Commands part ii by victor frankfor more than 15 years, four companies, and all these nonwindows versions, wordstar maintained backwards command compatibility. Books for wordstar sold like hot cakes and the authors knew they were selling documentation for pirated copies of wordstar. Document referred to wordstar word processing files containing embedded word processing and formatting commands. That method or studying one of the many nonmicropro wordstar books, cassettes, or disks still seems better than confronting the training guide. It was ported to a number of cpm architectures as well as unix and pcmsdos. But touchtypists find that using the wordstar control key commands is.
The wordstar resource site has sections for wordstar for dos, wordstar 2000, and wordstar for windows. A writers word processor even today, some authors still use dos word processing software from the 1990s. But touch typists find that using the wordstar control key commands is. The keyboard is the primary interface between the user and the machine, and the feel of the keys is critical. Wordstar is a word processor application that had a dominant market share during the early to mid1980s.
You could pretty much also clone the ws commands in wp, except for those darned block commands. I dont recall liking it all that much, but the keyboard commands made more sense and were easier to remember than. Wordstar may have been the most pirated software in the world, which in many ways accounted for its success. Microsoft word is the most popular word processing application see microsoft word. Wordstar menus screen wordstar, the grandfather of word pr. Dec 16, 2018 sometimes abbreviated as wp, a word processor is a software program capable of creating, storing, and printing typed documents. In 1994, wordstar international merged with softkey software products. Individual chapters then explain start up procedures, creating a document, editing tools, saving and printing, and the use of dot commands to control. Wordstar is the first massmarket word processing program with a wysiwyg whatyouseeiswhatyouget interface. Wordstar was created at a time when most keyboards did not yet have separate arrow key blocks. Wordstar, once the topselling word processing program, finally has gotten a thorough face lift.
The product of micropro international, it was the first fullfeatured wordprocessing program written for personal. It did, however, offer keyboard command compatibility with earlier wordstar. Jul 17, 2019 hi folks why not run a windows version that wordstar still runs on as a virtual machine. Word processing died in every meaningful sense with wordstar. What is word processing and what are some examples. Its cpmoriented treatment of machinespecific items can cause massive confusion. The wordstar screen this screen shot from a cpmbased kaypro computer shows how wordstar looked in its heyday. First off, installing wordstar 2000 is completely automatic.
Word processing on the apple with wordstar and diablo when you use your apple for word processing, do you find you are becoming increasingly frustrated by the limitations of your simple 40column apple word processing program. Multimate international developed the core word processing software and utilities file conversion, printer drivers, but purchased and adapted subprograms for spelling and grammar checking, list management, outlining and printtime incorporation of graphics in word processing documents multimate graphlink. In this article i give a quick overview of the most popular word processors since the 80s remember its just a selection, there has been lots and lots of more word processing software. Apr 09, 2018 office 365 ms word is a word processor developed by microsoft. Today, the word processor is one of the most frequently used software programs on a computer, with microsoft word being the most popular word processor word processors can be used to create multiple types of files, including text files. Beloved to this day for its simplicity, power and wealth of keystroke commands, some wr. Word processors are probably the most used computer software ever. Wordstar complete history of wordstar word processor. Wordstar for windows was more of a framebased desktop publishing tool. Rubinstein was the principal owner of the company, rob barnaby was the sole author of the early versions of the program up to version 0. Wordstar was a word processor application that had a dominant market share during the early to mid1980s. The specific commands varied a lot between programs. Editpad pro supports the classic wordstar navigation keys for people who are used to them.
Wordstar 2000 added few new commands, but completely rewrote the user interface, using simple englishlanguage mnemonics so the command to remove a word, which had been t in wordstar, became rw in wordstar 2000. Few writers prefer the feel of pen and paper, these days, even for a first draft. Wordstar 2000 does just about anything you might imagine word processing software should do. Wordstar block, find and findplace commands, and nondocument mode. The real beauty of wordstar is typist home row navigation and commands, which later evolved into what. This desktop resource gives you fast access to all the commands and functions of the the popular wordstar word processing software, including wordstar professional, and wordstar 2000 and 2000 plus. Word processing on the apple with wordstar and diablo. Within three years, wordstar was the most popular word processing software in the world. It competed directly against many word processors, including wordperfect, microsoft word for dos, and multimate. By the mid1980s wordstar was the most popular word processing software in the world. Word processors can be used to create multiple types of files. Apples first own word processor, titled apple writer, was released for the apple ii family in 1979. Softmaker freeoffice is a suite of office programs, and one of the included tools is a free word processor called textmaker. Hi folks why not run a windows version that wordstar still runs on as a virtual machine.
Wordstar is a word processor application that had a dominant market share during the early to. The program relied on a unique set of keyboard commands that were memorized by millions of users and continued to affect keyboard shortcut layouts well into the 1980s. I remember the formatting commands of wordstar required as if it were yesterday. In the beginning, there was the word processor zdnet. Does the wordstar emulator work on win10 windows 10 forums. Rubinstein was the principal owner of the company, rob barnaby was the sole author of the early versions of the program.
By the late 80s most business word processing had moved to wordperfect. It is also the home for the wordstar emulator for microsoft word 97 and later, right up to word 2007, 2010, and even 2016. The product of micropro international, it was the first fullfeatured word processing program written for personal. It was eclipsed, not surprisingly, by wordperfect and other programs whose publishers understood. Created as an alternative to microsoft office, openoffice is a massively popular word processing program as it has been made available for free usage, worldwide. Wordstar my choice in wordprocessors gerald brandt. It was published by micropro international, and written for the cpm operating system but later ported to msdos. The creators of wordstar, john robbins barnaby left and seymour ivan rubenstein right wordstar. The now wellknown wordstar commands first appeared in this new program. This includes modern crossplatform word processing software like textmaker and many text editors running under msdos, linux, and other unix variants, which can emulate the wordstar keyboard commands using ctrlkey combinations. An earlier fullfeatured word processing program for cpm and.
Wordstar was a word processor application, published by micropro, originally. They have been around since the beginning of the computer, in all kind of different designs. An earlier fullfeatured word processing program for cpm and dos from micropro. With each new generation wordperfect word, we lost wordchurning power. Other pioneering innovations included cutandpaste, and mail merge commands. Office 365 ms word is a word processor developed by microsoft. Software companies dont like to admit to this as a possibility. It enables you to write text, store it electronically, display it on a screen, modify it by entering commands and characters from the keyboard, and print it. Many other early word processors emulated wordstar in their use of.
The program, which was released in 1979, was revised modestly last year but. Most of these programs are similar, but there are key differences that can take some of the effort away and help you. In the late 1970s and early 80s, wordstar was the worlds premier word processing software. The best free word processing software app downloads for windows. Jul 18, 2018 in an age before microsoft word, even before corel wordperfect, wordstar ruled the dos word processing world. If i recall correctly, wordstar was the first word processor i used on ibm pcs. Wordstar was released in 1979 and was the most powerful word processing software of its day. Before we consider the special tools that the unix environment provides for text processing, we need to think about the underlying changes in the process of writing that are inevitable when you begin to use a computer. There are so many word processing programs out there that make life easier, and this is true whether youre writing for yourself or for a client. Individual chapters then explain start up procedures, creating a document, editing tools, saving and printing, and the use of dot commands to control printing and page layout. Even today, some authors still use dos word processing software.
Word processing article about word processing by the free. There is a full list of all known places to obtain it on this site, linked from the home page. Wordstar for windows is not at all like wordstar for dos, it. Jun 16, 1985 wordstar 2000 does just about anything you might imagine word processing software should do. This word processor was included with the osborne 1, the first commercially successful portable microcomputer 1981, but its place was taken over by wordperfect from 1985 onwards. Word processing software for windows free downloads and. As you become familiar with a program, you will find that you can work much faster if you learn them. Today, the word processor is one of the most frequently used software programs on a computer, with microsoft word being the most popular word processor. But ibm dominated the dedicated word processor market with its displaywrite application, which ran on machines dedicated to writing and editing documents. Other solutions as an elementary word processing program use wordpad i think its still included with windows 10, other free office things such as libreoffice or kingsoft office etc. I think wordstar is the least modal word processor i have ever used version 4, begins with a glossary of termskeyboard definitions and a brief description of the capabilities and features of the program. Many other early word processors emulated wordstar in. This meant that regular text lines couldnt start with dots.
The program is nolonger available except on the second user or. I always say, an isv could make a fortune building a really sophisticated word processing app. Immediately after opening this word processor for the first time, youre given the option to choose a classic menu style or use a ribbon menu you might already be familiar with. Advanced word processing techniques using wordstar.
Advanced word processors can function as elementary desktop publishing systems. This is what word processing looked like in the 80s. Introduced in 1978 for the cpm operating system, wordstar was the first program to give full word processing capabilities to personal computer users at far less cost than the dedicated word processors of the time. With the combined power of sophisticated word processing and powerful.
Aug 16, 2019 wordstar is the first massmarket word processing program with a wysiwyg whatyouseeiswhatyouget interface. This program was also used to write the game of thrones books. The 25 rows of 80 characters was the mainstay in the cpm and dos world until gui. The popular turbo pascal compiler used wordstar keyboard commands in its. This tutorial for the word processing program wordstar, version 4, begins with a glossary of termskeyboard definitions and a brief description of the capabilities and features of the program. Wordstar article about wordstar by the free dictionary. Sometimes abbreviated as wp, a word processor is a software program capable of creating, storing, and printing typed documents. I think wordstar is the least modal word processor i have ever used commands in the wordstar emulator within word runs words equivalent commands.
Here are the specs of the most popular word processing software for pcs. The popular turbo pascal compiler used wordstar keyboard commands in its ide editor. I dont recall liking it all that much, but the keyboard commands made more sense and were easier to remember than most others. You can find out what they are by looking on the right side of the pulldown menus, next to the commands.
The program relied on a unique set of keyboard commands that were memorized by millions of users and continued to affect keyboard shortcut layouts well. Wordstar, originally from micropro, was a popular word processor during the early 80s. However, by the late 1980s, programs like wordperfect knocked wordstar out of the word processing market after the poor performance of wordstar 2000. The most important component in word processing has nothing to do with software. Many other early word processors emulated wordstar in their use of dot lines for commands, though some of them required a control character to precede the dot in order to allow dots at the start of normal text lines. Except for labels and envelopes, word processing software has long since replaced the electric typewriter.