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Back in the 1980s when computers were first coming into military offices WordPerfect was the program I learned on. Somewhere in the early 90s Microsoft Word seemed to take over and thats what I've used ever since. Frankly I didn't know WordPerfect still existed until an ad came up on one of my internet sites. Just interested in who still uses it and why they do.
Computers
Software
Posted 3 y ago
Responses: 9
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Wordperfect and Harvard Graphics when life was easier -- of course I've only read about these products, I'm only 25... ;-)
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PO1 Howard Barnes
I remember Harvard Graphics, but it's been so long that i don't remember exactly what it was for. i guess presentations maybe. it's tough getting old.
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The first word processors were were deployed as dedicated terminals with a CRT Screen - evolving from the IBM Selectric Magcard typewriters. They cost $8-10 each. I used both Lanier and CTP word processing machines in the late 70s and early 80s in the Army.
As the PC became available, a number of companies ported the word processing software to DOS. MultiMate was one that mimicked the dedicated word processor. Later Word Perfect appeared as did Microsoft Word.
For a while there were groups of word processing, spreadsheet (Lotus 123, Excel), and graphic software (Corel Draw, Harvard Graphics). Database sofware packages apeeared as well like dBase, Clipper. None of them could exchange information very easily.
Microsoft Windows plus the bundling of this software to facilitate exchanging information (objects) via what became Office 365 created significant efficiencies. WordPerfect delayed and then bungled its conversion from DOS to Windows and the rest is history.
Now enhancing the ability of teams to collaborate while remote in real-time in 3D virtual meetings on documents across the entire Microsoft 365 metadata ecosystem is driving rapid growth. Having a consistent experience while disconnected and then reconnected is critical.
As the PC became available, a number of companies ported the word processing software to DOS. MultiMate was one that mimicked the dedicated word processor. Later Word Perfect appeared as did Microsoft Word.
For a while there were groups of word processing, spreadsheet (Lotus 123, Excel), and graphic software (Corel Draw, Harvard Graphics). Database sofware packages apeeared as well like dBase, Clipper. None of them could exchange information very easily.
Microsoft Windows plus the bundling of this software to facilitate exchanging information (objects) via what became Office 365 created significant efficiencies. WordPerfect delayed and then bungled its conversion from DOS to Windows and the rest is history.
Now enhancing the ability of teams to collaborate while remote in real-time in 3D virtual meetings on documents across the entire Microsoft 365 metadata ecosystem is driving rapid growth. Having a consistent experience while disconnected and then reconnected is critical.
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Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen
Great recap, I also had one of those words processing machines, had totally forgotten about it until you mentioned it.
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Maj (Join to see)
I think Multimate was designed specifically to mimic the Wang terminal word processors. My dad got that because he used it in the Guard. We also had Harvard Graphics, which I used for many presentations back in the day. I printed those out on overhead projector transparent sheets. Today, though, we are big users of Office 365. Most of our clients are firmly in that ecosystem as well. It's great from a usability standpoint as well as security.
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Sgt Robert Hellyer
Maj (Join to see) - Funny you should mention the Wang Word Processor. My first project when I went to work in the office I retired from was programming a Wang for the Illinois Division of Aeronautics. It was amazingly versatile and a lot of fun.
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I think Word has conquered all, but Google is encroaching a tiny bit in the online space. I learned on WordPerfect, though. My mother swore by it. I do miss the simplicity of DOS WordPerfect, Multimate, Wordstar, and PFS:Write, though.
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Sgt Robert Hellyer
Boy, I haven't even heard some of these mentioned for a whole bunch of years. DOS was fun, but I never used WordPerfect or Wordstar because the agency (state) that I was in (and maybe the whole state) went with MS Office. And that was a LONG time ago.
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Sgt Robert Hellyer
Maj (Join to see) - I had heard about computers, but the only ones I had seen were on television shows (black and white TV at the time....). It wasn't until I got out of the service and was in a dead-end job that I got into computers - and then made a career out of it.
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