, from TouchStone Software Corporation, is a diagnostic tool for generic PC/XT/AT compatible computers. It can perform tests on RAM, hard disks, video cards, floppy disks, motherboard resources, and I/O devices. It has an easy to use menu interface but can also run tests non-interactively. It was followed up by the product WINCheckit.

• 1.x
• 2.1
• 3.0
• LAN 2.x
• Pro 1.x

Conner Backup Basics (1993) 0 Utility DOS

Conner Backup Basics is a dumbed down version of Conner Backup Exec that only works with their tape drives. This software will not run at all without the appropriate tape drive attached.

• 1.1 (DOS)

Norton Backup (1990) 1 Utility DOS

Norton Backup, from Symantec, is a fast and easy to use backup tool for MS-DOS. The original 1.0 suffered from reliability problems, but these were fixed in 1.1. It does not include a backup scheduler. It competed against backup utilities such as PC Tools Deluxe PC Backup, Taketwo Manager, Gazelle Systems Back-It, Backup Pro, FastBack Plus, and Keep Track Plus.

• 1.x
• 2.x

Forms Maker and Filler (1991) 0 Database DOS

Forms Maker and Filler is a budget program for making computerized forms. It has two components, a Designer used to create forms, and a Filler used to fill out the contents of the forms.

• 1.x

Back-It (1986) 3 Utility DOS

Back-It, from Gazelle Systems, is a fast and compact hard disk backup utility. It was sometimes part of OEM system bundles. It was kind of low-end, and changed backup formats between releases but otherwise did what it was supposed to do.

• 2.x
• 3.x
• 4.x

DECTalk PC (1993) 1 Utility DOS

DECTalk was a text to speech system used in automated telephone, radio, and TV systems. It was notably used as an artificial voice by Stephen Hawking. Most DECTalk devices were standalone serial devices, however DEC did produce an ISA expansion card for the IBM PC that contained this functionality. This software is required to operate these ISA cards.

• 4.x

DoubleDisk (1991) 1 Utility DOS

First released in 1989, DoubleDisk was the first real-time drive compression product for DOS. It is a fairly no-frills program and sticks to what it does best. It was relatively low cost compared to its later competitors. and Expandz! Plus

• 2.5
• 2.6

Easy Working Tri-Pack (1992) 1 Word Processor Spreadsheet Database DOS

The Easy Working Tri-Pack, from Spinnaker Software, is a bundle of three budget productivity applications from Spinnaker Software. It includes Easy Working The Writer - a word processor, Easy Working The Filer - a database, and Easy Working The Planner - a spreadsheet. These applications boast ease of use with a friendly menu interface wile remaining full-featured.

• 1992

Landmark Service Diagnostics (1992) 2 Utility DOS

Landmark Service Diagnostics is a set of professional, exhaustive diagnostic tool for testing all aspects of IBM PC 8088, 286, 386, and 486 compatible computer systems. It includes hundreds of powerful and flexible tests that check motherboards, RAM, video, COM ports, floppy drives, hard drives, and printers.

• 2.x