Sidekick (1984) 15 Utility PIM DOS OS2 Windows

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
• 1.0 for OS/2
• 2.0
• 1.0 for Windows
• 2.0 for Windows

SitBack (1991) 2 Utility DOS

SitBack is a unique backup tool that backs up files in the background while users are using their systems. This is based on the reality that most users do not want to take the time or effort to manually back up their work. SitBack can backup up to local drives or network shares, and can back up from many kinds of media.

• 3.x

SmartSketch (1994) 1 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

SoftLogic Disk Optimizer (1987) 1 Utility DOS

Disk Optimizer, from SoftLogic Solutions Inc., was a low cost disk defragmentation utility that competed directly against the Norton Utilities. Like other disk optimizers, it re-arranges where files are stored on a hard drive to decrease file access time. It was, however, not as full featured or robust as the Norton Utilities.

• 2.x

Springboard Certificate Maker (1986) 4 Publishing DOS

Certificate Maker, from Springboard, is a fun little program for printing a variety of styled certificates on your dot-matrix printer. You must refer to the manual to see what the templates look like, as it provides no on screen preview. Award Maker seems to be an offshoot of this product.

• 1

Stacker (1991) 24 Utility Archive DOS OS2 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)
• 1.0 (OS/2)
• 4.0 (DOS)
• 4.0 (OS/2)

Stardock Object Desktop (1996) 5 Utility OS2

Object Desktop is a set of utilities for OS/2 power users. It provides a number of visual enhancements, define hotkeys, an improved editor, desktop configuration backup, archive management, system help advisors, and system backup.

• 1.5.x

StepWay Desktop Publisher (1994) 0 Graphics Publishing DOS

StepWay Desktop Publisher is a very low-end budget graphics editor and desktop publisher for DOS. It appears to have been targeted at new computer users and educational markets. The StepWay software is considered "modular", with additional functionality added in separate modules, sold separately. The separate modules they sold included Desktop Publisher, Art Shop, To Do List, Checkbook, Banner, Cookbook, Home Inventory, Greeting Cards, Mail List, and Calendar.

• 1.x

Super PC-Kwik (1992) 1 Utility DOS

PC-Kwik is an easy to use hard drive disk caching utility. Compared to some other caching utilities, it is easy to use, it automatically configures itself, and is less likely to cause data corruption.

• 5.x

SuperKey (1986) 4 Utility DOS

Borland SuperKey is a combination resident macro program and file encryption tool. It can record and play back keystrokes in most DOS application, enabling you to automate repetitive tasks. It also includes a file encryption tool that lets you password protect sensitive files. It was marketed alongside Borland Sidekick.

• 1.x

THINK Pascal (1991) 0 MacOS

THINK Pascal is an integrated object oriented Pascal programming environment and compiler designed to decrease development time. It features highly optimized compiled code and an integrated debugger.

• 4.0

Toolworks Backup Pro (1990) 0 Utility DOS

Backup Pro, from The Software Toolworks, is an easy to use backup program for MS-DOS. It features drop down menus and mouse support. It was sometimes bundled with OEM computers, and was sold for very low cost compared to others.

• 1.x

ToyBox Menu Manager / Magic Desk (1992) 4 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) 3 Other DOS Windows

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
• 5.0

WINCheckIt (1994) 1 Utility Windows

WINCheckIt, from TouchStone Software Corporation, was a popular diagnostics and system cleaning utility for Microsoft Windows 3.1. It diagnoses issues with CMOS/BIOS setup, finds IRQ problems, tests I/O devices and memory, benchmarks system performance, removes unused application files, and fixes system files. WinCheckIt is the successor to their earlier DOS based CheckIt diagnostics.

• 2.0
• 4.0

Windows Resource Kit (1991) 16 Utility Windows

The Microsoft Windows Resource kit is a set of supplementary tools for managing and deploying Microsoft Windows. The first Windows Resource kit was released in 1991 for Windows 3.0. Most, but not all, Windows versions after that had corresponding Resource Kits. These were often freely downloadable from Microsoft.

• 3.x
• 95
• NT 4.0
• 98
• 2000

Winlink 3 (1993) 0 Utility Windows

WinLink 3, from Widget Software Ltd, is a utility for communicating between a Psion Series 3 or 3a and Windows. It connects to a Psion mobile device via a serial cable, and presents the contents of the device as a navigable file window.

• 1.x