Lotus Improv (1991) 5 Spreadsheet Windows

Improv is a spreadsheet program that attempted to re-imagine how one would create and interact with spreadsheets. It was first released in 1991 for NeXT computers, and for a time became one of the NeXT's "Killer Apps". In 1993 Lotus released Improv 2.0 for Microsoft Windows. It was not marketed as a direct replacement to Lotus 1-2-3, and 1-2-3 remained dominant until both were overtaken by Microsoft Excel.

• 2.x

Corel Photo-Paint (1995) 4 Graphics Windows

Corel Photo Paint is a bit-mapped graphics editor optimized for photo manipulation. It competed against Adobe Photoshop and Paint Shop Pro, and was often a companion product to the vector based CorelDRAW. It includes a large number of special effects, a color management system, brushes, layers, and scanner support.

• 5.0

DataEase (1988) 4 Database Windows

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.

• 1.0 (Win)

Adobe Streamline (1992) 4 Graphics Publishing Windows

Adobe Streamline is an image conversion and manipulation tool that aids conversion of bit-mapped images in to PostScript line art for use in tools such as Adobe Illustrator.

• 3.0
• 4.0

Qmodem (1992) 4 Communications Windows

Qmodem was a friendly, well designed, and feature rich, commercial telecommunications program that was also distributed in shareware form. The first release was in 1984 by John Friel III, and sold to Mustang Software in 1991. During the early years, it competed with PC-Talk. During the later years, it competed with Procomm and Telemate.

• Pro 1.0 (Win)

PATHWORKS (1994) 3 Web Browser Communications Windows

PATHWORKS is a network client suite that enables PCs to communicate with VMS and Ultrix systems from Digital Equipment Corporation.

• 1.0 for Win95
• 32 V7.x

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)

QuickBooks (1993) 3 Financial Windows

First introduced in 1992, QuickBooks from from Intuit, is an easy to use accounting and bookkeeping program targeted at small businesses and accounting novices. It features check writing, accounts payable and receivable, invoices, cash flow forecasting, and reporting. It provides more functionality than the home-user based Quicken.

• 3.x (Win)
• 4.x (Win)
• 5.x (Win)
• 2002

Microsoft Organization Charts (1995) 3 Presentations Windows

This is the org chart software that shipped with earlier versions of Microsoft Office.

• 2.00

pcANYWHERE (1990) 3 Communications Windows DOS

pcAnywhere is a tool that enables one to remotely control another computer, or to be remotely controlled.

• 1.0 (Win)
• 7.5 (Win)
• 8.0 (Win)

Fractal Design Painter (1992) 3 Graphics Windows

Fractal Design Painter is a painting program that provides a number of unique effects, that can make use of pressure-sensitive tablets. Its drawing capabilities can mimic brush effects such as oil and water color painting.

• 2.0
• 3.0

Picture It! (1996) 3 Graphics Windows

Picture It!, from Microsoft, is a photo image adjustment tool for novice users. It includes a number of standard touch-up functions such as red-eye adjustment, resizing, brightness, contrast, and cropping. It can make direct use of scanners and digital cameras. All functions are presented as a dumbed down step-by step series of tabs and menus. Picture-It competed against Adobe Photodeluxe.

• 1.0
• 2.0
• 99

Deneba Canvas (1994) 3 Graphics Publishing Windows

Deneba Canvas is a shape based drawing and illustration program for the PC and mac. Unlike other publishing programs of the time, Canvas combined the ability to use vector graphics and raster images. It could also function as a word processor.

• 3.x
• 5.x

TurboCAD (1993) 3 Graphics Engineering Windows

TurboCAD is a low-cost 2D/3D Computer Aided Design program that competed with AutoCAD and Generic CADD. It was first available for DOS, and later Mac, Windows 3.x, and Windows 9x/NT.

• 1.0
• 3.x

CommWorks (1993) 3 Communications Windows

Produced by Traveling Software, the authors of LapLink, CommWorks is a suite of communications applications including CommWorks Control Center, TS Fax, TS OnLine, and Laplink.

• 1993

Aldus Type Twister (1993) 3 Graphics Publishing Windows

Type Twister is a font tool that adds multiple effects to fonts, that a user may then copy as a bit map in to other applications. involved with Instant Artist, which features similar font effects.

• 1.0

WordPerfect Works (1992) 3 Word Processor Spreadsheet Presentations Graphics Database Windows

WordPerfect Works was an all-in-one integrated office productivity package that included a word processor, spreadsheet, drawing program, database, and a communications program. Initially it was just for DOS, but later there was a version for Microsoft Windows. Corporation's smaller lightweight programs. This included LetterPerfect, a scaled down DrawPerfect, PlanPerfect, and the WordPerfect Executive shell. The database was based around the Mailmerge system.

• 2.0

Lotus Notes (1993) 3 Communications PIM Windows MacOS

Lotus Notes is a powerful e-mail and collaboration tool. It was heavily used by large corporations. It was sometimes criticized for its complexity and bloat. Notes is a client server tool, and uses the Lotus Domino server (originally just called Lotus Notes server). Lotus Notes and Lotus Domino competed against Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Exchange.

• 3.x
• 5.x

NetManage Chameleon (1993) 3 Communications Windows

NetManage Chameleon is a small and efficient TCP/IP networking stack and utility suite for Microsoft Windows. It includes an FTP client, Telnet client, E-mail client, and an NFS system for interoperation with Unix networks. Other GUI utilities include Bind, Finger, Ping, TFTP, FTP Server a TN3270 terminal emulator, Whois, and SNMP. Earlier versions ran on Windows 3.0 and 3.1.

• 3.x
• 4.x
• 6.0
• 8.0

ABC Flowcharter (1990) 2 Presentations Publishing Windows

ABC Flowcharter, from Roykore/Micrografx is a flow chart diagramming utility for Windows. It features the ability to link multiple charts together, and easily break procedures in to multiple steps.

• 1.x
• 3.0

Oracle Server (1991) 2 Server Database Windows

Oracle Server is an enterprise grade relational database used in many corporations. It was mainly targeted at high end server operating systems, such as IBM AIX, Sun Solaris, HP UX, Digital VMS, Linux, and Microsoft Windows NT. Oracle makes current versions of their software avaialble for download, but older versions usually disappear.

• 7
• 8

WS_FTP (1998) 2 Communications Windows

WS_FTP, from Ipswitch, Inc., is one of the earliest shareware FTP clients, and was free for both personal and government use. It uses a classic "dual pane" user interface. Among other features, it supports VMS FTP servers.

• LE

Microsoft Mail (1991) 2 Communications Windows

There were two distinct "Microsoft Mail" products. One for AppleTalk Networks, and one for PC Networks.

• 3.5

Managing Your Money (1989) 2 Financial Windows

Managing Your Money is your easy-to-use personal finance manager. MYM has all you'll need to take control of your finances. You can automate your checking account, track credit investments, reduce your debts, plan your savings, decide whether to refinance your mortgage, and much more. You don't have to use all this at first or ever. But it's nice to know its all here when you need it. It is sometimes titled as "Andrew Tobias' Managing Your Money".

• 1.x (Win)
• 2.x (Win)

Aldus IntelliDraw (1992) 2 Graphics Windows

IntelliDraw is a shape based vector illustration tool that enables you to dynamically control shapes using numeric, rule based, or relationship based parameters.

• 1.0
• 2.0