Norton Utilities (1983) 26 Utility Windows

The Norton Utilities is a suite of disk and system utilities designed to enhance system performance and stability. It started off as a set of disk utilities written by Peter Norton, and later was sold by Symantec. It competed against Central Point PC Tools and the Mace Utilities. In 2003, Norton Utilities was merged with Norton SystemWorks, but later split back out.

• 1.0 (95) for Win
• 2.0 (95) for Win
• for NT 4.0
• 3.0 for Win
• 4.0 for Win
• 2001 for Win

Borland Turbo Pascal (1983) 90 Windows

Borland Turbo Pascal is a Pascal programming language compiler with an Integrated Development Environment targeted at the hobbyist and entry-level market. There were versions for CP/M and DOS. For a time, it was sold along side their professional "Borland Pascal" product line. Borland also produced a set of "toolbox" libraries along side their earlier versions.

• 1.x (Win)

Windows 1.0 (1984) 187 Windows

Windows 1.0 was the first release of what eventually made it onto almost every desktop computer in the entire world. Many of you are probably unaware of this release from 1985; conceived from ideas found in the original Lisa/Macintosh and Xerox Star system, Windows 1.0 was Microsoft's attempt at a graphical multitasking operating environment for the IBM PC. | 1.0 | 2.x | 3.x | NT 3.x | 95 | NT 4.0 | 98 | 2000 | ME | All |

• DR 5
• Alpha
• Beta
• Premiere Edition
• Demo
• 1.01
• 1.02
• 1.03
• 1.04

The Print Shop (1984) 4 Publishing 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.

• Deluxe (Win)
• Deluxe 2.0 (Win)
• Deluxe III
• Premier 5.x (Win)
• Deluxe 6.0 (Win)
• Ensemble III
• 2002 (Mac)

PC Paintbrush (1984) 5 Graphics Windows

ZSoft PC Paintbrush is a bitmap drawing program visually similar to MacPaint. The earlier DOS versions were often bundled with Microsoft and Microsoft compatible mice, and were notable for supporting a huge variety of video adapters. It competed against Mouse Systems PC Paint (not related despite the similar name). ZSoft PC Paintbrush eventually became Microsoft Paintbrush included in Windows 3.x. For Microsoft's rebranded version see Microsoft Mouse and Microsoft Paintbrush

• 1.05 (Win)
• Plus 1.x (Win)

PC Paint (1984) 1 Graphics Windows

PC Paint, from Mouse Systems Corporation, is a Macintosh MacPaint-like paint program for the PC. It was often bundled with Mouse Systems mice. Despite the similar sounding name and appearance, it is NOT related to Microsoft/ZSoft PC Paintbrush.

• 3.x

Balance of Power (1985) 0 Windows MacOS Other

Balance of power is a strategy game where one must lead a superpower nation to avoid war. It was ported to the Mac, Apple II, Windows, Atari ST, and Amiga.

• 1985 Edition
• 1990 Edition

PrintMaster (1985) 3 Graphics Windows

Print Master was another sign and banner creation program similar to The Print Shop. The earlier version got in to trouble for looking too much like the Print Shop.

• Gold 3.0 (Win)
• Gold 4.0 (Win)

Freelance Graphics (1985) 2 Presentations Graphics Windows

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 (Win)

Omnis (1985) 0 Database Windows

Omnis, from the European based Blyth Software, is an easy to use multiuser relational database for Windows, MacOS, and OS/2. It was the first database ported to Microsoft Windows, which ran on Windows 1.0x.

• Quartz (Win)

Windows SDK & DDK (1986) 36 Windows

The Microsoft Windows Software Development Kits (SDK) provide sample program code, extra libraries, and documentation to aid application developers producing Windows applications. Microsoft Windows Driver Development Kits are similar sets of samples and libraries but specific to device driver development, and much more in-depth.

• Windows 1.x
• Windows 3.0
• NT 3.x
• Windows 3.1
• WfW 3.11
• Windows 95
• NT 4.0
• XP (NT 5.1)
• 2003 (NT 5.2)

Norton Commander (1986) 48 Utility Windows

Norton Commander is a MS-DOS based file shell that was widely popular due to it's two column design. You could easily copy and move files between one folder or another, execute DOS commands and more. It competed against many other file managers including Gazelle Q-DOS and Xtree

• 1.x (Win)
• 2.x (Win)

Professional Write (1986) 8 Word Processor Windows

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.

• Plus 1.x (Win)

In-a-Vision (1986) 1 Graphics Windows

In-a-Vision is a vector based drawing program that was one of the first commercial programs written for Microsoft Windows. It runs under Windows 1.x. Later versions of this software were called Micrografx Designer

• 1.x

Micrografx Windows Draw (1986) 4 Graphics Windows

Micrografx Draw is a free-form vector based drawing program with a collection of clipart. The earlier versions are especially notable as being among the few programs produced for Microsoft Windows 1.x.

• 1.04
• Plus 1.1
• 3.0
• 4.0
• 5.0
• 6.0

Ventura Publisher (1986) 9 Publishing Windows

Ventura Publisher, originally from Xerox, is a professional desktop publishing program for the GEM graphical environment and later Windows. It has the distinction of being the first popular publishing program for the IBM PC platform. It competed with Aldus PageMaker, which initially was more popular on the Mac platform. There are also versions for Mac and OS/2.

• 3.0 for Windows
• 4.0 for Windows
• 4.1.x for Windows
• 4.2

Time Line (1986) 0 Planning Windows

A once popular, powerful, easy to use project management program first released in 1984 from Breakthrough Software. Has unlimited number of tasks, dependencies, resources, and cost categories. It competed against Microsoft Project, and CA-SuperProject. Breakthrough Software merged with Symantec in 1987. The final version was 6.x for Windows.

• 6.x

Windows 2.x (1987) 114 Windows

Windows 2 changes from Windows 1.x consist mainly of visual improvements. Windows 2 adds overlapping windows, menu keyboard shortcuts, VGA support, and other user interface changes influenced by IBM standards. Windows 2 is the last version that supports installation to a floppy disk, and to be available as an application run-time. Later editions of Windows 2 added support for 286 high memory, and running applications in a 386 VDM. The versioning is a little confusing. 2.x and 2.x/386 were released side-by-side. When it reached 2.1x, the regular 8088 version was renamed to Windows 2.1x/286. This is all unified in Windows 3.0. | 1.0 | 2.x | 3.x | NT 3.x | 95 | NT 4.0 | 98 | 2000 | ME | All |

• 2.0
• Windows 286
• Windows 386

PowerPoint (1987) 3 Presentations Windows MacOS

Microsoft PowerPoint is a graphical presentation tool that is today part of Microsoft Office. Prior to its acquisition by Microsoft, it was known as "Presenter" from Forethought Inc. These are the standalone versions. For the Office bundled versions, see Microsoft Office.

• 2.0
• 3.x
• 4.x
• 95 (7.0)

LapLink (1987) 16 Communications Windows

LapLink, from Traveling Software Inc., enables users to easily and quickly move files between two DOS computers using only a serial null-modem cable or a special parallel port connector. No other hardware is needed. Laplink was extremely popular.during the late 80s and early 90s. It was infinitely easier to set up any two arbitrary PCs (often portables or laptops) with LapLink than other methods, such as DOS based networking. MS-DOS 6 bundled a similar set of file transfer tools called INTERLNK and INTERSVR.

• 7.5 for Windows 95
• 2000
• Gold (9.0)

AdvanceLink (1987) 0 Communications Windows

AdvanceLink is a terminal emulator that integrates with the HP NewWave desktop. It has built in scripting tools and features specifically for communicating with HP 3000, HP 9000, and HP 1000 hosts. It can emulate HP 2392A, HP 700/94, HP 700/92, HP ANSI, and DEC VT100 terminals. It appears a lesser version of this product was bundled with early Vectra computers under the generic name of "HP Terminal Program"

• for Windows

DacEasy Accounting (1987) 0 Financial Windows

DacEasy was the first company to offer affordable accounting software geared towards the small business. It was first released in 1985 and had gone through many DOS revisions at the time the Windows version was released.

• 1.0 (Win)

WinSong Composer (1987) 0 Media Player Windows

WinSong Composer, first released as Opus Composer in 1987 by Maranatha Systems, Inc, is a music notation program that supports Microsoft Windows 1.x and 2.x. It can also play back music through a music driver program, that apparently in the full version supports MIDI interface devices. which plays back music on the PC Speaker.

• 1.x
• 2.x

Micrografx Windows Graph (1987) 0 Presentations Graphics Windows

Micrografx Windows Graph is an application for creating business graphs and charts. It was one of a handful of commercial applications designed for Microsoft Windows 1. It has much in common with Micrografx's other freeform drawing products, In-a-vision/Designer and Micrografx Windows Draw. More clip art can be found with Micrografx Portfolio or converted with Micrografx Windows Convert

• 1.x
• Plus 1.x

Cadlogic Instinct (1987) 0 Engineering Windows

Instinct is a computer aided design drafting tool designed for Microsoft Windows 1.x. It was designed specifically with ease of use in mind, and was among the few early applications designed for Microsoft Windows 1.

• 1.0