Microsoft Word (1983) 125 Word Processor DOS Unix 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)
• 3.x (Unix)
• 4.0 (DOS)
• 5.x (DOS and OS/2)
• 1.x (OS/2)
• 5.x (UNIX)
• 6.x

Microsoft Works (1986) 59 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)

WordPerfect (1983) 51 Word Processor DOS OS2 Unix Linux

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)
• 5.0 (OS/2)
• 5.x (Unix)
• 6.x (DOS)
• 5.2 (OS/2)
• 6.0 (Unix)
• 7.x (Unix)
• 8.x (Unix)

Lotus SmartSuite (1992) 45 Word Processor Spreadsheet Presentations PIM Database OS2

IBM/Lotus SmartSuite is an office suite from Lotus software for Windows and OS/2. SmartSuite includes SmartCenter, 1-2-3, Word Pro, Freelance Graphics, Approach, Organizer, and ScreenCam.

• For OS/2
• For OS2 Warp 4

dBASE (1983) 40 Database DOS Windows

Ashton-Tate dBase was an early popular database management system for CP/M and MS-DOS. It was regarded as one of the killer applications for CP/M, and achieved good success. At the time of conception Ashton-Tate was a garage based company but quickly grew.

• II v2.x
• III v1.0
• III v1.1
• III Plus v1.0
• III Plus v1.1
• IV v1.0
• IV v1.1
• IV v1.5
• IV v2.0
• 5.x

WordStar (1981) 40 Word Processor DOS CPM

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.

• 3.30
• for PCjr
• 2000
• 4.0
• 1512
• 5.0
• COLT
• 5.5
• 6
• 7

R:Base (1985) 19 Database DOS

R:Base, from Microrim and first released in 1983, was a popular relational database that competed with Ashton Tate's dBASE product. R:Base was the first relational database for the IBM PC, also notable as earlier relational databases typically required more powerful hardware. R:Base also includes a form and report generator that is optimized for the capabilities of the IBM PC and features the ability to add or remove fields without losing data or relationships.

• 5000
• System V
• 2.x
• 3.x
• Personal 1.0
• 4.x

XyWrite (1984) 12 Word Processor DOS

XyWrite is a word processor for MS-DOS and Windows modeled on the mainframe-based ATEX typesetting system. Popular with writers and editors for its speed and degree of customization, XyWrite was in its heyday the house word processor in many editorial offices, including the New York Times from 1989 to 1993. XyWrite was developed by David Erickson and marketed by XyQuest from 1982 through 1992, after which it was acquired by The Technology Group. The final version for MS-DOS was 4.18 (1993); for Windows, 4.13. An offshoot descendant of XyWrite called Nota Bene is still being actively developed.

• II Plus v1.10
• 4

FoxBASE (1987) 10 Database DOS Unix MacOS

FoxBASE, a relational database from Fox Software, started off in 1984 as a clone of dBase II that boasted many speed improvements. FoxBASE+ adds feature parity and compatibility with dBase III Plus. It was later aquired by Microsoft and became FoxPro

• Plus 1.x
• Plus 2.x

StarOffice (1995) 8 Word Processor Windows OS2 Unix Linux

StarOffice, initially from Star Division GmbH is an office suite containing a word processor, spreadsheet, drawing program, and graphing program. It was later owned by Sun Microsystems and then Oracle, and spawned the open source OpenOffice and LibreOffice. Also see the earlier StarWriter

• 3.0
• 3.1
• 6.0

Applause (1988) 8 Presentations Graphics DOS

Originally called Draw Applause, Applause is a slide making, charting, and presentation program for DOS from Ashton-Tate. It also served as a client front end to Ashton Tate's Graphics Service, through which one could purchase high-quality prints. Applause II beefs up the standalone desktop presentation and graphing abilities.

• 1.0
• II

Professional Write (1986) 7 Word Processor DOS

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.

• 1.x
• 2.x
• 3.0

Microsoft Chart (1984) 7 Presentations DOS

Microsoft Chart is a presentation graphics tool. You can use it to create line, bar, pie charts and more. It competed against titles such as PFS Graph, Chart Master, DR Graph, Harvard Presentation Graphics, and BPS Business Graphics. It was sometimes sold as a companion product to Multiplan. Microsoft later included charting functionality in Excel and PowerPoint.

• 1.x (DOS)
• 2.x (DOS)
• 3.x (DOS)

DB Master (1986) 7 Database DOS

DB Master is a powerful and flexible database for early personal computers. It was produced by Stoneware Inc., and in 1986 it switched ownership to Macon Software Inc.

• 3.0

MultiMate (1983) 6 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
• 4.0

Freelance Graphics (1985) 5 Presentations Graphics DOS OS2

GCI/Lotus/IBM Freelance Graphics is a vector based presentation and graphing package developed for DOS, OS/2, and Windows. It was intended for use alongside Lotus 1-2-3. Later versions were part of SmartSuite. Before it was acquired by Lotus it was known Freelance, from Graphic Communications.

• 1.0 (DOS)
• 2.0 (DOS)
• 1.0 (OS/2)
• 4.0 (DOS)
• 2.x (Win)

Lotus Symphony (1984) 4 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

Arborist Decision Tree Analysis (1985) 4 Database DOS

Arborist(TM) Decision Tree software, from Texas Instruments/Integral Quality, is a general purpose tool for decision analysis. It features a graphic user interface for decision tree construction, decision tree evaluation, and decision tree analysis. Arborist Decision Tree software is not complicated to use, and it is not restricted to an area of decision problem analysis. Its ease of use makes it convenient and effective to analyze many problems that previously were not cost effective to analyze.

• 1.x

IBM E Editor (1987) 4 Word Processor DOS

The IBM "E" Editor is a text editor based on the IBM Personal Editor. Later versions were included in IBM PC-DOS. Version 3.x is sometimes referred to as "E3".

• 3.x

DataPerfect (1993) 4 Word Processor Database DOS

DataPerfect, originally written by Lew Bastian, published through WordPerfect Corp, and later through Novell, was a fast, memory efficient, but capable relational database for DOS. WordPerfect Corp sold the product alongside their other DOS based office products, such as WordPerfect and PlanPerfect. In 1995 Novel released DataPerfect as freeware and development was continued by its original author until about 2008.

• 2.x

WordPerfect Works (1992) 4 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

ChiWriter (1990) 3 Word Processor Mathematics DOS

ChiWriter is a WYSIWYG scientific text editor for DOS. Created by Cay Horstmann in 1986, it was one of the first that could write mathematical formulas on common PC computers.

• 4.00
• 4.2

MicroPro ReportStar (1983) 3 Database DOS

MicroPro ReportStar is a report generator for DOS used in conjunction with DataStar and sometimes bundled as InfoStar.

• 1.01

PFS Professional File (1986) 3 Database DOS

PFS Professional File is an easy to use flat-file database for DOS. It is a combination of the earlier PFS:File and PFS:Report products.

• 1.x
• 2.0

DataEase (1988) 3 Database DOS OS2

DataEase, from DataEase International Inc., USA., is a fast, easy to use yet powerful, menu-driven relational database development system for the IBM PC. Not copy protected.

• 2.5
• 4.5