Acrobat Reader is the free software from Adobe used to read, view, and print documents created by the commercial Adobe Acrobat product. Its primary strength is that documents appear and print identically across differing systems.

BackMaster is a backup program for IBM OS/2 that features support for a large number of tape drives. It offers an easy-to-use graphical user interface, and enables a variety of backup configurations including unattended backup. It supports full system restore by creating a set of disaster recovery boot disks.

cc:Mail, originally from Concentric Systems, Inc and later Lotus and IBM, is a desktop e-Mail system intended for small LANs. It relies on accessing a shared database file rather than client-sever methods.

Multiuser Link is a telecommunications program that Connects a PC running DOS or OS/2 to a Citrix Multiuser system via standard RS-232C serial directly or with a modem.

ColorWorks is a powerful, full-featured, photo editing program designed exclusively for OS/2. It is a native 32-bit OS/2 application and makes use of OS/2 multitasking, multithreading, and SMP capabilities. It has many features and tools that make it comparable to most other image editors.

Corel Draw is a vector based drawing and illustration program. It is primarily a Windows application, but was ported to Mac OS, Mac OS X, Linux, CTOS and OS/2. It competed against Aldus Freehand, Adobe Illustrator, and Micrografx Designer.

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.

DeScribe is a word processor with some advanced features primarily for OS/2. Later, it was made available for Windows 3.1, 95, and NT.

DevTech's Deskman/2 is a set of desktop and system management tools for OS/2. It contains data compression tools, networking tools, performance monitoring tools, and desktop management tools.

DisplayWrite is a word processor that is based on the IBM Displaywriter dedicated word processing system. It directly competed with software ports of dedicated word processors such as the Wang Word Processing System (or its clone MultiMate ), Lanier Word Processing Software, Xerox, DEC, or similar.

Footprint Works is an office suite for OS/2 that includes a word processor, spreadsheet, and database. Later versions were known as IBM Works and were bundled with OS/2 Bonus Packs.

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.

GammaTech Utilities is a "must-have" set of disk tools for OS/2, including an HPFS disk optimizer, undelete, file recovery, file wiping, enhanced directory list, and delete tree.

HyperAccess is a telecommunications program that features easy to use scripting and a large number of file transfer protocols. There were versions for DOS, OS/2 and Windows.

IBM AntiVirus is a comprehensive but easy to use virus scanner that supports DOS, OS/2, and Windows. It features the use of "Neural Network" technology, whatever that means, heuristic analysis, change detection, and false alarm elimination. It supports scanning e-mail, attachments, macros, and the ability to run suspicious programs without spreading infections.

IBM CAD/3X is an entry level, easy to use, 2D cad program with versions for both DOS and OS/2 1.30.

Communications Manager/2 is a server component for OS/2 1.3 that provides connectivity with IBM mainframes and acts as a gateway for OS/2, DOS, and Windows clients.

LinkRight is a serial/parallel port file transfer utility for OS/2, and includes a DOS version. The included LinkRight Cloner tool copies a complete OS/2 partition including boot information. It is similar to LapLink, and can use a "LapLink" parallel cable.

Lotus 1-2-3 was an early spreadsheet application available for MS-DOS. It became extremely popular in the late 1980s, displacing the former leader VisiCalc. Lotus had difficulties adapting 1-2-3 to the Windows environment, and was overtaken by Microsoft Excel. Spreadsheet functionality was also included in Lotus Symphony. Later versions were included in Lotus SmartSuite.

Lotus Domino, originally called Lotus Notes Server, is the sever software used for Lotus Notes clients. Notes is a powerful e-mail and collaboration tool. It was heavily used by large corporations. Lotus Notes and Lotus Domino competed against Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Exchange.

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.

MaynStream is a high-end but minimalistic server backup program that only works with Maynard tape drives. There were versions for OS/2, Netware, Windows, and DOS.

McAfee VirusScan was a very popular and reliable virus scanner during the late 90s. Notably, they distributed a free shareware version of their product. VirusScan was often pre-loaded with OEM computers.

Micrografx Designer, originally released as IN-A-VISON for Windows 1.x, is a vector based drawing and design program. It features ease of use, multiple layers, and dimensioning. Micrografx also sold large libraries of clip art. It competed against Corel Draw.

Excel, from Microsoft, is a powerful spreadsheet application for Mac, Windows, and OS/2. Excel was first released for the Mac. When it was ported to Windows 2.x, they started at version "2.0" to one up current Mac version. There was never a DOS version. Instead, DOS and 8-bit platforms used the older Microsoft Multiplan. Excel was later bundled as part of Microsoft Office