Odds are when you sit down at your computer to write yet another exciting TPS report,
you're either using Microsoft Office or Google's G Suite, which together
own nearly the entire market in the United States.
But it wasn't always this way. So today, we're going to look at some adulting software from
yesteryear in the third installment of our something part series.
Where are they now? Let's start with one of the first ever widespread word processors,
WordStar. Not to be confused, by the way, with that hip-hop YouTube channel.
Released in 1978, WordStar was the first word processor to feature
what you see is what you get text editing, meaning that what you saw on the screen
more or less looked like what you'd get once you printed out your document.
It also featured keyboard shortcuts that we take for granted today,
such as Ctrl-U to underline your highlighted text.
These interface improvements coupled with the fact that it was coded to work across
a variety of systems meant that by the mid 1980s, WordStar had become immensely popular.
But as computing power grew, this portability became WordStar's downfall.
Other word processors written for the increasingly dominant IBM PC and its
compatibles offered PC-specific features that WordStar couldn't compete with,
and the product was in trouble by the late 1980s.
Development ultimately ceased in 1999, but that doesn't mean it doesn't still have its fans.
Notably, George R.R. Martin, of Game of Thrones fame,
still uses WordStar for MS-DOS to write his novels.
Maybe that's why it takes so long to write a damn book.
Moving on, one of the programs that displaced WordStar was WordPerfect,
which brought lots of useful features, such as macros, support for a wide variety of printers,
footnotes, and automatic line numbering, which is really important for lawyers and academic writers.
In fact, WordPerfect was so feature-packed that it needed a 600-page manual and a small
army of tech support staff. They even hired what were called hold jockeys to keep their
customers entertained while they were waiting to speak to tech support. Wait, hold on a second.
Is that still a job? Where do I apply to be a hold jockey? No? Alright.
By 1993, WordPerfect controlled over 60% of the market
and was eventually sold to Corel in 1996, who envisioned it as becoming the Pepsi to Microsoft's
Coke. WordPerfect even became integrated into a full office suite. But unfortunately,
when it came time to release WordPerfect on Windows, the transition wasn't very smooth,
and Microsoft took full advantage by releasing the familiar MS word along with the rest of
Microsoft Office. Now, because Microsoft Office was designed by the same company to be far more
stable on Windows, WordPerfect was left to play catch-up, especially since Word and MS Office
relied more on the mouse, which was easier for mainstream users to use than trying to memorize
key combinations. In the following years, WordPerfect lost much of its former popularity,
but some law offices and government agencies still do swear by it, and it's actually still
available to buy from Corel with the newest version dating back to only last year.
But not every Microsoft productivity software was a smash hit that crushed its competitors.
If you owned a PC any time in the 1990s, you probably found a copy of Microsoft Works
pre-installed. Like other office suites, it had a word processor, a spreadsheet, and a database
manager, and a huge part of its appeal was its low cost. If it wasn't bundled with your PC,
it was easy to get a copy for far cheaper than most other suites.
Now, although it was stripped down and didn't offer a feature set nearly as extensive as the
full FAT Office suites, its ease of use made it popular for home users, and unlike the full-blown
version of Office, Works was actually just one program. The database manager, spreadsheet,
and word processor all ran in the same window, meaning that it was much easier for lower spec
computers to run. However, while Works could open Word documents,
Works files themselves were stored in a proprietary format, making the program
unpopular with larger organizations. And once more robust free alternatives like G Suite started
hitting the scene, Works was eventually replaced by a starter edition of Microsoft Office in 2010.
Finally, we don't want to forget about our good friends that prefer using a Mac.
During the 90s, a program called Claris Works became very popular, and if you went to school
during the era where Macs with their fancy graphical interface were the most coveted systems in the
computer lab, chances are that you remember it well. Claris was actually an Apple-created
software studio that bought a program called GS Works from a different company, which became
its own Office suite both bundled with Macs and sold on store shelves. Actually, there was even
a Windows version. Designed to compete with Microsoft Works, Claris Works was very well
reviewed, and it even added a presentation program in a later version, something MS Works didn't have.
The suite also had drawing and painting programs, making it a do-it-all program in a way that MS
Works wasn't. In fact, Claris Works outsold Microsoft Works for a good chunk of the 90s,
but by 2005, Claris Works, having since been renamed Apple Works, was being displaced by
iWork, a more traditional, fully featured Office suite that has been Apple's main offering ever
since. Apple stopped selling Apple Works in 2007, but you can actually still open old files created
using the software in iWork. So guys, is there a rather obscure piece of software that you used
to bang out your school reports on? Lotus, anyone? Let us know down in the comments,
but if you'll excuse me for now, I suddenly have an urge to see if I can get my old typewriter
working again. So thanks for watching guys, like, dislike, check out our other videos,
and leave a comment if you have a suggestion for a future fast as possible.