Chapter 10

Software Applications of the 80s

The Driver of PC Adoption

While the hardware provided the computing power and the operating system managed the resources, it was the software applications that made personal computers useful and desirable tools for individuals, businesses and institutions. In the 1980s, a wide variety of programs emerged to meet diverse needs, from personal productivity to entertainment, significantly driving PC adoption.

10.1 Software for Office Productivity:
Work Automation

One of the most important categories of software was that dedicated to office productivity, which made it possible to automate and improve the efficiency of numerous work activities.

Word Processors: The Disappearance of the Typewriter: Word processors revolutionized the creation and editing of documents. WordStar and WordPerfect were among the dominant programs in this area for much of the 1980s. WordStar, one of the first successful word processors, was known for its command-line interface with complex but efficient keyboard shortcuts for power users.

WordPerfect later became extremely popular due to its rich range of features, including handling complex formatting and high-quality printing. Towards the end of the decade, Microsoft Word also began to gain popularity, especially with the advent of Windows and graphical interfaces. These programs offered enormous advantages over traditional typewriters, allowing you to easily correct errors, format text flexibly, save and recall documents, and print with multiple options.
Spreadsheets: Data Analysis at Your Fingertips: As previously mentioned, VisiCalc for Apple II and later Lotus 1-2-3 for IBM PC were "killer" applications that drove many companies to purchase personal computers. These programs allowed you to organize numerical data into cells, perform complex calculations using predefined formulas and functions, create graphs, and analyze "what-if" scenarios. Lotus 1-2-3, in particular, integrated spreadsheet, database, and graphics functionality into a single package, becoming a critical tool for financial analysis, planning, and business data management. Other spreadsheets such as Multiplan (by Microsoft) and Quattro Pro (by Borland) offered viable alternatives throughout the decade.
Database Software (Database Management Systems - DBMS): The Organization of Information: Database management systems (DBMS) for PCs allowed companies to store, organize and retrieve large amounts of data efficiently. Programs such as dBase II and dBase III (and later FoxPro ) became standards for creating relational databases on PCs.
This software allowed you to define tables, insert records, define fields, execute queries to extract specific information and generate customized reports, revolutionizing the management of company information.
Presentation Software: Communicating with Visual Impact: Towards the end of the 1980s, the first software specifically designed for creating visual presentations began to appear. Programs such as Harvard Graphics and Lotus Freelance Graphics allowed you to create slides with text, graphs and images, facilitating the communication of ideas and data during meetings and presentations.

10.2 Software for Graphics and Publishing:
The Visual Revolution

The graphics capabilities of 1980s personal computers, while evolving, allowed the development of software for image creation and manipulation and for publishing.

Drawing and Painting Software: Digital Creativity Begins to Spread: Programs like MacPaint for Macintosh and PCbrush Paint for IBM PC compatibles offered users tools to draw and paint on the screen using the mouse. Although the features were initially basic, these programs made creating digital graphics accessible to a wider audience. Towards the end of the decade, more advanced graphics software began to appear, with image editing and vector graphics capabilities.
Desktop Publishing (DTP) Software: The Birth of Personal Publishing: As previously mentioned, applications such as Ventura Publisher and Aldus PageMaker had a huge impact on the industry of publishing.
These programs allowed the layout of texts and images with precise control over the layout, typography and integration of graphic elements, allowing individuals and small businesses to produce professional-looking documents such as newsletters, brochures, manuals and books, without having to resort to expensive traditional typography services.

10.3 Communication Software:
Connecting to the World (Slowly)

With the spread of modems, the first applications for communication between computers also emerged:

Modem and BBS Software: Programs such as terminal emulators (for connecting to remote systems such as mainframes) and specific software for accessing Bulletin Board Systems (BBS) became popular among technology enthusiasts. BBSs were systems managed by individuals or organizations that allowed users to connect via modem to exchange messages, download software and participate in discussion forums, representing the first forms of online communities.

10.4 Educational and Learning Software:
The PC as a Teaching Tool

The potential of the personal computer as an educational tool was recognized early on. In the 1980s, an increasing amount of educational software was developed for different age groups and subjects, from educational games for children to learning programs for adults.

10.5 Entertainment Software (Video Games):
A Strongly Growing Market

Video games played a key role in driving the adoption of personal computers, especially in the home market. Platforms such as the Commodore 64, Apple II, Atari ST and Amiga boasted vast and often high-quality game libraries, which took full advantage of the graphics and sound capabilities of their respective machines. Genres such as text and graphic adventure games, strategy games, flight simulators and arcade game conversions experienced great popularity. Iconic titles such as Elite, The Secret of Monkey Island, SimCity and many others helped define the gaming culture of the 80s and pushed many users to buy a PC to play.

10.6 Programming Languages and Development Tools:
Creating Your Own Software

For enterprising users and developers, several programming languages and development tools were available to create their own applications. BASIC remained a popular language, often integrated into the operating system (as in the case of the Commodore 64 and the IBM PC). Other languages such as Pascal and C gained popularity for more complex and professional software development. The first integrated development environments (IDEs) also began to appear, making it easier to write, compile and debug code.

10.7 The Impact of Software on PC Adoption:
A Virtuous Circle

The availability of useful and engaging software was a crucial factor in making personal computers a valuable tool for more and more people and businesses. This created a virtuous cycle: the more people bought PCs, the greater the demand for software, and the availability of new and innovative applications further drove hardware sales.

The software applications of the 1980s were the real engine of the personal computer revolution. From word processors to spreadsheets, from databases to graphics programs and video games, a wide range of software has emerged to meet the needs of an ever-widening audience. These programs not only improved productivity and offered new forms of entertainment, but also transformed the way we work, learn, communicate and entertain, laying the foundation for the digital world we live in today.