WordStar (1981) 42 Word Processor CPM DOS 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.

• 2.x
• 3.00
• 3.30
• for PCjr
• 2000
• 4.0
• 1512
• 5.0
• COLT
• 5.5
• 6
• 1.5 for Windows
• 7
• 2.0 for Windows

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

Easy Writer (1982) 0 Word Processor DOS

Easy Writer was one of the first word processors for the IBM PC. It was originally written by John Draper AKA "Captain Crunch", with the PC version published by IBM. EasyWriter 1.x was written in the FORTH programming language and, as the story goes, it was ported to the IBM PC in a matter of days. There was also an Apple II version.

• 1.0
• 1.1
• 1.15
• II

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

TI Writer Word Processor (1982) 0 Word Processor Other

TI-Writer was the standard word processor for the TI-99/4A. To use TI-Writer, you must have the TI-Writer cartridge (needed to load the disk software) and a TI-99/4A with the 32k RAM and disk expansion options.

• 1982

Spellbinder (1982) 0 Word Processor CPM DOS

Spellbinder, from Lexisoft and later Ltec Inc, is a word processing program originally created for CP/M and OASIS operating systems and eventually competed with WordStar. It was designed as a work-alike of the NBI Word Processing system and featured spell checking, grammar checking, footnotes, two-column print, proportional printing, and macro programming language. It was bundled with machines from Eagle Computers, Hewlett-Packard, and Xerox.

• 5.x
• 6.10

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 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

Microsoft Word (1983) 44 Word Processor DOS MacOS Unix OS2 Windows

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)
• 1.x (Mac)
• 2.x (DOS)
• 3.x (DOS)
• 3.x (Mac)
• 3.x (Unix)
• 4.0 (DOS)
• 5.x (DOS and OS/2)
• 1.x (Windows)
• 4.0 (Mac)
• 1.x (OS/2)
• 5.x (UNIX)
• 2.x (Windows)
• 5.x (Mac)
• 6.x
• 95
• 97

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

Fast Graphs (1983) 0 Presentations DOS

Fast Graphs is a graphing/charting program that supports CGA graphics. It runs on an IBM PC or compatibles running DOS 1.1x or DOS 2.x.

• 1.1

VisiTrend/Plot (1983) 0 Presentations DOS

VisiTrend/VisiPlot is a no-nonsense data analysis and graphing tool targeted at business users who wished to perform analysis on large spreadsheets. It is part of the Visi Series of applications from VisiCorp, that also included VisiWord, VisiCalc, VisiFile, VisiSpell, VisiSchedule and VisiTutor. There was also a version for the Apple II.

• 1.3

VisiSpell (1983) 0 Word Processor DOS

VisiSpell is a standalone spell checker for DOS, that is intended for use with VisiCorp VisiWord but can be used with any text document. Targeted at business users, it contains a dictionary of over 100,000 words, supports a user customizable dictionary, and can remember your typing habits when suggesting replacements.

• 1.00

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

PFS:Graph (1983) 0 Presentations Graphics DOS

PFS:Graph, from Software Publishing Corporation, is an easy to use graphing application for early IBM PC compatibles, Apple IIs, Apple IIIs, and Macintosh. Later it evolved in to PFS:First Graphics, and IBM rebranded a version as IBM Graphing Assistant.

• A:xx
• 01.00.00 (Tandy 2000)
• Bxx

PFS:Write (1983) 0 Word Processor DOS

PFS:Write, originally from Software Publishing Corporation and later sold to Spinnaker Software, was an early and easy to use word processor for the IBM PC and Apple II. It was also licensed by IBM as IBM Writing Assistant. It can exchange data between PFS:Graph, PFS:File, and PFS:Report. SPC later replaced PFS:Write with Professional Write. Early versions had no built in spell checker, and were instead used with PFS:Proof.

• Axx
• 01.00.00 (Tandy 2000)
• Bxx
• Cxx
• 2.x

WordVision (1983) 0 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

IN:SCRIBE (1983) 0 Word Processor DOS

IN:SCRIBE is text editor tailored specifically for the Bytec Hyperion, a Canadian luggable that beat Compaq to the market, but is not quite 100% IBM PC compatible.

• 1.x

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

The Print Shop Companion (1984) 0 Graphics Publishing DOS

As the name suggests, the Print Shop Companion is a companion product to The Print Shop. It contains extra miscellaneous functionality such as graphics editors and envelope printing.

• For IBM PC (DOS)
• The NEW PSC (DOS)
• Deluxe

The Print Shop (1984) 5 Publishing DOS MacOS Windows

The Print Shop is a home oriented publisher capable of creating calendars, banners, greeting cards and other printable goods. It started off on the Apple II and Commodore 64 where it became popular for its simplicity and ease of use. From day one, it featured interactive editing, on-screen artwork/layout selection, print previewing, and a library of customizable clipart.

• For IBM PC (DOS)
• 1.x (Mac)
• The NEW PS (DOS)
• Deluxe
• Deluxe (Win)
• Deluxe 1.x (Mac)
• Deluxe 2.0 (Win)
• Deluxe III
• Premier 5.x (Win)
• Deluxe 6.0 (Win)
• Ensemble III
• 2002 (Mac)

Sidekick (1984) 5 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